Russian bid to Bonhams picture VDPolenov "Who is without sin among you?" Was sold for 4.07 million pounds - a new world record for the artist's works. A canvas "is guilty of death" has reached the price of 2.8 million pounds of t

In the past in London yesterday Russian bid Bonhams pictures of two rare «Who among you is without sin?" and "guilty of death" were sold well above estimate. Set a new world record for the works of Vasily Polenov.

BASIL POLENOV is guilty of death. 1906 Oil on canvas. 113 x 220 Bonhams. 30.11.2011. Lot number 23 Estimate: 600-800 thousand pounds Result: 2.8 million pounds Source: bonhams.com < /noindex>

BASIL POLENOV Who is without sin among you? 1908 Oil on canvas. 118 x 239 Bonhams. 11/30/2011. Lot number 22 Estimate: 1.2-1.8 million pounds Result: 4.07 million pounds Source: bonhams.com

These masterpieces of the golden age of Russian art appeared on the market and at a public auction for the first time and caused a huge interest of buyers in the audience and by telephone. Cloth, "Who among you is without sin?" Got a new buyer for 4.07 million pounds estimeyte 1.2-1.8 million pounds, and the work "is guilty of death" went for 2.8 million pounds (estimate 600-800 thousand pounds ).

Both works are a series of paintings "From the Life of Christ", consisting of sixty paintings. Polenov worked on a series of over twenty years and have it presented only once - in 1909 in Russia. Polenov then offered to provide a series of "Life of Christ" in America, was planned to send her to the New World on the ill-fated "Titanic." It is true that due to customs delays masterpieces Polenov avoided disaster, but it is not shielded from a series of gospel scattering in numerous museums of Russian art.

Head of Russian Art Bonhams sale Eugene Tesluk commented pictures: "These two works, technically perfect and full of emotional stress, are the master in top form. Polenov - one of the most beloved artists in Russia, and his religious paintings have a special, deep expressiveness. The final hammer price of say the high international demand for such quality work, and we are very pleased with the results ».

In 1924, two paintings were among the Polenov thirteen of his works selected for the Russian part of the exhibition in the "Grand Central Palace" in New York, widely reported in the press. There they were purchased by industrialist, philanthropist, diplomat and patron of Russian art by Charles Crane (Charles R. Crane), who fervently believed in the importance of cultural and intellectual exchange between nations. Desiring to contribute to this important cause, Crane gave a gift to cloth the North American society, to whom they belonged to more than 80 years.

One of the two works, "Christ and the Sinner" (an episode from the Gospel John) - a version of an earlier large-scale paintings of the same name, which is now in the State Russian Museum in St. Petersburg. The canvas depicts Christ, who is defending a harlot, addresses the crowd with the famous words: « Who among you is without sin, let him first cast a stone at her." This is a message of love and forgiveness to the people - meaning the core fabric Polenov who often returned to his work and to the idea, and to this subject.

The second product, "is guilty of death" refers to the episode of the Gospel of Matthew. It depicts Christ before the Sanhedrin Court (the highest judicial body of ancient Israel), after he was arrested in Gethsemane. A lone figure of Christ contemplates contrasts with images of hostile judges, in whose hands lies the fate of his.

Hebrik Elena (Yelena Harbick), head of the Russian fine and decorative art Bonhams: «It is by far the most important works of Polenov ever to appear at auction, and we are very pleased with the results of their sales. These studies generated enormous interest as private collectors and institutions in their pre-auction display at the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow and in the office of Bonhams in New York ».

In addition to the masterpieces of Vasily Polenov, the auction of Russian fine and decorative art auction Bonhams high prices reached two hand-written album, Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna Romanova, featuring jewelry : those rare books with pictures were sold for 181.25 thousand pounds estimeyte 150-250 thousand pounds. 103.25 per thousand pounds of the new owner found a jeweled snuffbox of gold and jade jewelry at home Friedrich Koechli, lined with diamond monogram of Nicholas II (estimate: 80-120 thousand pounds).

Two picture of Nicholas Roerich Nicholas Roerich «Grand Canyon" and "Rocky Landscape" for many years in private collections, have brought by 97.25 thousand pounds each (estimate 100-150 thousand pounds).

total of 299 lots offered found buyers 152, ie, 51 percent.

Prepared by Mary Onuchina, AI

Sources : artdaily.com , artinvestment.ru