- 182
Nikolai Konstantinovich Kalmakov
Estimate
120,000 - 150,000 GBP
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Description
- Nikolai Konstantinovich Kalmakov
- the panther god
- signed with artist's cypher and dated 1910 m.r.
- oil on canvas
- 100 by 141cm., 39 1/4 by 55 1/2 in.
Provenance
Sotheby's London, Twentieth Century Russian Paintings, Drawings and Watercolours 1900-1925, 1 July 1970, lot 28
Exhibited
Paris, Musée-galerie de la Seita, Kalmakoff, 26 March - 17 May 1986, No 8 (illustrated in the exhibition catalogue)
Condition
Original canvas which is slightly loose on the stretcher. The paint surface is fairly clean. There are fine lines of craquelure and a few minor flecks of paint loss. UV light reveals areas of retouching to old paint loss in the more impasto areas. Held in original frame made of rope.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
Catalogue Note
Dating from Kalmakov's early period, the offered lot clearly reflects the decorative and extremely stylised approach of the Mir iskusstva group. The serpentine, swirling background and the vivid, gem-like colours are typical of Kalmakov's sensual and dramatic style.
It has been suggested that in these early compositions Kalmakov may have used a form of frottage, a technique pioneered by Surrealist artists such as Max Ernst, which involved rubbing pencil or paint on paper over a textured surface. The artist would then pick out and refine the images which he saw emerging from the patterns.