Il'ia Efimovich Repin (1844-1930)

Tsarevna Sofia incarcerated in the Novodevichii Convent on the day of the Streltsy Executions

Details

Il'ia Efimovich Repin (1844-1930)
Tsarevna Sofia incarcerated in the Novodevichii Convent on the day of the Streltsy Executions
signed and dated 'E. Répine 1879' and inscribed in Cyrillic 'Moscow' (lower right)
pen and black ink and wash on heavy paper
6 7/8 x 5¼in. (17.4 x 13.3cm.)

Provenance

Scribner & Co., their stamp on the verso with inscriptions relating to the work

Literature

Eugene Schuyler, Peter the Great, in 'Scribner's Monthly', vols.XIX-XXI, (New York, 1880), illustrated in vol.XXI, p.218, entitled 'The Princess Sophia as the nun Susanna in the Novodevitchy Monastery'.
I.S. Zil'bershtein, 'Preparatory Studies for "The Tsarevna Sofia"' in I.E. Grabar' and I.S. Zil'berstein, Repin, vol.I, (Moscow, 1948), pp.154-167.

Lot Essay

One of numerous studies and drawings for the great canvas painted in 1879; this used for the serialisation of E. Schuyler, Peter the Great in Scribner's Monthly. It illustrates the fate of the tsarevna Sofia Alekseevna (1657-1704) after her abortive attempt to seize the throne from the co-tsars, her brother Ivan V and half-brother Peter I, for whom she was regent until the latter's majority in 1689.

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