- 504
Sergei Koren as Mercutio in Prokofiev's Ballet 'Romeo and Juliet', Lomonosov State Porcelain Factory, Leningrad, circa 1955
Estimate
2,500 - 4,000 GBP
bidding is closed
Description
- porcelain
- height 40.6cm, 16in.
after a 1948 design by Vera Mukhina and a painted design by Anna Yatskevich, stamped blue D (Cyrillic) and V/s in Cyrillic (vysshii sort)
Exhibited
Hillwood Museum, no. 24; Pushkin Museum, no. 120
Literature
Oda k Radosti/Ode to Joy, p. 323, cat. no. 244; for comparison, see N. Voronov, Vera Ignatievna Mukhina, 1889-1953, Moscow, 1989, pp. 35-36, 75 and Petrova 2007, p.214.
Condition
metal of sword slightly bent, some small wear to black matt glaze of cape, aspecially at lower left
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
Catalogue Note
Now considered one of the greatest ballet scores of the 20th century, Prokofiev's composition almost failed to be presented. Prokofiev originally composed it for the Kirov Ballet in 1935 but had planned to work together with stage director Sergei Radlov, a modernist who had overseen the premiere of Prokofiev's 'The Love for Three Oranges'. The political campaign launched again modernism in the arts prevented its premiere at the Kirov or Bolshoi, and it eventually debuted in Brno. By the 1950s, it had become a key work in the Soviet repertoire and figured significantly in the Bolshoi's triumphant tour of Europe in 1956 in which Galina Ulanova played Juliet (see lots 493 and 494). In the Cold War era, Prokofiev's ballet and the spectacular skills of Soviet dancers were frequently cited as examples of Soviet superiority in the artistic competition between East and West.