Vasili Vasilievich Vereshchagin

Private collection, England from 1950s
Acquired from the above by the present owner

The canvas has been laid on panel, possibly shortly after execution. The paint surface has recently been cleaned. Some pigments fluoresce under UV light. There are some very minor spots of retouching to the sky and elsewhere. Held in the original gold moulded plaster frame. Some losses.
"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."

Vereshchagin's desire to reconnect with his motherland manifested itself in 1887-1888 when he visited the cities of Yaroslavl, Rostov, Kostroma and Makarev to document and paint "unremarkable Russian people" and their surroundings. Having spent much of his earlier career depicting the horrors of war, Vereshchagin took a calmer, more contemplative approach in his later works. His focus on the daily life of ordinary Russian people evokes a spirit of national consciousness, bound up in the Russian landscape, customs and architecture.