Lot 29
  • 29

Alexander Evgenievich Yakovlev

Estimate
80,000 - 120,000 GBP
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Description

  • Alexander Evgenievich Yakovlev
  • Anita Lopez in Scout Uniform
  • signed in Latin and dated 1934 l.r.
  • sanguine, charcoal and pastel on paper
  • 170 by 79cm, 67 by 31in.

Literature

C.Haardt de La Baume, Alexandre Iacovleff: Itinérances, Paris: Somogy Èditions, 2004, p.80, no.84 illustrated

Condition

The sheet is sound. There are some spots of minor foxing and some creasing visible around the edges, including a more visible crease near the sitters head which extends to the top edge of the sheet. The paper is buckled in certain areas, and there are pinholes visible in the corners. There are some minor tears around the edges and a few scuffs and stains throughout. Held in a wood frame and under glass. 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."

Catalogue Note

Alexander Yakovlev arrived in Paris in 1920 after two years of study in Mongolia, China and Japan. He had already established a reputation as an accomplished theatre artist in St Petersburg, and works from his Asian trip were exhibited with great success at the famed Parisian Gallery Barbazanges.

It was during this time that he met the wealthy Chilean industrialist Arturo Lopez and his second wife Anna Ross, key figures in Parisian society who became close friends of many Russian émigrés including Diaghilev and Stravinsky, and great patrons of the arts. Yakovlev completed several paintings of not only Arturo and Anna, but also Arturo’s son, Arturo Lopez-Willshaw (1923, fig.1), and his daughter Anita, with whom Yakovlev was particularly taken. There are at least three known works of his featuring the young Anita, of which the present depiction of the young woman standing proudly and confidently in her scout uniform is the most recognised. His talent as a portraitist and handling of charcoal and pastels is self-evident; the exquisite shading, strong lines and exacting detail create a portrait that is at once intimate and engaging.