1st Dec, 2021 14:00

ICONASTAS: Fine Russian Art & Antiques from the Renowned London Gallery

 
  Lot 6
 

6

An icon of the Dormition of the Mother of God

An icon of the Dormition of the Mother of God,
c.1900, in 16th century Moscow School style, Russia,
tempera and gold on wood, with Tretyakov painted inventory number '5666/' and Cyrillic 'GTG' partly legible, Okhran paper label and further paper labels verso,
35.3 x 29.2cm

Provenance: Alexei Vikulevitch Morozov Collection;
Tretyakov Gallery;
presumably sold by Antikvariat in 1936;
'The George R Hann Collection', sold Christie’s, New York, 17 April 1980, lot 6;
Iconastas, Piccadilly Arcade, St James's, London, W1.

According to the Hann entry, it was exhibited:

Pittsburgh, Carnegie Institute, Collection of George R Hann, 12 January - 22 February 1944, no. 27.
Syracuse, Syracuse Museum of Fine Arts, Collection of George R Hann, December 1944 - January 1945, no 14
Columbus, Columbus Gallery of Fine Arts, Collection of George R Hann, 10 February - 10 March 1945, no. 14.
Indianapolis, John Herron Art Museum, Collection of George R Hann, 25 March - 29 April 1945, no. 14.
Oberlin, Allen Memorial Art Museum, Exhibition of Russian Icons from the Collection of George R. Hann, 29 April - 21 May 1945.
St. Louis, The St. Louis Art Museum, Russian Icons and Objects of Ecclesiastical and Decorative Arts, 15 September - 15 October 1945.

George Hann (1890-1979) was a pioneer of American aviation who assembled one of the world’s finest private collections of icons, mostly in the 1930s when the Soviet government released Russian treasures for sale abroad. Hann was committed to the study of the historical and religious significance of his collection which was offered in a sale at Christie’s the year after he died.

The provenance of this icon is particularly distinguished having once belonged to the famous collector Alexei Vikulevitch Morozov, who bequeathed it to the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow. It can be traced to a sale by the Moscow Antikvariat directly to George Hann from whom it was acquired in the landmark Christie’s sale.

We are extremely grateful to Ivan Samarine and Richard Temple for their assistance with this catalogue entry.

Икона «Успение Пресвятой Богородицы»
Около 1900г., в стиле XVI в., Московская школа, Россия
Дерево, темпера и золото; на обороте инвентаризационный номер Третьяковской галереи: 5666/ГТГ (частично видимо), бумажная наклейка «Охран» и другие бумажные пометки
35,3 х 29,2см

Происхождение:

Коллекция Морозова Алексея Викулевича, Третьяковская галерея

Наверное проданная Антиквариатом в 1936г.

Коллекция Джорджа Р. Ханна, проданная Кристиз, Нью Йорк, 17й Апреля. 1980г., лот 6й

Иконастас, Аркада Пикадилли, Сент-Джеймс, Лондон, W1

По данным Коллекции Ханна, её выставили:

Сиракьюс, Музей изобразительного искусства Сиракьюса, Коллекция Джордж Р. Ханн, Декабр 1944г. – Январь 1945г., номер 27

Колумбус, Галерея изобразительного искусства Колумбуса, 10й Февраля – 10й Марта, 1945г., номер 14

Индианаполис, Музей искусства Джона Херрона, Выставка русских икон из Коллекции Джордж Р. Ханн, 29й Апреля – 21й Мая, 1945г.

Сент-Луис, Сент-Луисский художественный музей, Русские иконы и предметы духовных и декоративных искусств, 15й Сентября – 15й Октября, 1945г.

Джордж Ханн (1890-1979) был пионером американской авиации, который собирал одну из самых прекрасных в мире коллекций икон, особенно в 1930х годах, когда советское государство разрешал продажу русских сокровищ за границей. Ханн был приверженный изучению исторической и религиозной значимости своей коллекции, который выставили в торгах в Кристиз в году после его смерти.

Происхождение этой иконы – исключительно выдающееся, так как она однажды была у известного коллекционера Алексея Викулевича Морозова, который завещал её Третьяковской галерее в Москве. Московский Антиквариат продал её прямо Джордж Ханн, от которого её приобрели в исторических торгах Кристиз.

Мы чрезвычайно благодарны Ивану Самарине и Ричарду Темплу за помощь с этой каталогизацией.

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Sold for £13,000


Condition Report

This icon has not been submitted for radiocarbon-dating or other extensive laboratory testing. We are unable to specify if there are any earlier elements or exactly how much restoration has occurred.

Crack to the lower part of the panel. Other smaller cracks, splits, knocks and chips. Rubbing and wear to paint and gilt. Evidence of retouching, repainting and possible restoration. Edge stripped back to the gesso since the Christie's sale. Panel slightly bowed. Copper strengthening brackets added to the back. Old holes, knocks and wear to the back. Please view additional photos to supplement the condition report. We strongly advise viewing this lot in person.

 

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Auction: ICONASTAS: Fine Russian Art & Antiques from the Renowned London Gallery, 1st Dec, 2021


We are delighted to be able to welcome you to our latest sale, held as part of Russian Art Week: Autumn 2021.

The Piccadilly Arcade gallery was established by Chris Martin-Zakheim and John Gaze in 1974, specialising in Russian icons, works of art, and antiquities, until it closed its doors in 2018, having cemented a reputation as one of the industry’s leading specialists.

This sale, which is the first of several auctions of Iconastas stock, includes icons dating from the 14th to 20th centuries, soviet porcelain, works of art and propaganda, and also features icons from the personal collection of the late Chris Martin-Zakheim, whose premature passing after a brain-tumour diagnosis prompted the gallery’s closure.

Particular highlights of this sale are two icons formerly in the collection of George Hann (1890-1979), a pioneer of American aviation who assembled one of the world’s finest private collections, previously sold in a landmark auction at Christie’s after his death. He acquired many pieces directly from the Russian State in the 1930s, when the Soviet government sold a great number of artworks from the nation’s important collections. The two icons bear labels and inventory numbers for the State Tretyakov Gallery.

We are grateful to Nathalie Farman-Farma of the design studio Décors Barbares, who has kindly provided a selection of Russian, Central Asian and Eastern-inspired textiles, which have been used throughout the catalogue to highlight and accentuate the colours and motifs of the artworks, proving also that works of such distinguished heritage can be blended seamlessly into a modern decorative setting.

In person bidding is available, please visit below to book or call 01279 817778.

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