Boris Michajlovic Kustodiev Sold at Auction Prices
Painter, Sculptor, Wood cutter, Lithographer, Porträtmaler, Still life painter, b. 1878 - d. 1927
Boris Mikhaylovich Kustodiev (7 March [O.S. 23 February] 1878 – 28 May 1927) was a Soviet painter and stage designer.
Boris Kustodiev was born in Astrakhan into the family of a professor of philosophy, history of literature, and logic at the local theological seminary. His father died young, and all financial and material burdens fell on his mother's shoulders. The Kustodiev family rented a small wing in a rich merchant's house. It was there that the boy's first impressions were formed of the way of life of the provincial merchant class. The artist later wrote, "The whole tenor of the rich and plentiful merchant way of life was there right under my nose... It was like something out of an Ostrovsky play." The artist retained these childhood observations for years, recreating them later in oils and water-colours.
Between 1893 and 1896, Kustodiev studied in theological seminary and took private art lessons in Astrakhan from Pavel Vlasov, a pupil of Vasily Perov. Subsequently, from 1896 to 1903, he attended Ilya Repin’s studio at the Imperial Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg. Concurrently, he took classes in sculpture under Dmitry Stelletsky and in etching under Vasiliy Mate. He first exhibited in 1896.
Boris Mikhailovich Kustodiev (1878-1927) ; watercolor on paper, 1924 ; dimensions 21 x 31 cm (8 1/4 x 12 1/4 in.) ; frame size 44 x 50 cm (17 1/3 x 19 2/3 in.) ; signed and dated lower right corner ; Shipping to USA - DHL €430 , National post with tracking service €285 / Shipping to EU, Middle Assia - DHL €330 , National post with tracking service €215
Boris Mikhajlovic KUSTODIEV (Astrachan, 1878 - Saint-Pétersbourg, 1927) Les amoureux, 1927. Aquarelle sur papier, signée ne bas à gauche en cyrillique. 19,5 x 27 cm (à vue)
signed with initials in Cyrillic 'BK' (lower right) pencil and sanguine on paper 29 x 23 cm Letter of authenticity from The State Russian Museum, St Petersburg
A Russian mixed media on board painting attributed to Boris Kustodiev. Possibly a sketch for the famous oil painting of Kustodiev titled Russian Venus created in 1925. The painting depicts a nude Russian girl with long hair in a bathhouse. Boris Mikhaylovich Kustodiev, Russian, 1878 to 1927, was a Russian and later Soviet painter and stage designer. One of a kind artwork.
A Russian watercolor painting on paper depicting a scene with a couple, attributed to Boris Kustodiev. The item is a maquette for the cover of an issue of the magazine Krasnaya Panorama, Red Panorama. Inscribed in Cyrillic, Red Panorama, upper to the center. Unsigned. Boris Mikhaylovich Kustodiev, Russian, 1878 to 1927, was a Russian and later Soviet painter and stage designer. Red Panorama is an illustrated socio political, literary, and artistic magazine. Russian Soviet Era Newspaper Covers and Posters For Collectors. One of a kind artwork.
Boris Kustodiev (1878-1927) was a Russian painter and graphic artist known for his contributions to the Russian Symbolist and post-Impressionist art movements. He was celebrated for his rich and colorful depictions of Russian life and culture. Here are some key points about Boris Kustodiev and his work:1. **Early Life and Education:** Boris Kustodiev was born on March 7, 1878, in Astrakhan, Russia. He came from a working-class family and displayed an early talent for drawing. He studied art at the Imperial Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg, Russia.2. **Symbolism and Post-Impressionism:** Kustodiev's early works were influenced by the Symbolist and post-Impressionist movements. He was particularly inspired by the works of Vincent van Gogh and Paul Gauguin.3. **Colorful and Expressive Style:** Kustodiev's art is characterized by its vibrant colors, expressive brushwork, and emphasis on the emotional and psychological aspects of his subjects. His use of color and light gave his paintings a sense of warmth and vitality.4. **Portraits:** Kustodiev was known for his portraits, which often depicted Russian peasants, merchants, and individuals from various walks of life. He had a talent for capturing the unique personalities and characteristics of his subjects.5. **Festive Scenes:** Many of Kustodiev's paintings celebrated Russian festivals and traditions. His works often depicted lively and joyful scenes of people celebrating holidays and cultural events.6. **The Merchant's Wife:** One of Kustodiev's most famous works is "The Merchant's Wife" (1918), which portrays a merchant's wife in a traditional Russian costume. The painting is notable for its exquisite detail and the intricate patterns of the woman's clothing.7. **Themes of Russian Identity:** Kustodiev's art was deeply rooted in the cultural and historical identity of Russia. He celebrated the traditions, customs, and way of life of the Russian people.8. **Illness and Disability:** In 1916, Kustodiev developed a serious illness that left him bedridden for several years. Despite his physical limitations, he continued to paint and create art, often focusing on themes related to disability and illness.9. **Book Illustrations:** Kustodiev was also known for his book illustrations, particularly for works by Russian authors such as Nikolai Gogol and Aleksandr Pushkin. His illustrations added visual depth and richness to the texts.10. **Legacy:** Boris Kustodiev's contributions to Russian art, with his emphasis on color and the celebration of Russian culture, continue to be celebrated. His paintings are held in major museum collections, and he is regarded as one of the important artists of the Russian Silver Age.11. **Passing:** Boris Kustodiev passed away on May 28, 1927, in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), Russia. His work continues to be admired for its vivid and expressive portrayal of Russian life and culture.Boris Kustodiev's art captured the essence of Russian life and identity during a transformative period in the country's history. His use of color and his ability to convey the emotional depth of his subjects remain a testament to his artistic talent and vision. Measures 24 x 36 (image), 42.5 x 30.5 (framed).
