Lot 35. Henryk I. Siemiradzki (1843-1902), Southern Beauty, Oil, 1890s
Oil on canvas, relined along the edges
Probably Russia, 1890s
Henryk Ippolitovich Siemiradzki (1843-1902) – Russian-Polish painter and famous member of the St. Petersburg Art Academy
Signed lower right ‘H. Siemiradzki’
This work is accompanied by a certificate by the Grabar Institute, Moscow, signed by the experts A.R. Kiseleva und T.P. Goryacheva, dated 26/07/2006; verso on the stretcher the institute’s typographic label with the handwritten certificate no. 1054-06
Dimensions: 42 x 25 cm
Good condition
Provenance: Private collection
Literature: Karpova, Tatyana: Henryk Siemiradzki, St. Petersburg 2008, (ill.).

Henryk Ippolitovich Siemiradzki often rendered his works a sensuous character, created by choosing a female subject surrounded by a delicate play of light. The here present young woman is depicted with a red flower, while sitting on a stone bench. The composition reflects a typical genre motif of the artist, when dealing with the Greek or Roman classic period.
Condition:

The painting is in good condition, consistent with age. The canvas has been relined along the edges and shows light marks, where the frame has rubbed. Inspection under UV light reveals a number of old retouchings to the figure and the background, as well as some more recent retouchings to the upper edge. The stretcher measures 42 x 25 cm.

Henryk Ippolitovich Siemiradzki (1843-1902)
Henryk Siemiradzki was a prominent member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts and regularly won a number of silver and gold medals. In 1871 he left Munich, where he had studied at the academy for a year. From 1872 he settled permanently in Rome and established two studios far beyond 1884. Siemiradzki was focused on mythical, historical and religious themes, but was also inspired by the ancient Greece and Rome. He is especially famous for his monumental, stage-like paintings, but he occasionally also painted small idyllic genre scenes. (cbo)

Estimate 15,000-19,500 euro. Auctionata. 04/27/16