Lot 80
  • 80

Martiros Sarian

Estimate
30,000 - 50,000 GBP
bidding is closed

Description

  • Martiros Sarian
  • The Seine, Paris
  • signed in Latin and dated 1927 l.r., further signed in Latin and Armenian, titled in Cyrillic, numbered 643 and dated 1927 on the reverse
  • oil on canvas
  • 33 by 46cm, 13 by 18in.

Literature

R.Drampian, Sarian, Moscow: Iskusstvo, 1964, p.103 listed under works from 1927 as Sena v Parizhe, with incorrect dimensions

Condition

Original canvas on its original stretcher. There is a layer of surface dirt and fine craquelure is present in places. There is a fleck of paint loss above the centre of the bottom edges. Frame abrasions are visible at all four edges with some minor associated paint loss. There is a scratch in the upper right corner and a diagonal scratch above the second pillar from the left of the bridge. Examination under UV light reveals no apparent signs of retouching.
"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

This view of the Seine is one of the very few surviving works painted by Sarian during his stay in Paris between the autumn of 1926 and the spring of 1928. The culmination of this important period was his solo exhibition which opened in January 1928 at the Galerie Girard and included 36 canvases, the majority of which Sarian had painted in Paris the previous year.

Most of Sarian’s Parisian works perished in a fire on the ship that was transporting them from Marseille to Batumi. The few pictures from this period that survive are those that had already been sold in France and the small number of studies, including the present work, the artist brought back himself when he returned from Paris to Yerevan in March 1928. This study is of particular interest because it was inspired by the city itself, unlike the majority of the Paris-period works which continued to depict Armenian subjects.