signed with initials in Cyrillic 'BK' (lower right) pencil and sanguine on paper 29 x 23 cm Letter of authenticity from The State Russian Museum, St Petersburg | signé avec les initiales en cyrillique 'BK' (en bas à droite) crayon et sanguine sur papier 29 x 23 cm Accompagné d'une lettre d'authenticité du Musée National Russe, Saint-Pétersbourg
graphite and watercolour on paper signed in Cyrillic and dated 'B. Kustodiev 1916' (lower left) 47.8 x 31.5 cm executed in 1916 | mine de plomb et aquarelle sur papier signé en cyrillique et daté 'B. Kustodiev 1916' (en bas à gauche) 47,8 x 31,5 cm exécuté in 1916
Boris Mikhailovich Kustodiev (1878 - 1927) Russia Winter Scene with Santa Claus Oil on Canvas, Framed H 23 x W 18.5 in Beautiful, winter scene by Russian artist and designer Boris Mikhailovich Kustodiev. The art is framed in a wooden, decorate frame, signed on the lower right.
Boris Mikhailovich KUSTODIEV (1878-1927) , Attribué à Paysan avec poule mouchetée, 1921 Aquarelle, gouache et encre de chine sur papier, signé en cyrillique et daté en bas à gauche 29 ,5 x 17 cm
RUSSIAN FIGURINE OF MAN WITH ACCORDION, DMITROVSKIY (VERBILKY) PORCELAIN FACTORY, BORIS KUSTODIEV (RUSSIAN 1878-1927) DESIGN, 1930-1932 the figure is marked with Dmitrovsky Porcelain Factory (Verbilki), 1930-1932 mark underneath; height: 23 cm (9 cm) LITERATURE I.Pelinsky, M. Safronova, Soviet Porcelain 1917-1991, (Moscow: 2012), p.148 (illustrated) CONDITION The figure is in good condition, very minor surface grime, no visible chipping, UV light inspection showed no signs of restoration. N.B. All lots are sold in as-is condition at the time of sale. Please note that any condition statement regarding works of art is given as a courtesy to our clients in order to assist them in assessing the condition. The report is a genuine opinion held by Shapiro Auctions and should not be treated as a statement of fact. The absence of a condition report or a photograph does not preclude the absence of defects or restoration, nor does a reference to particular defects imply the absence of any others. Shapiro Auctions, LLC., including its consultants and agents, shall have no responsibility for any error or omission.
Boris Mikhailovich Kustodiev (Russian, 1878 - 1927), tempera on board painting depicting a Church Interior. Signed with the Cyrillic initials B.K. and dated 1910 lower left, also signed and dated on the verso. Housed in an original 19th-century American Stanford White style frame decorated with hand-carved motifs and gilded in three tones. Has an attached paper to the backside that reads: "B. M. Kustodiev. It's known from biography of B. M. Kustodiev that he visited historian and archeologist I. A. Ryasanovsky in the end of July 1910 in city Kostroma, Russia. He studied architecture and mural Kostroma's monuments. It's also known that Kustodiev executed series of tempera work: "Monastery", "In Church", "Fresko of Resurrection on River Dnepr." Provenance: deacquisition from Cleveland Museum of Art, Ohio. Boris Mikhailovich Kustodiev was a Russian and Soviet artist, portrait painter, theater artist, and decorator. Academician of the Imperial Academy of Arts (1909). Member of the Association of Artists of Revolutionary Russia (since 1923).
