Ivan Pavlovich Pokhitonov

Collection of Professor Emile Witmeur, Liège
Private collection, Belgium
Acquired from the above by the present owner

Liège, Cercle des Beaux-Arts et de l'Oeuvre des Artistes, Exposition du peintre russe Ivan Pokitonow, 12 - 24 May 1906, no.55, Plein hiver (Russie)
Possibly, Liège, Cercle des Beaux-Arts, Ivan Pokitonow, 16 - 30 April 1910, no.22, Une tourmente de neige en Russie
Liège, Cercle des Beaux-Arts, Exposition Iwan Pokitonow, 20 May - 8 June 1922, no.52, Dans la neige (Gouvernement de Minsk)

'Exposition du peintre Ivan Pokitonow', La Gazette de Liège, 16 May 1906, Neige
'Exposition Ivan Pokitonow', Journal de Liège, 19 May 1906, Tapis de neige épaisse et crissante

There is a diagonal crack of approximately 5cm on the reverse of the panel which is visible in the paint layer from the front. The edges show signs of light frame abrasions with some corresponding minor paint loss along the lower right edge. There is a line of yellowed varnish along the bottom. There is a light layer of surface dirt and a spot of dirt in the copse of trees on the left. Inspection under UV light reveals no obvious signs of restoration. Held in an attractive frame with plaster 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 1902, Pokhitonov and Evgenia von Wulfert moved to the vast family estate near Minsk which her father had purchased some 25 years previously. Pokhitonov’s paintings from this visit are considered some of his finest, imbued with a renewed love for his homeland which embraced him in turn with equal warmth. Welcomed as a national hero and awarded the highest rank at the Imperial Academy of Arts in 1904, he participated in a renowned series of ‘mignon’ exhibitions in Moscow at this time. The detail of Pokhitonov's miniatures is often cited in his reviews, but equally impressive is how abstract he dares to be in some of these small landscapes. The depth of snowfall in the present work is conveyed beautifully by the loose brushwork of the branches that form a heavy lattice across the upper right corner.

The present lot will be included in the second volume of the catalogue raisonné currently being prepared by Olivier Bertrand and due to be published in 2017.