LONDON.- On 4th June, The Russian sale will take place at
Bonhams spectacular new headquarters on London's New Bond Street.
The top lot in the sale is Signal Fires of Peace by Nikolai Roerich (Russian, 1874-1947) which is valued at £800,000-£1,200,000. This early Roerich masterpiece is inspired by the artist's reflections on the events of the Russian Revolution and infused with Roerich's characteristic symbolism. Signal fires of peace is arguably one of the most important discoveries of the season. Having been stripped of its original title, the work disappeared for a long time from scholars and collectors. Now, the painting returns triumphantly to the art world.
Bonhams, the world's third largest international fine art auction house, set the world record for the most valuable Russian painting ever to be sold in a Russian auction when Nikolai Roerich's Madonna Laboris sold for £7.9million in June 2013.
The second most valuable lot in this sale is the vibrant oil on canvas, Still life with fruit and flowers, painted c.1910-15 by Vladimir Davidovich Baranoff-Rossiné (Russian, 1888-1944). The work is offered with estimates of £700,000-£900,000. From a young age, Vladimir Baranoff-Rossiné was well acquainted with contemporary innovations in European painting. Unable to resist the lure of Europe, he travelled to Paris in 1910 where he was exposed to a diverse set of influences. On his arrival there he changed his Ukrainian birth-name, Shulim Wolf Baranoff, to the more European-sounding Daniel Rossiné. His talent enabled him to pick and choose aspects of different styles which appealed to him. During the period in which the offered lot was painted, Baranoff-Rossine's works combined Cubist and Cézannist influences.
Another of the painting highlights is Male Nude, a rare example of an early work by Nikolai Nikolaevich Ge (Russian, 1831-1894), who is best known for his later paintings on monumental religious themes. Male Nude was created in 1853 for an exam while the artist was still a student at the Imperial Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg and carries the official wax seal of the Academy. It was awarded the silver medal – the highest level of distinction for a work by a pupil. The work provides a glimpse of the early accomplishments of this historically significant Russian artist. It is estimated to sell for £130,000-£150,000.
Fabergé works of art
Eleven exquisite Fabergé works of art are among the most valuable pieces in the sale, showcasing the materials and techniques that endowed the legendary Fabergé firm with its lasting fame. Enamel surfaces are enriched with seed pearls and jewels in a variety of styles - from Louis XVI to Art Nouveau - to create objects of beauty that often had the virtue of being practical; whether to store a cigarette, boast a photograph or tell time.
A 1913 Fabergé figure of a bourgeoise crafted in semi-precious stones with sapphire eyes is offered with estimates of £300,000-£500,000. Fabergé genre figures rendered in hardstone were as rare as Faberge eggs as only around 50 were produced. This figure incorporates an oversized quartzite coat, onyx fur trimming, lapis scarf, jasper boots and an expressive opal face. Emanuel Nobel, a prominent Swedish industrialist based in Russia owned the largest collection of stone figures before 1914 and was one of Fabergé's most important clients. Many of the known figures were in this collection, including this 1913 figure of the bourgeoise woman carrying a purpurine parcel.
A jewelled gold and rock crystal lily of the valley Fabergé study is estimated at £200,000-£300,000. Fabergé flower studies were cherished within the Imperial family with lilies of the valley finding particular favour with Empress Alexandra Feodorovna and the dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna as well as their royal British cousins. In this magical study, the nephrite leaves unfurling from pearl buds are covered in sparking rose-cut diamond dew drops, announcing that the long Russian winter is finally over.
