Nicholas Roerich

Collection of Louis and Nettie Horch, New York (acquired directly from the artist)
Acquired directly from the above by the present owner, circa 1977

London, The Goupil Gallery, Nicholas Roerich. Spells of Russia, 1920
New York, Kingor Galleries, The Nicholas Roerich Exhibition, December 1920-January 1921 (traveling exhibition, visiting the following locations among others)
Boston, Boston Art Club, February 1921
Buffalo, Albright Art Gallery, March 1921
Chicago, Art Institute, April-May 1921
St. Louis, City Art Museum, July 1921
San Francisco, Museum of Art, September-October 1921
Cleveland, Cleveland Museum of Art, 1922
New York, Nicholas Roerich Museum (permanent collection), 1923-1935

Christian Brinton, The Nicholas Roerich Exhibition, New York, 1921, no. 136
F. Grant et al., Roerich, Himalaya, A Monograph, New York, 1926, p. 198
Roerich Museum Catalogue, New York, 1930, no. 136

According to The Nicholas Roerich Exhibition catalogue, this lot was painted in London in 1920.

Tempera on canvas. The surface is dirty. This picture would benefit from a review from a professional restorer. The canvas has four tears: the largest is a 1 inch tear in the corner of the doorway. The others are small tears: one in the upper left corner above the doorway, one to the right of the doorway, near the red curtain, and one on the right half of the painting, in the red curtain, about 3 1/2 inches to the right of the seated woman. There is minor paint loss around the edges of the picture and the canvas is very brittle and fragile. Parts of the canvas have broken off around the edges. There are some minor stains in the lower right corner. There is craquelure in the lower left corner. The canvas is cracked around the edges, exposing spots of paint loss. Under UV no pigments fluoresce, but the glass prohibits a conclusive analysis. Held in a Roerich Museum frame and under 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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.