Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky

In the same family since c. 1970.

Moonlit scenes form an important part of Aivazovsky's œuvre, and few other painters were able to match his ability to capture the moon’s shimmering reflections in the sea. Indeed, moonglades were one of the artist’s favourite motifs, serving not only as a source of light, but also as a device for creating perspective and depth. According to legend, Aivazovsky's masterful and realistic treatment of light led members of the public and critics to look for a lamp behind the frame of his painting The Bay of Naples in a Moonlit Night (1842, Aivazovsky National Art Gallery, Feodosia) when he exhibited it in Italy. It seemed impossible that he should be capable of rendering the brilliant reflection of the moon on water with paint and brush alone.

Dating from the mid-1880s, the present work is a lovely example of an animated coastal scene in moonlight. A steamship is anchored in what appears to be the Bay of Yalta, surrounded by several boats full of people. Although steamships first came into practical use in the early 1800s, they tend to appear only in Aivazovsky’s late work, the artist usually preferring to paint traditional wooden sailing ships.

The present work is offered in its original frame manufactured by Sweikowsky in St Petersburg.

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