Alexander Nikolaevich Benois

Acquired in Leningrad in the 1920s
Private Collection
Acquired from the above by the present owner

 

The sheet appears sound. There is a diagonal scratch long running across the right hand statue and pedestal. There are surface scratches in places elsewhere, a few very minor dents to the surface and light media stains in places. There are light frame abrasions to the right hand edge. Held in a gold painted frame behind glass. 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."

Alexandre Benois believed that the past is the only real thing in life. History is the core of his life's work, and is at its most poignant in his views of the palaces and cityscapes of Petersburg and Paris. At Peterhof, Pavlovsk, Oranienbaum, Versailles, Benois communed directly with the historical eras and figures he worshipped, and these shades of the past frequently appear in his depictions of these sites. The present view of an 18th century palace garden, while possibly inspired by Peterhof, does not necessarily depict an exact location. Rather, it conveys a mood, of the overcast, blustery autumn days when Benois felt the past most powerfully. One can sense the wind rustling through the manicured bushes, rippling the water of the reflecting pool and threatening to blow away the tricorne hat of a gentleman in the park. When he painted this work in 1918, Benois was deeply involved in protecting the legacy of Russia's imperial past from destruction and desecration, as a member of preservation commissions, respected critic and, soon, director of the Hermitage Picture Gallery. Unable to visit many of his beloved palace sites in person amidst the harsh conditions of civil war, he travelled there in his imagination, often recording these fantasies in his watercolours.

We are grateful to Anna Winestein, Director of the Ballets Russes Cultural Partnership, and Doctoral Candidate at Oxford University, for providing this note.