- 110
Attributed to Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky
Estimate
50,000 - 70,000 GBP
Log in to view results
bidding is closed
Description
- A Market scene in Constantinople, with the Hagia Sophia beyond
- bears signature in Cyrillic and dated 1860 m.r.; further inscribed and dated on the reverse
- oil on canvas
- 65.5 by 57cm; 25 3/4 by 22 1/2 in.
Provenance
Sotheby's London, Nineteenth Century European Paintings, Drawings and Watercolours, 17 March 1993, lot 130
Christie's London, Russian Pictures including Post War and Contemporary Art, Part II, 26 November 2008, lot 356
Christie's London, Russian Pictures including Post War and Contemporary Art, Part II, 26 November 2008, lot 356
Condition
Original canvas. There are light abrasions and spots of paintloss possibly from the frame abrasion. UV light reveals areas of retouching along the inner framing edge especially in the upper left and right sides. There are areas of infilling to the sky and the market scene below. There is layer of varnish. 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. 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 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."
Catalogue Note
The present lot depicts Constantinople, one of Aivazovsky’s favourite subjects and a city he frequently returned to throughout his life. The Hagia Sophia, originally the Greek Patriarchal cathedral of Constantinople, can be seen quite prominently in the background. In 1860 the Hagia Sophia served as a mosque under Sultan Abdülmecid, the thirty-first Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. The building itself is one of the finest examples of Byzantine architecture and was the largest in the world at the time of its construction in 360.