Daria Khristova nee Chernenko
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Lot 58†,AR
Alexandre Benois(Russian/French, 1870-1960)Aurora
Amended
25 September 2024, 14:00 BST
London, New Bond Street£15,000 - £18,000
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Alexandre Benois (Russian/French, 1870-1960)
Aurora
sketch for the allegorical composition Time awakens Labour (Hercules) and Trade (Mercury) for the office of N. L. Von Meck at the Moscow Kazansky railway station
signed and dated '28/XI, 1916' (lower right), inscribed 'Shurochka, Alexandra Dmitrieva, Alexandra..' (lower left)
sanguine, pencil and whitewash on paper
32 x 49cm (12 5/8 x 19 5/16in).
sketch for the allegorical composition Time awakens Labour (Hercules) and Trade (Mercury) for the office of N. L. Von Meck at the Moscow Kazansky railway station
signed and dated '28/XI, 1916' (lower right), inscribed 'Shurochka, Alexandra Dmitrieva, Alexandra..' (lower left)
sanguine, pencil and whitewash on paper
32 x 49cm (12 5/8 x 19 5/16in).
Footnotes
Provenance
The Benois family.
Private collection, UK (acquired from the above in 2009).
Literature
Benois A.N., My Diary: 1916–1917–1918, Russian Way, 2003, p.51.
In his diary during the autumn of 1916, Alexandre Benois repeatedly wrote about present work. The artist deemed this drawing significant enough to include in his family chronicle, which he specifically mentions in an entry dated Monday, November 28 (Old Style)/December 11 (New Style), 1916: 'Finally a bright morning. I am drawing Aurora from Shurochka. Grabar for lunchtime. He thinks that he may still be called up under the deferment of 1893... Sunday, October 2/15, I continue to be in melancholy and in some strange absent-mindedness. By lunchtime I had Somov and Argutinsky. During the day I painted Shurochka - for the figure of Aurora. Tuesday, 4/17 October, Happy Shurochka. We must give her justice that she poses perfectly...'
Alexandre Benois (1870-1960) was a prominent Russian artist, art critic, historian, and stage designer. He was a key figure in the Mir Iskusstva (World of Art) movement, which greatly influenced Russian art at the turn of the 20th century. Benois was known for his versatility, working across various mediums including painting, illustration, and theatrical design. The fact that Benois wrote about this sketch multiple times in his diary suggests that it held special importance to him.
Saleroom notices
Please note the following amendment to the footnote: In his diary during the autumn of 1916, Alexandre Benois repeatedly wrote about present work. The artist deemed and included this drawing significant enough to include in his family chronicle, which he specifically mentions in an entry dated Monday, November 28 (Old Style)/December 11 (New Style), 1916: 'Finally a bright morning. I am drawing Aurora from Shurochka*. Grabar for lunchtime. He thinks that he may still be called up under the deferment of 1893... Sunday, October 2/15, I continue to be in melancholy and in some strange absent-mindedness. By lunchtime I had Somov and Argutinsky. During the day I painted Shurochka - for the figure of Aurora. Tuesday, 4/17 October, Happy Shurochka. We must give her justice that she poses perfectly...' Alexandre Benois (1870-1960) was a prominent Russian artist, art critic, historian, and stage designer. He was a key figure in the Mir Iskusstva (World of Art) movement, which greatly influenced Russian art at the turn of the 20th century. Benois was known for his versatility, working across various mediums including painting, illustration, theatrical design, and libretto, notably with Sergei Diaghilev's famous Ballets Russes. The fact that Benois wrote about this sketch multiple times in his diary suggests that it held special importance to him. *This sanguine drawing is included in my family chronicle.