Boris Kustodiev's oil on-panel painting depicts a street scene in a Russian village with a group of men and a woman in a red shawl. Signed in Cyrillic at the lower left: “B. Kustodiev.” Boris Mikhailovich Kustodiev (1878 - 1927) Russian and Soviet artist, portrait painter, theater artist, and decorator. Academician of the Imperial Academy of Arts (1909). Member of the Association of Artists of Revolutionary Russia (since 1923).
signed with initials in Cyrillic ‘BK’ (lower right) pencil and sanguine on paper 29 x 23 cm Letter of authenticity from The State Russian Museum, St Petersburg Un Nu vu de dos (avec un genou plié) signé avec les initiales en cyrillique 'BK' (en bas à droite) crayon et sanguine sur papier 29 x 23 cm accompagné d'une lettre d'authenticité du Musée National Russe, Saint-Pétersbourg
Signed with initials in Cyrillic ‘BK’ (lower right) pencil on paper 29 x 23 cm Letter of authenticity from The State Russian Museum, St Petersburg signé avec les initiales en cyrillique 'BK' (en bas à droite) crayon sur papier 29 x 23 cm accompagné d'une lettre d'authenticité du Musée National Russe, Saint-Pétersbourg
graphite and watercolour on paper signed in Cyrillic and dated 'B. Kustodiev 1916' (lower left) 47.8 x 31.5 cm executed in 1916 mine de plomb et aquarelle sur papier signé en cyrillique et daté 'B. Kustodiev 1916' (en bas à gauche) 47,8 x 31,5 cm exécuté en 1916
BLICK AUF EINE THEATERBÜHNE Aquarell/ Gouache auf Papier. Sichtmaß: 37 x 78,5 cm. Links unten signiert. Im Passepartout, hinter Glas in dekorativem Rahmen. Blick vom niedrigen Standpunkt, vorbei an zwei dunkelblauen mit rötlichen Mustern versehenen Vorhängen auf eine Bühne, die einen mit Holzbrettern gestalteten Innenraum mit Fenstern und einem Kamin zeigt sowie eine stehende Figur in langer farbiger Kleidung. (1351129) (18)
Boris Mikhailovich Kustodiev (1878-1927), A Woman at the Window Watercolor, ink and pencil on paper 33 x 23.5 cm Signed in Cyrillic (lower right). Provenance: The Eliezer Perel (1908-1994) collection. Mordechai Perel by decent. Purchased by Albert and Olivia Amar in 1989. Condition: For a detailed condition report, please contact us at info@hammersite.com
Boris Kustodiev, 1878 to 1927, watercolor, and pencil on paper female portrait titled Woman Knitting. Signed lower right. Matted and framed. Boris Mikhaylovich Kustodiev was a Russian and Soviet painter and stage designer. Boris Kustodiev was born in Astrakhan into the family of a professor at the local theological seminary. The Kustodiev family rented a small wing in a rich merchant's house. The artist retained his childhood observations for years, recreating them later in oils and watercolors. Antique Russian Watercolor Portrait Paintings For Collectors. Provenance: Anna Feltsman Estate. Feltsman family: Oscar Feltsman 1921-2013 was a Russian Ukrainian-born composer of Lithuanian Jewish descent. He was the father of Vladimir Feltsman, born in 1952 a Russian-American classical pianist. Anna Feltsman was the first wife of Vladimir Feltsman.
Boris Kustodiev, 1878 to 1927, watercolor, and pencil on paper female portrait titled Recumbent Nude. Signed lower right. Matted and framed. Boris Mikhaylovich Kustodiev was a Russian and Soviet painter and stage designer. He visited France and Spain on a grant from the Imperial Academy of Arts in 1904. Also in 1904, he attended the private studio of Rene Menard in Paris. After that, he traveled to Spain, then, in 1907, to Italy, and in 1909 he visited Austria and Germany, and again France and Italy. During these years he painted many portraits and genre pieces. Antique Russian Watercolor Portrait Paintings For Collectors. Provenance: Anna Feltsman Estate. Feltsman family: Oscar Feltsman 1921-2013 was a Russian Ukrainian-born composer of Lithuanian Jewish descent. He was the father of Vladimir Feltsman, born in 1952 a Russian-American classical pianist. Anna Feltsman was the first wife of Vladimir Feltsman.
Photographic reproduction of a portrait of Yevgeny Zamyatin by Boris Kustodiev.1923. Vintage gelatin silver print. 15 x 11,7 cm. Annotated and layout marks in pencil on the verso. - - Handling marks, small tears in upper and left edge, retouching for publication, upper left corner cut, otherwise in good condítion. - - Sollten Sie detailliertere Zustandsberichte wünschen, kontaktieren Sie uns bitte. / Should you need more detailed condition reports, please contact us.
