Lot 80
BORIS DMITRIJEVIČ GRIGORIJEV (1886 - 1939) RAMAYANA

180 x 115,5 cm (h x w)

Starting price
9 000 000 CZK
   |   352 941 €
Price realized
14 000 000 CZK
   |   549 020 €
price without premium

Oil on canvas. Signed lower left in Latin letters: “Boris Grigoriev”. The exotic theme in this painting is atypical in Boris Grigoriev’s oeuvre; in fact, the painter had never been to India. The inspiration likely came from his friend Nicholas Roerich, a fellow member of the Mir Iskusstva art movement who had traveled through India and was an admirer of Indian culture. As the title implies, the painting is based on the ancient Indian epic poem Ramayana and portrays the main female protagonist, Situ, the wife of the main character Rama. Grigoriev, who is primarily known as a figure artist and portrait painter, depicts the full figure of Situ in traditional Indian attire playing the veena. The composition is rounded out with symbolic wildlife (monkeys, a cow), with additional figures of farmers in the background and two heads with Asian features to the side. The painting style corresponds to Grigoriev’s frequent modus operandi: the face is carefully detailed, the power of her expression focused in her penetrating, distinctive eyes; the rest of the figure is more freestyle and the remainder of the composition is merely indicated, on the margins of readability. The foundations of this method can be found in Russian icon painting as well as in the New Objectivity art movement. The painting was dedicated to Ghandi and was first shown in Prague at the “Skify” art group exhibition in 1932. However, it seems the dedication was only symbolic, because the artist tried to sell the work in Prague immediately following the exhibition. The sale never materialized and the painting remained in storage at the offices of the German-language newspaper Prager Presse. The painting was transferred to private ownership only much later, in 1947 – long after the artist’s death. Boris Grigoriev is one of the most important figures in early 20th century Russian painting. He studied at the Stroganov Art School and the Imperial Academy of Arts in Saint Petersburg. In 1913 he continued his art studies in Paris. He returned to Russia, but after the October Revolution he emigrated with his family, traveling via Finland to Berlin before moving on to Paris. He settled in Cagnes-sur-Mer, where he became a popular portrait painter. He exhibited extensively and taught art in Chile, New York, and at his own private school in France. He made his Prague debut with a solo exhibition at the Manes in 1926. Boris Grigoriev’s works can be found in the collections of many museums throughout Russia and the West. One of his most well-known works, a monumental painting on a folding screen titled “Faces of the World” (1920–1931), which was exhibited with Ramayana in Prague in 1932 and was originally dedicated to the League of Nations, is now in the collections of the National Gallery in Prague. Expert assessment by PhDr. Anna Janištinová. Exhibited at: French Institute in Prague, Exhibition of Slavic Artists (“Skify”), 13 Mar–10 April 1932. Ref.: Catalogue of the Group of Slavic Artists exhibition in Prague, 1932, cat. no. 12. Hauser, J., Eurasijstvi a skupina Skify 1930-1933 [Eurasianism and the “Skify” group, 1930–1933]. Thesis. Prague, Charles University Faculty of Arts, Institute of Art History, 2009. pp. 41–47. Hauser, J., “Jsme Skythove, jsme Asiate my ...” Eurasijstvi a umeni mezivalecne emigrace ze Sovetskeho svazu [“We’re Scythians, We’re Asians, We ... ” – Eurasianism and the Art of Interwar Emigrés from the Soviet Union]. Sergej Mako a skupina Skify [: Sergei Mako and the Skify Group]. In: Umění/Art LVII (2009)/2, pp. 172–184. Galeeva, T., Kostina, D., Russian Emigré Artists Boris Grigoriev a Grigory Musatov and 1920s–1930s Prague: Between “Russian Exoticism” and Western Modernism. In: Centropa 2013, pp. 227-234. Provenance: Private collection in Bohemia, acquired in 1947. Auctioned: Sotheby’s London, 2015.

More works from auction

LIBER CHRONICARUM

Lot 1 Hartmann Schedel (1440 - 1514) LIBER CHRONICARUM

Starting price
650 000 CZK | 25 490 €
Price realized
650 000 CZK | 25 490 €
DE REVOLUTIONIBUS ORBIUM COELESTIUM

Lot 2 NICHOLAS COPERNICUS (1473 - 1543) DE REVOLUTIONIBUS ORBIUM COELESTIUM

Starting price
1 900 000 CZK | 74 510 €
Price realized
2 000 000 CZK | 78 431 €
ACADEMIA NOBILISSIMAE ARTIS PICTORIAE

Lot 3 JOACHIM VON SANDRART (1606 - 1688) ACADEMIA NOBILISSIMAE ARTIS PICTORIAE

Starting price
40 000 CZK | 1 569 €
Price realized
41 000 CZK | 1 608 €
DES VOLLKOMMENEN TEUTSCHEN JÄGERS ANDERER HAUPT-THEIL

