Nikolai Egorovich Sverchkov, 1817-1898

Sotheby's London, The Russian Sale, 7 October 1998, Lot 78

The canvas has an old relining. There is a layer of light surface dirt and discoloured varnish. Under UV spots and small patches of retouching are visible in places. Held in a gilt plaster 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."

 

Well-known for his equestrian scenes, Sverchkov also painted a number of compositions featuring historical figures in troikas and carriages. The offered work attests to the artist's keen sense of observation, not only in the accomplished portrayal of the carriage horses, but also in the way Sverchkov has drawn out the physical differences in the figures so as to indicate the prevailing political climate.

The bluff, bulky, Slavophile Alexander III was ambivalent towards his German cousins and their nation. His counterpart in this work, the slim, immaculate Wilhelm II, believed that he could maintain the spirit of the Russo-German Reinsurance Treaty by force of personality alone, and so he refused the Russian request to renew it in 1890. The Kaiser sits here dwarfed by his cousin, the coachman and a Cossack from the Imperial bodyguard, symbolic of Germany's increasing isolation under his reign, even though to the casual observer the two uniformed monarchs are simply sharing a country drive.