- Title: Russian art masterpieces on display ahead of Christie's auction
- Date: 7th November 2018
- Summary: MOSCOW, RUSSIA (NOVEMBER 7, 2018) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF INTERNATIONAL HEAD OF RUSSIAN DEPARTMENT AT CHRISTIE'S ALEXIS DE TIESENHAUSEN SHOWING SILVER RABBIT FIGURE BY GUSTAV FABERGE SILVER VASE BY PAVEL OVCHINNIKOV CHRISTIE'S RUSSIAN ART DEPARTMENT SPECIALIST ALEKSANDRA BABENKO AT EXHIBITION (HOLDING CATALOGUE) VARIOUS OF VENICE AT SUNSET PAINTING BY IVAN AIVAZOVSKY (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHRISTIE'S RUSSIAN ART DEPARTMENT SPECIALIST, ALEKSANDRA BABENKO, SAYING: "So, essentially he (Aivazovsky) created many views of Venice, but of this scale, of this magnitude, you don't really find this common in auction often." VARIOUS OF PORTRAIT OF WIFE AND SELF-PORTRAIT BY VASILY SHUKHAEV VARIOUS OF PORTRAIT OF TSAREVICH ALEXANDER BY GEORGE DAWE (SOUNDBITE) (English) INTERNATIONAL HEAD OF RUSSIAN DEPARTMENT AT CHRISTIE'S, ALEXIS DE TIESENHAUSEN, SAYING: "Very nice group of items, unusual items with different kind of provenance. You have the wonderful provenance for the group of works by (Lev) Bakst, which are coming straight from the family of sister of Bakst, you have the provenance of these two portraits which are coming to collection of princess's palace, you have the self portrait of Shukhaev which is coming from a close friend of the family. We are very proud to have this nice group of items with very interesting background to each of them." FRAGMENT OF PORTRAIT OF TSAREVICH ALEXANDER BY GEORGE DAWE (SOUNDBITE) (English) INTERNATIONAL HEAD OF RUSSIAN DEPARTMENT AT CHRISTIE'S, ALEXIS DE TIESENHAUSEN, SAYING: "The vase is one of the top lots of the sale, it is a huge vase, it is one meter 38 (centimeters). I think it is the largest vase even compared to the vase which is at the Hermitage which has the same shape but 10 centimeters (smaller). It is not a great difference, but none the less it is a difference. It is huge, it is probably the largest vase we have ever had at the auction, made by the Imperial Porcelain Factory. Everybody knows that Imperial Porcelain Factory was at its top under the reign of Nikolas the First and the quality is just amazing, the gilding is just amazing, and it's kind of unique."
- Embargoed: 21st November 2018 15:34
- Keywords: Ilya Repin Russia art Art auction pictorial art Art sales Christie's auction Soviet porcelain Imperial porcelain vase Ivan Aivazovsky arts and crafts
- Location: MOSCOW, RUSSIA
- City: MOSCOW, RUSSIA
- Country: Russia
- Topics: Art,Arts / Culture / Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVA00195IAX5L
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Private art auction house Christie's toured a number of rare art pieces in Moscow on Wednesday (November 7) showing them to the public before the works go under the hammer later this month.
The exhibition, which is open in Russia's capital for three days, features works by Aivazovsky as well Lev Bakst, Vasily Shukhaev, Boris Kustodiev, Alexander Gerasimov, Ilya Repin and other artists.
Lots of works for sale come from private collections and have a story behind them, Head of Russian Department at Christie's Alexis de Tiesenhausen told Reuters.
"We are very proud to have this nice group of items with a very interesting background to each of them," - he said.
Art lovers and buyers have a chance to admire vases from the Imperial Porcelain factory, products by the renowned Faberge firm, rare examples of Soviet porcelain and other works of Russian decorative and applied art.
Ivan Aivazovsky's painting 'Venice at Sunset' with estimated cost of 400,000 - 600,000 British Pounds is the top lot in the painting section, while the Imperial Porcelain vase estimated 800,000 - 1,200,000 British Pounds is the most expensive lot of the auction, according to Christie's. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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