BORIS KUSTODIEV (1878-1927) The Village Fair signed and dated in Cyrillic ‘Б. Кустодiевъ 1919’ (lower right) oil on cardboard 17.5 x 22 cm 1919 Provenance: Private collection, Europe; Private collection, London (+) All lots marked with the symbol are under temporary importation and are subject to 5.5% import tax (EU) and administrative customs broker fees Certificate of Authenticity by Scientific and research independent expertise named after P.M. Tretyakov, Expert’s report ОЖ 4482, 08.02.2013 In 1919, when Boris Kustodiev was painting “The Village Fair”, he was confined to a wheelchair and was constantly in his studio. Nevertheless, it was during this period that he created some of his most life-affirming and joyful works. As Vsevolod Voinov writes in his 1925 monograph, «...perhaps more than any of his contemporaries, the artist, immobilized by illness and at times seriously suffering, was able to affirm health and a life full of happiness, abundance and vivacity. This sense of health and the unshakable fabric of life is so natural to the artist. He depicts it with such conviction that the viewer is fully imbued with it» (V. Voinov, B.M. Kustodiev, Leningrad: State Publishing House, 1925, p.35). “The Village Fair” is a miniature incarnation of Kustodiev’s artistic universe, bringing together some of his most famous and beloved motifs. The scene is bustling with life: while the village fair is in full swing, a group of women are bathing nearby and another group is enjoying a picnic under a tree. Small, charming details further enliven the scene: a dog in the center and a coachman swinging to avoid colliding with two young children on horseback in the foreground. Kustodiev’s skill is evident in the way he conveys the mood and the rapidly changing weather. Swirls of thunderclouds sweep past, while the sun has already come out and illuminates the tree crowns, the church dome and the bell tower, and this dramatic illumination that fills the sky symbolizes the triumph of life. БОРИС МИХАЙЛОВИЧ КУСТОДИЕВ (1878-1927) Деревеская ярмарка подпись и дата «Б. Кустодиевъ 1919» (внизу справа) картон, масло 17.5 x 22 см 1919 г. Провенанс: Частная коллекция, Европа; Частная коллекция, Лондон Сертификат Научно-исследовательской независимой экспертизы имени П.М. Третьякова, заключение эксперта ОЖ 4482, 08.02.2013 г. В 1919 году, когда Борис Кустодиев писал картину «Деревенская ярмарка», он был прикован к инвалидному креслу и постоянно находился в своей студии. Тем не менее, именно в этот период он создал одни из своих самых жизнеутверждающих и радостных работ. Как пишет Всеволод Воинов в своей монографии 1925 года, «...пожалуй, как никто из современников, художник, обездвиженный болезнью и временами тяжело страдающий, сумел утвердить здоровье и жизнь, полную счастья, изобилия и бодрости. Это ощущение здоровья и непоколебимой ткани жизни так естественно для художника. Он изображает его с такой убежденностью, что зритель полностью проникается им» (В.Воинов, Б.М. Кустодиев, Ленинград: Государственное издательство, 1925, с.35). Деревенская ярмарка» - это миниатюрное воплощение художественной вселенной Кустодиева, объединяющее некоторые из его самых известных и любимых мотивов. Сцена кипит жизнью: в то время как деревенская ярмарка в самом разгаре, группа женщин купается неподалеку, а другая группа наслаждается пикником под деревом. Маленькие, очаровательные детали еще больше оживляют сцену: собака в центре и кучер, раскачивающийся, чтобы избежать столкновения с двумя маленькими детьми на лошади на переднем плане. Мастерство Кустодиева проявляется в том, как он передает настроение и быстро меняющуюся погоду. Вихри грозовых облаков проносятся мимо, а солнце уже вышло и освещает кроны деревьев, купол церкви и колокольню, и это драматическое озарение, наполняющее небо, символизирует торжество жизни. (+) Все лоты, отмеченные символом , находятся под временным ввозом и облагаются 5,5% налогом на импорт (ЕС) и административными сборами таможенного брокера
Boris Mikhailovich Kustodiev (Russian, 1878-1927) Interior signed in Cyrillic (lower left); signed in Cyrillic (central portrait); signed and titled in Cyrillic (verso) oil on canvas 53.5 x 43.2cm (21 1/16 x 17in). For further information on this lot please visit the Bonhams website
Boris Mikhailovich Kustodiev (Russian, 1878-1927) Portrait of a child (possibly a child of the artist) signed in Cyrillic (lower right) pencil and watercolour on paper 27 x 21cm (10 5/8 x 8 1/4in). For further information on this lot please visit the Bonhams website
Boris Mikhailovich Kustodiev (Russian, 1878-1927) oil painting a forest landscape view with male and female figures, 1910. Signed and dated lower right. Framed. Boris Kustodiev is known for Portrait, figure and landscape painting, book illustration, set design.
Boris Kustodiev oil on panel painting depicting a street scene in a Russian village with a group of men and a woman in a red shawl. Signed in Cyrillic at the lower left: “B. Kustodiev.” Boris Mikhailovich Kustodiev (1878 - 1927) Russian and Soviet artist, portrait painter, theater artist, decorator. Academician of the Imperial Academy of Arts (1909). Member of the Association of Artists of Revolutionary Russia (since 1923).
