- 35
Robert Rafaelovich Falk
Estimate
150,000 - 200,000 GBP
bidding is closed
Description
- Robert Rafaelovich Falk
- In the Garden
- titled and dated 1946 on a label on the stretcher
- oil on canvas
- 98.5 by 79cm, 38 3/4 by 31in.
Provenance
Private Collection, Switzerland, 1960s
Literature
D.Sarabyanov and Yu.Didenko, Paintings of Robert Falk, Moscow, 2006, p. 699 and 838, no.1035 and 1036, illustrated
Condition
Original canvas. The paint surface is slightly dirty. There are light stretcher marks to the middle left section of the canvas. UV light reveals an area of retouching the upper left corner and a spot of retouching to the foliage in the lower right quadrant. Held in a original floating black painted wooden frame. Unexamined out o 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 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
Robert Falk and his wife, Angelina Shchekin-Krotova, would often spend the summer months in the town of Khotkovo, 60 kilometres northeast of Moscow. This small provincial town near the artistic retreat of Abramtsevo provided a peaceful respite for the artist, and he painted several works dedicated to the beauty of the area.
The present lot depicts Falk's wife sitting in the garden outside of their home. Shchekin-Krotova recalls the beauty of this spot in her memoirs: 'The house...was surrounded by an old garden, shaded by century-old lime trees...[it had] a dilapidated terrace...which was a wonderful spot to paint flowers' (as quoted in Yu.V. Didenko, Robert Falk, Moscow, 2006, p. 699).
In the Garden displays the strong influence of the French Impressionists on Falk's work, particularly that of Paul Cézanne. Using quick brushstrokes, Falk breaks down the flowers and the form, embedding the sitter in the lush foliage. The impression is one of light airiness and leisure.