Portrait of Prince Luigi Amedeo di Savoia, Duke of the Abruzzi

After having studied at the Imperial Academy of Fine Arts in Saint Petersburg, Alexander Yakovlev began to travel in Europe and as far as China. He never returned to his native Russia and settled in Paris where he established himself with a reputation as artiste-voyageur. In 1924 Yakovlev was invited by the industrialist André Citröen to join a motorized expedition across Africa, the Croisiere Noire, as the official artist (Alexandre Iacovleff Itinérance, exhib. cat., Boulogne-Billancourt, Musée des années 30, 2004). Drawing was Yakovlev’s favorite medium and the artist developed a distinctive technique in the use of red chalk. During his travels he produced numerous portraits of the individuals he encountered, of his colleagues, and of his friends.

In his portraits Yakovlev was able to create powerful images, capturing the essential details of expressions and attitudes of the sitters. Here he depicted Luigi Amedeo di Savoia, Duke of the Abruzzi (1873-1933), a member of the Royal House of Savoy, who was his close friend and shared his passion for explorations and adventure. Yakovlev creates the image of a strong and lively man although by then Luigi Amedeo was profoundly ill.

The drawing will be included in the forthcoming catalogue raisonné of Yakovlev’s work in preparation by Caroline Haardt de La Baume.