RefAut251021 RefFin251021 16 AUTOLITHOGRAPHS BY BORIS M. KUSTODIEV (1878-1927) Committee for the Popularization of Art Publications, Petersburg 1921 41 x 33 x 0,7 cm
Boris Mikhailovich Kustodiev (1878-1927), Russian painter and graphic artist, studied at the Academy in St.Petersburg. Student of Ilya Repin.portrait of Leo Tolstoy. Woodcut on paper. Monogrammed ''B.K.'' in the stock lower right, and inscribed and dated ''1922'' in pencil upper left. Corners with creases, 14.5 x 11 cm, provisionally framed behind glass 22 x 17.5 cm.
ATTRIBUTED TO BORIS KUSTODIEV (RUSSIAN 1878-1927) Woman Knitting watercolor and pencil on paper 28.5 x 22 cm (11 1/4 x 8 5/8 in.) initialed lower right PROVENANCE Collection of St. Petersburg Family, prior to 1917 Thence by descent to the parents of the present owner on the occasion of their marriage, 1950 CONDITION Observed in frame, the painting appears in age-appropriate condition. A visible waviness to the right edge. A crease to the upper left corner, as apparent in photographs. Minor discoloration to the sheet, upper right corner, as apparent in photographs. framed dimensions: 48 x 41 cm (18 7/8 x 16 1/8 in.0 N.B. All lots are sold in as-is condition at the time of sale. Please note that any condition statement regarding works of art is given as a courtesy to our clients in order to assist them in assessing the condition. The report is a genuine opinion held by Shapiro Auctions and should not be treated as a statement of fact. The absence of a condition report or a photograph does not preclude the absence of defects or restoration, nor does a reference to particular defects imply the absence of any others. Shapiro Auctions, LLC., including its consultants and agents, shall have no responsibility for any error or omission.
Boris Mikhailovich Kustodiev (Russian, Soviet, 1878-1927) gouache painting on paper, Winter Queen. Signed with initials lower right. Framed. The gilded plate showing the engraving with the artist's name, lower to the center of the frame. Kustodiev, a portrait and theater artist, decorator, captured the scenes of Russian everyday life and holidays on his bright and cheerful canvases.
BORIS KUSTODIEV (1878-1927) RUSSIAN ART EXHIBITION / GRAND CENTRAL PALACE. 1924. 28 1/4x22 1/4 inches, 71 3/4x56 1/2 cm. The O. Austin Co., New York. Condition B: replaced losses in corners; repaired tears at edges; creases and abrasions along vertical and horizontal folds; slight staining in margins and lower image. Mounted on Japan. The Grand Central Palace was New York City's primary exhibition space from the time of its construction in 1911 until the Coliseum opened in 1956. It was home to automobile shows, boat shows, trade shows, the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show and many other events. In 1924, it was home to the largest exhibition of Russian artwork ever exhibited until that time outside of Russia. The show followed on the heels of a smaller, highly influential exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum the previous year, Exhibition of Russian Painting and Sculpture. This 1924 exhibition was substantially larger. The catalogue for the exhibition lists 914 works, which included oil paintings, sulpture, watercolors and wood carvings. Among these, were 21 works by Kustodiev, including one bronze.
Watercolor and pencil Sketch on paper by Russian and Soviet Union painter Boriss Mikhaylovich Kustodiev (1878-1927) Signed. “Homeland” Old man No. 12-1921. Certificate issued by Velga Opule – restauration master of Latvian National Museum of Art. Dimensions: height 40,5cm x 30cm width.
BORIS KUSTODIEV (RUSSIAN 1878-1927) Recumbent Nude watercolor and pencil on paper 25.5 x 34 cm (10 x 13 3/8 in.) [sight sheet size] signed lower right PROVENANCE Collection of a St. Petersburg family, prior to 1917 Thence by descent to the parents of the present owner on the occasion of their marriage, 1950 CONDITION N.B. All lots are sold in as-is condition at the time of sale. Please note that any condition statement regarding works of art is given as a courtesy to our clients in order to assist them in assessing the condition. The report is a genuine opinion held by Shapiro Auctions and should not be treated as a statement of fact. The absence of a condition report or a photograph does not preclude the absence of defects or restoration, nor does a reference to particular defects imply the absence of any others. Shapiro Auctions, LLC., including its consultants and agents, shall have no responsibility for any error or omission.
