.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
Masquerade relates to Somov’s Le Livre de la Marquise, a pinnacle of the Russian erotic graphic book genre, and one of the highest achievements of the artist. The work is a rare example of an unpublished ‘gallant’ composition, which adds to its originality and value.
The figurative and artistic solution of the illustration and its stylistic devices correspond fully to other illustrations for Le Livre de la Marquise published in 1918 by the Petrograd publishing house Golike and Vil’borg. All of the illustrations for the book were executed by Somov in pen and ink, with watercolour, on paper laid down on card. The publication was extremely popular, so too were the illustrations, gallant compositions imbued with the grotesque, irony and the occasional touch of melancholy. At some point during the period 1920-1930, Somov’s friend from London, Marie Provatoroff, acquired the present work.
We are grateful to Elena Yakovleva, Doctor of Art History, Senior Researcher of the Russian Institute of Art History, St Petersburg for providing this catalogue note.
The figurative and artistic solution of the illustration and its stylistic devices correspond fully to other illustrations for Le Livre de la Marquise published in 1918 by the Petrograd publishing house Golike and Vil’borg. All of the illustrations for the book were executed by Somov in pen and ink, with watercolour, on paper laid down on card. The publication was extremely popular, so too were the illustrations, gallant compositions imbued with the grotesque, irony and the occasional touch of melancholy. At some point during the period 1920-1930, Somov’s friend from London, Marie Provatoroff, acquired the present work.
We are grateful to Elena Yakovleva, Doctor of Art History, Senior Researcher of the Russian Institute of Art History, St Petersburg for providing this catalogue note.