Russian Pictures
Russian Pictures
Property from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Sold to Benefit Future Acquisitions
Workshop of Alexander Petrovich Lukutin
The Gossipers
Auction Closed
December 1, 03:47 PM GMT
Estimate
1,500 - 2,500 GBP
Lot Details
Description
Property from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Sold to Benefit Future Acquisitions
Alexander Petrovich Lukutin
1819 - 1888
The Gossipers
further inscribed Fabriki N.Lukutina and bearing three gilt Russian Imperial Eagles on the base of the second panel
oil on panel
Panel: 16 by 20.5cm, 6¼ by 8in.
Framed: 31 by 35cm, 12¼ by 13¾in.
Acquired at the above sale by C. Michael Paul
A gift from the Josephine Bay Paul and C. Michael Paul Foundation, Inc., and the Charles Ulrick and Joseph Bay Foundation to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in 1968
The Lukutin factory was established in 1818, when control of the small Korobov workshop passed to Piotr Lukutin. In 1841, Piotr’s son, Alexander Lukutin, joined his father and together they converted the craft of lacquered papier-mâché into a genuine art form through daring innovation in subject-matter and technique. The lacquerware produced in this era was not signed by the artist, therefore it is nearly impossible to identify the artist of a specific piece.
C. Michael Paul (1901-1980) was born Pavel Mikhailovich Iogolevitch in Imperial Russia where, after a brief career as a violinist, he joined the Russian army. He changed his name to Capton Michael Paul when he emigrated to the United States after World War I. After accumulating a large fortune in the petroleum business, he founded the C. Michael Paul Foundation and in 1965, he endowed the C. Michael Paul Hall at the Julliard School.