Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky

Count Sergei Yulievich Witte, first Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Russian Empire
A gift from the above to Stanislav Maximilian von Propper, publisher of Birzhevye Vedomosti, St. Petersburg
Dr. Maximilian von Propper, Hamburg
Acquired by the grandfather of the present owner from the above in the 1930s
Thence by descent

The canvas has been lined. There are some light abrasions to the edges, otherwise the painting is clean and ready to hang. UV light reveals spots of retouching in places throughout. Held in white and gold painted frame. Unexamined out of frame.
"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."

This serene view of Yalta and the Ayu Dag beyond is a lovely example of one of Aivazovsky's 'blue pictures' and thought to date from the 1880s. By then in his sixties, this was in many ways a happy period in Aivazovsky's life. Having spent much of the previous decade abroad, he based himself to a much greater degree in Theodosia, where he opened his gallery to the public in the summer of 1880. It was the first private art gallery in provincial Russia and a huge draw for tourists. He re-married in 1882 and was at the height of his fame, showing his work in more than 30 exhibitions over the decade, seven of which were in St Petersburg alone. These included a grand jubilee exhibition in 1887 to celebrate 50 years of his achievements as a painter, at which Grand Duke Vladimir awarded him with the medal of St Vladimir to mark the 'deep gratitude' of the Academy of Arts.

His ability to revive a view familiar to collectors of his work in part substantiates the jubilee accolades, though the view itself had also developed over the previous fifty years. In his earliest depiction of Yalta in 1838, the town amounts to a few houses below the hilltop church of St John Chrystostom, but it rapidly grew into a popular resort after Alexander II bought the nearby palace at Livadia in 1860. Tranquil seas acted as a perfect means for Aivazovsky to display his mastery of reflected light, which he would usually apply to the surface in quickly drawn lines in thicker paint. The single mountainous cloud which seemingly rises from nowhere above the calm waters is a feature of some of his best mature works, such as Elegant Ladies Fishing at the Water's Edge (1870, Private Collection).

To be included in the forthcoming monograph on Aivazovsky by Gianni Caffiero and Ivan Samarine, which will be published in late 2010.