Ilya Efimovich Repin

Previously in the collection of O.P.Ivanov
Christie's London, Imperial and Post-Revolutionary Russian Art, 6 October 1988, lot 438

Moscow, The State Tretyakov Gallery, I.E.Repin, no.30, 1924

There is a loss to the baoard below the top right corner, and further minor losses to the board in the top left and lower right corners. The lower right corner has been repaired and restored. The surface of the board is slightly dirty and the paint layer is uneven, with indents in places. There are minor areas of paint abrasion to the sitter's skirt and some spots of paint loss in places. UV light reveals retouching to the lower right corner. An uneven layer of opaque varnish, which prevents further examination. Held in a 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."

Repin's time as an academic pensioner in Paris 1873-76 was a fruitful as well as confusing time for the rising young star of Russian realist painting and he responded to a bewildering variety of new stimuli with enthusiasm and uncertainty, painting both Russian motifs as well as the sights of contemporary France. In particular it was a period of burgeoning experimentation as Repin took cognisance of modern French artistic developments, the major outcome of which was his large canvas A Parisian Café, which was sold in London in June 2011 for a record price by the artist (fig 1). The canvas, for which this is a study, was exhibited at the official Paris Salon and proved both a cause célèbre and a critical turning point in Repin's career. In preparing his tour de force of modern actualité Repin made many studies and sketches, of which this intimate and introspective image is a particularly refined and remarkable example; seemingly intended to portray either one of the café habitués seen in the rear of the evocatively glowing interior, or perhaps simply as a crisply observed delineation on contemporary female fashion. This subtle and sophisticated study is both a testament to Repin's rigorous professional practice as well as his unerring eye for cultivated aesthetic nuances.

We are grateful to David Jackson, Professor of Russian and Scandinavian Art Histories, University of Leeds, for providing this catalogue entry.