KUSTODIEV, Boris Mikhailovich(1878 Aachen - 1927 St.Petersburg) Kinder-Bildnis Bleistiftzeichnung, partiell koloriert. Kyrillisch signiert. etwa 14 x 14 cm. Gerahmt & hinter Glas : 53 x 37 cm. Passepartout, verglaster Rahmen mit Ornamentdekor . Kustodiev, Maler, Grafiker und Illustrator. Studierte an der Akademie in St.Petersburg. Schüler von Ilja Repin. Bereiste 1904-1909 Europa. 1909 Mitglied der St.Petersburger Akademie, ab 1913 Lehrtätigkeit ebenda. Werke in diversen russischen Museen * Partnerauktion Bergmann. Literatur: De Gruyter (2010), Thieme-Becker (1907-1950), Vollmer (1953-1962).
KOUSTODIEV Boris Mikhaïlovitch (1878-1927). Décor de scène pour l’Opéra « La pauvreté n’est pas vice » adapté d’une oeuvre d’Alexandre Ostrovski (1823-1886). Aquarelle et mine de plomb sur papier signée en bas à gauche et datée 1925. Avec inscriptions manuscrites en caractères cyrilliques au revers. Conservée dans un encadrement moderne en bois doré. Bon état général. A vue : H. : 15 cm – L. : 24 cm. Cadre : H. : 32 cm – L. : 41 cm.
A pair of early Soviet porcelain figurines modeled by Boris Kustodiev depicting a male standing harmonist and female dancer in winter cloths. The male figurine is dated on the bottom 1924, the female figurine is 1937 accordingly. Both figures are made by LFZ (Leningrad Porcelain Factory). Ref. Soviet Porcelain 1920 - 1930 in private collections in St. Petersburg by E. Sametskaya, p. 170.
BORIS KUSTODIEV (RUSSIAN 1878-1927) Woman Knitting watercolor and pencil on paper 28.5 x 22 cm (11 1/4 x 8 11/16 in.) [sight] initialed lower right PROVENANCE Collection of a St. Petersburg family, prior to 1917 Thence by descent to the parents of the present owner on the occasion of their marriage, 1950
BORIS KUSTODIEV (RUSSIAN 1878-1927) Recumbent Nude, watercolor and pencil on paper 25.5 x 34 cm (10 x 13 3/8 in.) [sight sheet size] signed lower right PROVENANCE Collection of a St. Petersburg family, prior to 1917 Thence by descent to the parents of the present owner on the occasion of their marriage, 1950
BORIS KUSTODIEV (RUSSIAN 1878-1927) Woman in Thought, watercolor and pencil on paper 28.5 x 22 cm (11 1/4 x 8 5/8 in.) [sight sheet size] monogrammed lower right PROVENANCE Collection of a St. Petersburg family, prior to 1917 Thence by descent to the parents of the present owner on the occasion of their marriage, 1950
A rare Soviet propaganda poster "Loan of Freedom" by Boris Mikhailovich Kustodiev 1878-1927. This poster is rated in the top 10 most sought after Russian/Soviet propaganda posters. Circa 1917, lithograph type.
KUSTODIEV, BORIS (1878–1927) Autumn. The Student’s Farewell signed and dated 1923. Oil on canvas, 42 by 51 cm. Provenance: Collection of Pyotr Kapitsa (1894–1984), a physicist and Nobel laureate, until 1984. Private collection, Europe. Authenticity of the work has been confirmed by the expert V. Petrov. Authenticity has also been confirmed by the expert A. Gusarova. Authenticity has also been confirmed by the experts O. Atroshchenko and I. Gerashchenko. Exhibited: Posmertnaia vystavka proizvedenii B.M. Kustodieva, The State Russian Museum, Leningrad, December 1928. Vystavka proizvedenii russkogo iskusstva kontsa XIX i nachala XX vv. Zhivopis, skulptura, grafika. Iz chastnykh sobranii, Moscow, Tsentralnyi dom rabotnikov iskusstv, 1957 (label on the stretcher). Boris Mikhailovich Kustodiev, 1878–1927, Academy of Arts of the USSR, Moscow, 1960 (label on the stretcher). Vystavka proizvedenii B.M. Kustodieva, Kiev National Museum of Russian Art, Kiev, 1960 (label on the stretcher). Boris Mikhailovich Kustodiev (1878–1927). K 100-letiiu so dnia rozhdeniia, Research Museum of the Academy of Arts of the USSR, Leningrad, 1978. Literature: V. Voinov, B.M. Kustodiev, Leningrad, Gosudarstvennoe izdatelstvo, 1925, p. 87, listed under the works from 1923 as Provody studenta. Exhibition catalogue, Katalog posmertnoi vystavki proizvedenii B.M. Kustodieva, Leningrad, The State Russian Museum, 1928, p. 29, No. 206, listed as Osen. Provody. Exhibition catalogue, Vystavka proizvedenii russkogo iskusstva kontsa XIX i nachala XX vv. Zhivopis, skulptura, grafika. Iz chastnykh sobranii, Moscow, 1957, p. 9, listed as Osen. M. Etkind, Boris Mikhailovich Kustodiev, Leningrad–Moscow, 1960, p. 204, listed under the works from 1923 as Osen. Provody. Exhibition catalogue, Boris Mikhailovich Kustodiev, 1878–1927, Moscow, Izdatelstvo Akademii khudozhestv SSSR, 1960, p. 58, listed under the works from 1923. V. Lebedeva, Boris Mikhailovich Kustodiev, Moscow, Nauka, 1966, p. 146, illustrated; p. 238, listed. Boris Mikhailovich Kustodiev. Pisma. Statii, zametki, interviiu. Vstrechi i besedy s Kustodievym (Iz dnevnikov Vs. Voinova). Vospominaniia o khudozhnike, Leningrad, Khudozhnik RSFSR, 1967, illustration between pages 352 and 353. Boris Mikhailovich Kustodiev (1878–1927). Katalog