Lot 4 JOHANN FRIEDRICH VON FLEMMING (1670 - 1733) DES VOLLKOMMENEN TEUTSCHEN JÄGERS ANDERER HAUPT-THEIL

Starting price
38 000 CZK | 1 490 €
Price realized
10 000 CZK | 392 €
MADONNA WITH THE CHRIST CHILD

Lot 5 GIOVANNI BADILE (1379 - 14481451) MADONNA WITH THE CHRIST CHILD

Starting price
500 000 CZK | 19 608 €
Price realized
500 000 CZK | 19 608 €
THE VIRGIN AND CHILD WITH ST. ANNE

Lot 6 THE VIRGIN AND CHILD WITH ST. ANNE

Starting price
350 000 CZK | 13 725 €
Price realized
350 000 CZK | 13 725 €
ITALIAN RENAISSANCE FRAME

Lot 7 ITALIAN RENAISSANCE FRAME

Starting price
55 000 CZK | 2 157 €
Price realized
65 000 CZK | 2 549 €
TWO RELIEF PORTRAITS OF ROMAN EMPERORS

Lot 8 Neznámý Italský Mistr TWO RELIEF PORTRAITS OF ROMAN EMPERORS

Starting price
45 000 CZK | 1 765 €
Price realized
45 000 CZK | 1 765 €
VENUS HONORED BY NYMPHS AND A FAUN

Lot 9 Bartholomeus Spranger (1546 - 1611) VENUS HONORED BY NYMPHS AND A FAUN

Starting price
280 000 CZK | 10 980 €
Price realized
23 225 CZK | 911 €
SAINT AGNES OF ROME

Lot 10 ŘÍMSKÁ ŠKOLA SAINT AGNES OF ROME

Starting price
200 000 CZK | 7 843 €
Price realized
3 466 CZK | 136 €
THE BIRTH OF THE VIRGIN

Lot 11 KAREL ŠKRÉTA (1610 - 1674) THE BIRTH OF THE VIRGIN

Starting price
800 000 CZK | 31 373 €
Price realized
950 000 CZK | 37 255 €
A BAROQUE TABLE CLOCK

Lot 12 A BAROQUE TABLE CLOCK

Starting price
100 000 CZK | 3 922 €
Price realized
100 000 CZK | 3 922 €
A ROTUNDA TABLE CLOCK

Lot 13 JEAN LÉONARD ROQUE A ROTUNDA TABLE CLOCK

Starting price
120 000 CZK | 4 706 €
Price realized
170 000 CZK | 6 667 €
MAPS OF BOHEMIA AND MORAVIA

Lot 14 Jan Kryštof Müller (1673 - 1721) MAPS OF BOHEMIA AND MORAVIA

Starting price
28 000 CZK | 1 098 €
Price realized
35 000 CZK | 1 373 €
A LARGE MAP OF BOHEMIA

Lot 15 A LARGE MAP OF BOHEMIA

Starting price
48 000 CZK | 1 882 €
Price realized
70 000 CZK | 2 745 €
AN EMPIRE DESK

Lot 16 JACOB FRÈRES AN EMPIRE DESK

Starting price
290 000 CZK | 11 373 €
A NEOCLASSICAL CHANDELIER

Lot 17 A NEOCLASSICAL CHANDELIER

Starting price
55 000 CZK | 2 157 €
A BIEDERMEIER SEWING TABLE

Lot 18 A BIEDERMEIER SEWING TABLE

Starting price
120 000 CZK | 4 706 €
Price realized
120 000 CZK | 4 706 €
A SET OF TWELVE NORTHERN EUROPEAN MAHOGANY CHAIRS

Lot 19 A SET OF TWELVE NORTHERN EUROPEAN MAHOGANY CHAIRS

Starting price
450 000 CZK | 17 647 €
A BIEDERMEIER STYLE TABLE

Lot 20 A BIEDERMEIER STYLE TABLE

Starting price
70 000 CZK | 2 745 €
Price realized
100 000 CZK | 3 922 €
A BIEDERMEIER CHEST

A BIEDERMEIER CHEST

35 000 CZK | 1 373 €
A LATERN CLOCK

Lot 22 A LATERN CLOCK

Starting price
400 000 CZK | 15 686 €
Price realized
400 000 CZK | 15 686 €
SHOWING AN ARABIAN HORSE

Lot 23 Horace Emile Jean Vernet (1789 - 1863) SHOWING AN ARABIAN HORSE

Starting price
1 800 000 CZK | 70 588 €
ALPINE MOTIF

Lot 24 Bedřich Havránek (1821 - 1899) ALPINE MOTIF

Starting price
120 000 CZK | 4 706 €
Price realized
120 000 CZK | 4 706 €
SINKING SHIP

