Sergei Soudeikine

Sale: Sotheby's London, 14 December 1995, lot 321
Acquired from the above by the present owner

Gouache and watercolor on paper. The sheet is very slightly dirty and there are minor scratches and stains in a couple places. Otherwise in decent condition. Held in a modern wood frame with cloth slip and under glass. 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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The present composition is typical of Soudeikine's style from the first half of the 1920's.  Soudeikine's role at the Théâtre de la Chauve-Souris, in which a strong Russian aesthetic defined the face of the theatre, the design of the show, and even the playbill, accounts for the strong Russian folk art quality of Toys. Soudeikine's interest in Russian wooden toys references the celebratory traditions of pre-revolutionary Russia such as Shrovetide holidays. Wooden horses and dolls loom large in the present work: these life-like figures are juxtaposed against a beautifully executed bright decorative tray with a floral pattern.  A similar work was shown at the Exhibition of Russian Painting and Sculpture at the Brooklyn Museum in New York in 1923.