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3218
3218* AIVAZOVSKY, IVAN KONSTANTINOVICH(1817 Feodosija 1900)
Stormy sea at sunset. 1896.
Oil on canvas.
Signed in Cyrillic lower right and dated: 1896.
Also signed and dated on the reverse canvas:
1896.
68 x 99 cm.
Provenance:
- An Armenian family collection, acquired direc-
tly from the artist by the great-great-grand-
father.
- European private collection, acquired from the
above-mentioned family.
Literature:
Caffiero, Gianni and Samarine, Ivan: Unknown
Aivazovsky, Moscow 2016, cat. no. CS-1896-
004, p. 415, ill. p. 277.
The painting will be included in the catalogue
raisonné of the paintings of I. K. Aivazovsky
currently in preparation by Ganni Caffiero and
Ivan Samarine.
It is with particular pleasure that we offer this
magnificent marine painting by Ivan Konstan-
tinovich Aivazovsky, in this year which marks
the two hundredth anniversary of the artist’s
birth. The work was recently rediscovered in a
European private collection, and is a significant
addition to the artist’s oeuvre.
Aivazovsky succeeded as no other in capturing
the elements of nature on canvas in such a rea-
listic and dramatic manner, and to vitalize them
through luminosity and virtuosity in the use of
transparency and colour. The Russian art critic
Vladimir Stasov wrote: “The marine painter Ai-
vazovsky is, by nature and through his exceptio-
nal talent, a remarkable artist, who was able like
perhaps no other in Europe to vividly sense the
beauty of water and to render it in his unique
manner” (Stasov, Vladimir: Selected Works in 3
Volumes, vol. 3, Moscow 1952, p. 669).
The 19th century is considered to be the golden
age of Russian painting. European artistic
movements also had an influence on Russian
artistic development, and by the middle of the
century Realism had superseded Romanticism.
Aivazovsky did not allow himself to be led by
this trend, however, and remained true to the
Romantic manner of painting. Neither did he
wholly turn towards Impressionism, although in
the early 1890s one can detect a certain tenden-
cy to use intensive colours and the application
of rapid brushstrokes, which are also apparent in
the present work.
Aivazovsky often repeated his motifs several
times, however this particular scene is unique,
and no other version of it is known to exist.
Early on in his career, Aivazovsky depicted
the sea predominately in a calm and peaceful
state, while during his maturing phase and in
later works the more dramatic side of nature
was brought to the forefront. This is particularly
evident in this stormy marine painting. The sea’s
wild waves crash against the rocky coast and pile
up before the sky, lit with the rays of the setting
sun. Silhouetted in white is a flock of sea birds,
rendered with such movement and delicacy
that they inject a note of light-heartedness and
aplomb into the scene. The vessel struggling
against the waves can be identified as a Viking
ship. During the 19th century, Vikings were
romanticised, and elevated from their former
role of pirates to become celebrated as valorous
heroes of the sea. Aivazovsky, who had a keen
business sense alongside his artistic skill, spoke
directly to the Russian soul with this painting.
CHF 380 000 / 550 000
(€ 351 900 / 509 300)
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