Lot 25 ANDREAS ACHENBACH (1815 - 1910) SINKING SHIP

Starting price
150 000 CZK | 5 882 €
Price realized
160 000 CZK | 6 275 €
STILL LIFE IN THE STUDIO

Lot 26 SOBĚSLAV PINKAS (1827 - 1901) STILL LIFE IN THE STUDIO

Starting price
180 000 CZK | 7 059 €
Price realized
350 000 CZK | 13 725 €
AT THE CONFESSIONAL

Lot 27 Vojtěch Hynais (1854 - 1925) AT THE CONFESSIONAL

Starting price
220 000 CZK | 8 627 €
Price realized
220 000 CZK | 8 627 €
PATH IN A WOODED HILLSIDE

Lot 28 Julius Mařák (1832 - 1899) PATH IN A WOODED HILLSIDE

Starting price
150 000 CZK | 5 882 €
Price realized
200 000 CZK | 7 843 €
DAWN IN THE LANDSCAPE

Lot 29 Josef Ullmann (1870 - 1922) DAWN IN THE LANDSCAPE

Starting price
70 000 CZK | 2 745 €
Price realized
80 000 CZK | 3 137 €
DAY AND NIGHT DIPTYCH

Lot 30 Vojtěch Preissig (1873 - 1944) DAY AND NIGHT DIPTYCH

Starting price
450 000 CZK | 17 647 €
Price realized
450 000 CZK | 17 647 €
THE DUTCH VIRGIN

Lot 31 Nicolaas van der Waay (1855 - 1936) THE DUTCH VIRGIN

Starting price
50 000 CZK | 1 961 €
Price realized
70 000 CZK | 2 745 €
DREAMING

Lot 32 LOUIS JACQUES GUIGUES (1867 - 1943) DREAMING

Starting price
55 000 CZK | 2 157 €
Price realized
65 000 CZK | 2 549 €
FOUR DRAWINGS FOR KAREL HYNEK MACHA’S MAY

Lot 33 Max Švabinský (1873 - 1962) FOUR DRAWINGS FOR KAREL HYNEK MACHA’S MAY

Starting price
100 000 CZK | 3 922 €
Price realized
200 000 CZK | 7 843 €
A BOWL

Lot 34 TALAŠKINO A BOWL

Starting price
25 000 CZK | 980 €
Price realized
160 000 CZK | 6 275 €
A PORTRAIT FRAME

Lot 35 TALAŠKINO A PORTRAIT FRAME

Starting price
18 000 CZK | 706 €
Price realized
95 000 CZK | 3 725 €
A BALALAIKA

Lot 36 TALAŠKINO A BALALAIKA

Starting price
20 000 CZK | 784 €
Price realized
95 000 CZK | 3 725 €
AN EGG-SHAPED BOX

Lot 37 TALAŠKINO AN EGG-SHAPED BOX

Starting price
15 000 CZK | 588 €
Price realized
190 000 CZK | 7 451 €
AN EGG-SHAPED BOX

Lot 38 TALAŠKINO AN EGG-SHAPED BOX

Starting price
15 000 CZK | 588 €
Price realized
370 000 CZK | 14 510 €
AN EGG-SHAPED BOX

Lot 39 TALAŠKINO AN EGG-SHAPED BOX

Starting price
15 000 CZK | 588 €
Price realized
170 000 CZK | 6 667 €
A BOX

Lot 40 TALAŠKINO A BOX

Starting price
18 000 CZK | 706 €
Price realized
310 000 CZK | 12 157 €
A BOX

Lot 41 TALAŠKINO A BOX

Starting price
10 000 CZK | 392 €
Price realized
210 000 CZK | 8 235 €
A BOX

Lot 42 TALAŠKINO A BOX

Starting price
20 000 CZK | 784 €
Price realized
400 000 CZK | 15 686 €
A BOX

Lot 43 TALAŠKINO A BOX

Starting price
8 000 CZK | 314 €
Price realized
35 000 CZK | 1 373 €
THREE BOXES

Lot 44 TALAŠKINO THREE BOXES

Starting price
15 000 CZK | 588 €
Price realized
120 000 CZK | 4 706 €
A SHAWL

Lot 45 TALAŠKINO A SHAWL

Starting price
12 000 CZK | 471 €
Price realized
42 000 CZK | 1 647 €
A CURTAIN PANEL

Lot 46 TALAŠKINO A CURTAIN PANEL

Starting price
14 000 CZK | 549 €
Price realized
14 000 CZK | 549 €
A BLANKET

Lot 47 TALAŠKINO A BLANKET

Starting price
8 000 CZK | 314 €
Price realized
8 000 CZK | 314 €
A BLANKET

Lot 48 TALAŠKINO A BLANKET

Starting price
10 000 CZK | 392 €
Price realized
10 000 CZK | 392 €