Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky

Christie's New York, 19th Century European Art, 26 October 2005, lot 54

G.Caffiero and I.Samarine, Light, Water and Sky, the Paintings of Ivan Aivazovsky, London: Alexandria Press, 2012, pp.206-207, p.311, pl.139 illustrated and listed with incorrect dimensions

Structural Condition The canvas is unlined and is securely attached to the artist's original keyed wooden stretcher. This is providing an even and stable structural support. There is an inscription on the reverse of the stretcher and an inscription and traces of the artist's paint on the reverse of the canvas. Paint Surface The paint surface has an even varnish layer. There is an overall pattern of fine lines of craquelure which are slightly raised in places, most notably below the largest boat and within the sea in the lower left quadrant of the composition. These appear stable and are characteristic of Aivazovsky's unlined canvases. Inspection under ultra-violet light shows small scattered spots of retouching within the the sky, most notably towards the upper left and right corners of the composition and running intermittently along the upper part of the right edge, a thin vertical line of retouching within the sky in the upper left quadrant of the composition, and a tiny spot to the right of the upper part of the central mast. It should be noted all of these retouchings are of minimal size and have been carefully applied. Inspection under ultaviolet light also shows fluorescence throughout the sea and the foreground. This would appear to be attributable to the artist's materials and techniques. Summary The painting would therefore appear to be in very good and stable condition.
"This lot is offered for sale subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Business, which are available on request and printed in Sotheby's sale catalogues. The independent reports contained in this document are provided for prospective bidders' information only and without warranty by Sotheby's or the Seller."

Remarkably few paintings by Aivazovsky of the Côte d'Azur are known. The present lot describes the sun setting over a romanticised vision of Monte Carlo with the Bay of Roquebrune in the foreground. According to the artist’s inscription on the reverse it was painted in Nice where he is known to have exhibited the following year. It is held in an original Beggrov workshop frame.

In 1884 Claude Monet had travelled to nearby Bordighera. In his correspondence with Rodin, he described his struggle to paint or rather ‘to fence and to wrestle’ with the brilliant sun of the Riviera. He also noted the difficulties of finding motifs and clear views due to the thick vegetation. Aivazovsky was drawn to sweeping vistas and perhaps it was this scarcity of natural vantage points that make this stretch of coast an unusual subject in his work. Painted with his highly characteristic palette including light greens and lilacs, the appearance of the present sunset view of Monaco therefore marks an exceptional opportunity for collectors. 

The present work is included in the numbered archive of the artist's work compiled by Gianni Caffiero and Ivan Samarine.