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217 - 217. Konstantin Alexeevich Korovin (Moscou 1861-1939 Paris)

Estimate €30,000 - €40,000

Description

217. Konstantin Alexeevich Korovin (Moscou 1861-1939 Paris) Paris de nuit signed in Latin and inscribed 'Paris' (lower left); further inscribed and signed 'Paris Montmartre de Montmartre, Const. A. Korovine Paris 1902' and in Cyrillic with dedication: 'to A.V. Kasyanov with best wishes from Konstantin Korovin Moscow, 1902 (verso) oil on board 24 x 34.5cm (9 7/16 x 13 9/16in). Provenance Sale, Sotheby's, London, 6 December 1989, lot 145 Private Collection, Spain (acquired at the above sale) For artists of the 19th and early 20th centuries, Paris held a special allure; for Konstantin Korovin, however, the city became one of his favourite subjects. Korovin began travelling to Paris in 1880 and visited the city until the 1910s; in 1922, he settled there permanently. The city's streets became the main subjects of his urban landscapes, particularly Paris by night, which gave rise to the series Parisian Lights. Korovin also developed a distinctive compositional technique – a bird's-eye view, as if observing the life of the capital at night from a window, with its pulsating lights and colours. His love for the enchantment of lights and his experience of the city's vibrant, festive nightlife - unseen in provincial Russia - set Korovin apart from the French Impressionists who also depicted such scenes. The artist is captivated by the glitter of shop windows, windows and street lamps, sometimes reflected in the pavement wet from the rain and by the movement of the crowd, conveyed through the distinctive expressiveness of his brushstrokes. As his contemporary Alexander Benois observed: Korovin... had a particularly passionate love for this city. Paris had a stimulating, electrifying effect on him... It was 'a festival that is always with you'. The present work belongs to the early period of the artist's ouvre; delicately painted with swift brushstrokes and a kaleidoscope of patches, their enchanting interplay creates a true portrait of the city by night.

About the sale Old Master and 19th Century Paintings

Auction location

Auction time 11/04/2026 at 1:00 PM

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