Alexander Alexandrovich Kiselev

Private collection, France

The canvas has been laid down on board and some of the tacking edges have been cut. The unpainted bottom tacking edge has been preserved. The bottom left corner and to a lesser extent the top left corner have become detached from the board. There is a vertical air bubble running from the top to the bottom edge across the sailing boat. The surface is slightly dirty and there is a tiny drop of household paint to the centre of the bottom edge. Inspection under UV light reveals several vertical line of retouching to the sky and further minor retouching along the edges. Held in simple wooden frame. 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."

Backwaters, river beaches, reed-beds, small boats and still ponds are very much the idiom of Kiselev’s Russia. These bucolic landscapes were often painted on relatively small-scale canvases and stand in direct contrast to the grand vistas by his contemporaries Ivan Shishkin and Konstantin Kryzhitsky.