[Arvind Vijaymohan's Art Blog] Roerich Record

[Arvind Vijaymohan]

In the midst of the Russian art week, the Christie's Russian sale held on April 24 at their New York salesroom raised USD 13.2 million (a whisker above the higher estimate) for 269 sold lots which included a mix of icons, Fabergé, cloisonné and guilloché. With the number of oil-rich, homegrown Russian billionaires lesser by more than one-third, the sale estimates were conservative, clearly reduced from the 2008 year-end sale season.

Of interest were 5 lots by the Roerichs - 4 works by the artist and philosopher Nicholas Roerich (1874 - 1947) and a single by his youngest son, Svetoslav Roerich (1904 - 1993). The highlight amongst these (and the collective sale as well) was the intensely bid-upon canvas by Svetoslav which achieved his world auction highest at USD 2.99 million (well above double the pre-sale tag of USD 1.1 mill). Interestingly, the previous auction best for Roerich jr. had been clocked only 2 days earlier at the Sotheby’s Russian sale at a far lighter figure of USD 266,500. Clearly, the recessionary times and shrinking fortunes (the 100 richest Russians have lost over 70% of their wealth post-meltdown) had little impact on a far-sighted collecting plan.

Portrait of Nicholas Roerich in a Tibetan Robe Tempera on canvas 60 x 49 in c. 1933

The work titled Portrait of Nicholas Roerich in a Tibetan Robe from 1933 which was on view at the Nicholas Roerich Museum, NY for nearly two decades (on loan from the erstwhile owner) was acquired for a private Russian collection. This work is a stunning picture which presents the artist's seated father dressed in Tibetean finery against an imagined architectural backdrop. While Nicholas was known for his mountain-studies, Svetoslav was a celebrated portraitist. His subjects included his parents - Nicholas and Helena, his wife (the legendary actress Devika Rani) and a number of iconic Indian figures including Indira Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru (the pictures are on display within the Central Parliament Hall, New Delhi)

Russians by birth, the Roerichs made India their home, with family estates in Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka. Roerich Sr. was an avid traveller and embarked on an epic Asian expedition in the 1920s which eventually ended in H.P. where he founded the the Himalayan Research Institute. He created over 7000 works during his lifetime, the most prized of which are mountainscapes, studies of the Himalayan peaks in particular. A large body of his work can be viewed at the Roerich Hall Estate in Nagar, Kulu Valley.

In other news of interest, if you happen to be in windy Frisco before end June, please visit the Ranjani Shettar at SFMOMA which features her new sculptural installations. Till July07/09

For additional information on #, please click on the listed links
Nicholas Roerich http://tinyurl.com/dgfg3o
Svetoslav Roerich http://tinyurl.com/dgvm6v

The Christie's Russian Art Sale http://tinyurl.com/d22jsn
Image courtesy © Christie's

© AVM

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Posted By Arvind Vijaymohan to Arvind Vijaymohan's Art Blog at 4/24/2009 11:35:00 AM