vystavki k 100-letiiu so dnia rozhdeniia, Leningrad, Research Museum of the Academy of Arts of the USSR, 1978, p. 46, listed under the works from 1923. M. Etkind, Boris Kustodiev, Moscow, Sovetskii khudozhnik, 1982, p. 220, ill. 153, illustrated; p. 232, No. 641, listed. M. Etkind (ed.), Boris Kustodiev. Paintings. Graphic Works. Book Illustrations. Theatrical Designs, Leningrad, Aurora Art Publishers, 1983, ill. 171, illustrated; p. 277, listed. The work Autumn. The Student’s Farewell, now presented for auction, is an outstanding example of Boris Kustodiev’s painting in the 1920s. It has been published many times and has an impeccable, distinguished provenance. Mentioned in the first monograph on Kustodiev, written during the artist’s lifetime by Vsevolod Voinov in 1925, the picture has never disappeared into obscurity among researchers, collectors and art connoisseurs. With different titles — from the artist’s Autumn. The Student’s Farewell to the brief Autumn or Farewell — it was displayed at exhibitions in Leningrad, Moscow and Kiev throughout the 20th century, showcasing Kustodiev’s work alongside his best “museum” pieces. The painting took its place, in particular, at the major exhibition of 1928, which summed up the artist’s work, and at the landmark 1978 exhibition marking the centenary of Kustodiev’s birth. The appearance on the art market of a work of this standing, coming from the collection of the famous physicist and Nobel Prize winner Pyotr Kapitsa, should be seen as a rare and undoubted piece of good fortune. The artist’s daughter Irina recalled that Kapitsa, then a student, was first brought to their house in the autumn of 1921 by a family friend, Pyotr Sidorov, who had arrived from Samara and had been living in Kustodiev’s apartment for some time. “P.L. Kapitsa came to our evening gatherings on various occasions, took part in charades, played pranks, made merry and showed tricks, ‘swallowing’ knives and forks,” she wrote ( Boris Kustodiev. Pisma, zametki, intervyu ..., Moscow, 1966, pp. 325–326). Every year, when he came home on vacation from Cambridge, Kapitsa would unfailingly pay a visit to Kustodiev and bring the artist some oil paints, which were in short supply in Petrograd. It was probably during one of these visits that the artist presented the scientist with the picture, and it remained in Kapitsa’s house in England, and later in Moscow, until virtually the end of the 20th century. Evidently, Kapitsa was very fond of Autumn. The Student’s Farewell and proud of it: he eagerly lent out the picture for various exhibitions and supplied photographs of it for publication. It is likely that the famous scientist was impressed by the iconic nature of the work, which reflected the time of change that he had to live through in the post-revolutionary period. Thematically, the picture is unmistakably bidding farewell to the Old Russia that was so close to the artist and the contemporary intellectual élite. And of course, to Pyotr Kapitsa, who left Russia in 1921 and spent years abroad, later to return in 1934 to a completely different, unfamiliar world. Both the title and the setting, a street in a remote provincial town, convey not only a clear sense of the experience gained by Kustodiev as a painter who had become famous for his “provincial genres”, but also reflect his work in the theatre. Indeed, the design and structure of the composition are such that the picture is first perceived as a fine, decorative townscape with small, staffage figures of ordinary locals. But then, upon closer examination, a dramatic narrative element, ostensibly of secondary importance, takes on its own, convincing degree of naturalness and authenticity. The individual story of a young man’s departure from his father’s house comes to be a cultural and iconic symbol for many generations of Russians. Avoiding close-ups, the artist seems to be looking down on the action from a theatre dress circle, and he divides the space into several scenes. The events unfold at a cobbled crossroads, flanked, as though on a proscenium, by the houses and trees of stage sets in the wings, behind which one can see, descending abruptly into the far distance, a theatre curtain presenting a bright backdrop landscape with striking, unrealistically pale crowns of trees, a boundless, greenish-blue, slightly overcast sky, a church with a bell tower — invariably present in Kustodiev’s paintings — and the pure, blue curve of the Volga near the horizon. By one or two details, the artist tells us quite eloquently about each of his characters, who have clearly defined roles in society, and about their habits, social status and outward demeanour. A dashing cab driver holds onto a trunkful of belongings with one hand, while a red-bearded, stylishly dressed young man says his last goodbyes from the moving carriage to his