Isaak Ilich Levitan

The board has warped slightly. There is a tear to the support in the lower left corner and the board is slightly splitting.There are frame abrasions with associated loss along the edges. There are tears and creases across the lower part of the sheet and along the edges, notably to the top right corner. There are horizontal and diagonal surface cuts on the left hand side and the reverse. There is a layer of light surface dirt. Held behind glass in a gilt wooden frame with mouldings. 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 the 1890s Levitan began to explore the use of pastel as a serious medium, executing at least 26 landscapes and still lifes between 1893 and 1895. The majority of his pastels from this period are executed after his celebrated oils of the 1880s and show Levitan experimenting with the original composition and trying new colour combinations. His interest in the medium no doubt was sparked by his first trip to Italy and France in 1890 when he came into contact with pastels by his European contemporaries, including those of Edgar Degas.

The present lot is a reworking of his 1887 painting of the same title in the State Russian Museum collection (fig.1). The earlier work is executed in oil on paper and significantly smaller (31.8 by 40.6cm); the composition is largely unchanged in this instance but on comparison it is apparent the degree to which the new medium allowed Levitan to experiment with atmospheric effects. Indeed, in the view of Fedorov-Davydov, Levitan’s pastels reveal his subtle perception of colour and emotional expression more clearly than his oils (Fedorov-Davydov, Levitan, 1976, p.224). In terms of technique, close comparisons to the present lot can be found in other mature pastels by Levitan such as Meadow on the Edge of a Forest (1898, The State Russian Museum) and Road on an Overcast Day (1898, Private Collection).

The offered lot is one of at least six other works by Levitan carrying this title, a series which may have originally been inspired by Vasily Polenov’s famous oil painting, Overgrown Pond (1879).

We are grateful to Olga Glebova for providing additional cataloguing information.