Pavel Varfolomeevich Kuznetsov

Alisa Koonen, Moscow
N. S. Sukhotsky, Moscow
A. A. Chizhov, Moscow
Acquired directly from the above by the present owner

Abram Efros, Kamernyi teatr i ego khudozhniki, 1914-1934, Moscow, 1934, illustrated
Peter Stupples, Pavel Kunzetsov: His Life and Art, Cambridge: Cambridge Univeristy Press, 1989, p. 169, illustrated

Tempera and pencil on paper mounted onto board. There is minor paint loss around edges and in corners. There is a small scratch near the bottom center edge and a small crease in the lower right corner. There is a pin hole in the upper right corner and in the upper left corner. Very minor staining and discoloration, including a stain in the upper right corner. Sold unframed.
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.

Alexander Tairov's Chamber Theater's production of Sakuntala had close ties to Russian Symbolism. Tairov adapted Sakuntala to the aesthetics of the prevailing Symbolist school, which emphasized the visual, poetic, and contemplative depiction of nature. Konstantin Balmont, who translated the play from A. Bruguire's 1803 French version, was the founder of Russian Symbolist poetry. Kuznetsov, the designer of the production, had been a leader of the Blue Rose group of Symbolist artists in 1907.

Rejecting conventional depictions of India, Kuznetsov covered the back of the stage with huge, monochrome curtains, their colors selected in accordance with the prevailing mood of each act. The curtains played the role of the horizon, neutral in its scenic function and richly emotional in its color significance. Koonen had high praise for Kuznetsov's designs, stating that "the remarkable skill of the artist created a miracle: when the play was performed the backdrops appeared as if transparent, moving light; one was unaware of their texture, one was struck by the enigmatic, palpitating beauty of the shrubs, flowers and trees."

In his poetic designs for Sakuntala, Kuznetsov fused the expressive qualities of primitivist drawing, reducing the subject to its most essential elements, with the curvilinear extravagance of Art Nouveau. The present lot depicts King Dushanta riding his chariot through the air, along the path of the clouds.