relatives. His mother, wrapped in a big white shawl with green stripes, is wiping away her tears, his brother and sister, still at high school, are waving goodbye, and an old man wearing an out-of-date, military-style over- coat, who has evidently found it hard to reach the corner with everyone else and is leaning on a stick, is now silently staring after the departing boy. We see the invariable features of the Kustodiev town environment — a kalach bakery sign and a poster-display pillar — as well as a smoking steamer at the quayside, which the central character is probably in such a hurry to board. Behind this setting, one can clearly discern both the household cares preceding the farewells and the daily routine of the sub- sequent sleepy and cosy provincial life that will continue in anticipation of letters from someone who will by then be living in the capital. Although flecks of sunlight still cover the roadway and settle on the houses, casting soft shadows, the day, bathed in soft autumnal warmth, is already declining. The colour scheme of the composition is based on a striking, decorative harmony of bright orange-yellow, green and pale pink-fawn tones. The artist uses small, textured brushstrokes that form spatial planes and shape the tiny figures. The significant decorative role of the line, the silhouette and the splash of colour, as well as a sonority of vivid colours that harks back to primitive art, create the picture’s recognisable Kustodiev style and an impression of heart-warming, joyous inspiration. Despite the sadness of the event, the parting scene has been handled quite exuberantly and with a palpable zest for life that was always peculiar to Kustodiev in his best works, since, by his own admission, he sought to be the “painter of happiness”. The atmosphere of the small Volga town, which Kustodiev reproduced from memory, impresses one with its heartfelt, everyday credibility. However, just like Kustodiev’s human characters, the landscape too reveals a special kind of idyllic amalgamation. One may see in it individual features of Kineshma, Yaroslavl or other towns on the upper Volga, but, strung together as they are, these architectural impressions have been transformed into a harmonious generalisation, harking back to a mass of identifiable motifs, yet, at the same time, to nothing specific. According to the recollections of Kustodiev’s son, if someone recognised, for example, Kostroma in one of the paintings, the artist used to say: “No, it’s an imaginary town, put together from different places.” The same can be said about the setting of Autumn. The Student’s Farewell too. In the 1920s, the onset of a long illness meant that Kustodiev was unable to work out of doors. The practice of painting from memory, making equal use of authentic and imaginary detail, asserted itself more and more firmly in his pictures. The inner gaze offered incomparably more diverse pictorial motifs than ordinary sight. In a hungry post-revolutionary Petrograd, the artist had visions of abundant fairs and festivals, countryside harvests flooded with summer light, unhurried provincial tea parties, brightly- coloured merchants’ shawls and fragrant kalachi. “Kustodiev Town”, as the writer Yevgeny Zamyatin dubbed it in an article, came to be for the artist something akin to a new version of the legendary city of Kitezh, a pipe dream about a wonderful world of prosperous provinces, about a Russia that never existed as such, but as seen from the distant, classically cold, Europeanised imperial capital, locked in its stone ensembles of streets and squares. The work Autumn. The Student’s Farewell, now to be auctioned, is not only an outstanding work by a great master, fit to grace any collection. The picture is also, in a way, a reflection of the tugging of the heartstrings experienced by the Russian cultural élite in the 1920s, a time that is in keeping with the period of change that Russia is also experiencing at present, with nostalgia for the past and hopes for a positive future.
BORIS MIKHAILOVICH KUSTODIEV (RUSSIAN, 1878-1927) RUSSIAN COSSACK, 1916 Watercolor: 21 x 14 1/4 in. (sight) Framed; lower right signed and dated: M. Kustodiev / 1916 Provenance: Ambassador Joseph Davies and his wife, Marjorie Merriweather Post and by descent to the present owner, Estate of Joseph Davies Tydings
Watercolor and pencil Sketch on paper by Russian and Soviet Union painter Boriss Mikhaylovich Kustodiev (1878-1927) Signed. “Homeland” Old man No. 12-1921. Certificate issued by Velga Opule – restauration master of Latvian National Museum of Art. Dimensions: height 40,5cm x 30cm width.
KUSTODIEV, BORIS (1878–1927) Album of Sixteen Autolithographs St Petersburg, Komitet populiarizatsii khudozhestvennykh izdanii, 1921; with paper cover, foretitle with a bookplate by Mstislav Dobuzhinsky, and endpaper.
