Mstislav Valerianovich Dobuzhinsky

The artist's studio
Drouot Montaigne, Paris, 2005 

The board is sound. There are losses to the four corners, the lower left corner is creased. The surface is slightly dirty. There are a few very minor flecks of paint loss including to the lower left corner and right edge and a few places elsewhere. There are very minor light scratches to the lower part of the board. Tiny spots of media staining to the sky and the bottom left corner of the work. UV light reveals no apparent retouching. Held in light brown slip 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."

In 1939, at the request of the director Mikhail Chekhov, Dobuzhinsky travelled to New York to design costumes and sets for the premiere of The Possessed at the Lyceum Theater on Broadway. He continued to return to New York sporadically throughout his life.

While living in the United States, Dobuzhinsky travelled frequently to Washington and Boston and produced many sketches of the cities and their skylines. The present lot depicts the three-cornered Bulfinch Hotel located in downtown Boston, adjacent to railway tracks running from the nearby North Station.