Mikhail Spiridonovich Erassi

Lined canvas. The surface is slightly dirty and covered in a layer of yellowed varnish. There are fine lines of craquelure and minor paint loss in the lower right corner. Under UV discolored varnish fluoresces, as does pigment areas in the sky, water and lower right corner.
"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 1854 Mikhail Erassi, a pupil of Alexei Venetsianov (1780-1847), travelled to Switzerland for the first time, funded by a sponsorship from the Imperial Academy of Arts. This trip marked the most productive period of the artist’s career, characterised by a palette of rich greens for foliage set against bright shades for the sky. The offered lot is an exceptional work by an artist rarely found outside museum collections. In 1860, Erassi was awarded the title of Professor of Landscape Art at the Academy for three paintings, one of which was the View of Lake Geneva. 

Other works by Erassi can be found in the collection of the State Russian Museum in St Petersburg and the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.