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Lot Essay
From March until May 1886, Levitan lived and worked in the Crimea; visiting Yalta, Massandra, Alupka, Simeiz, Koreiz and Bakhchisarai. The Monk's Cap is on the coastline of Simeiz which is located on the southern slopes of the main range of the Crimean mountains at the base of Mount Koshka.
Levitan appears to have painted this well-known rock formation at different times of day, for a moonlit version entitled 'Diva and Monk rocks on a moonlit night. Simeiz' see Fig. 1 (A. A. Fedorov-Davydov, Isaak Il'ich Levitan, Zhizn' i tvorchestvo, Moscow, 1966, p. 362).
Following Levitan's death, his brother Adolf organised an exhibition of his works in St. Petersburg. The Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, has several unsigned works that were included in the exhibition and authenticated by Adolf in the same manner as the present lot.
Levitan appears to have painted this well-known rock formation at different times of day, for a moonlit version entitled 'Diva and Monk rocks on a moonlit night. Simeiz' see Fig. 1 (A. A. Fedorov-Davydov, Isaak Il'ich Levitan, Zhizn' i tvorchestvo, Moscow, 1966, p. 362).
Following Levitan's death, his brother Adolf organised an exhibition of his works in St. Petersburg. The Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, has several unsigned works that were included in the exhibition and authenticated by Adolf in the same manner as the present lot.