
Peter Rees
Director
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£15,000 - £20,000
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Director
Provenance
Acquired by the parents of the present owner.
Thence by descent.
Artist-officer Nikolai Nikolaevich Bunin brilliantly combined military service with artistic creativity. His military career began in 1877 and ended in 1900 when he reached the rank of colonel. Simultaneously, he developed his artistic talent.
Bunin's oeuvre is characterized by a deep understanding of military themes and social relationships. Early works such as Uninvited Critics (1884) and Uryadnik, demonstrated keen observations of military and peasant life. His historical paintings covered the Patriotic War of 1812, the Russo-Turkish War, and the Russo-Japanese War.
Bunin worked masterfully in both oil painting and watercolour, techniques particularly popular among officers of that time. His works were published in prominent journals such as Niva, Sever, and Picturesque Review. In 1889, an album titled Russian Military Life was published, quickly becoming a rare bibliographic treasure.