Konstantin Andreievich Somov (1869–1939) Prokop Veiliky. Watercolour And Pastel On Paper.

Konstantin Andreyevich Somov (1869–1939) was one of the leading figures of the Mir Iskusstva (World of Art) movement in St Petersburg. Whilst he is universally renowned for his retrospective courtly scenes inspired by the 18th century, he also distinguished himself brilliantly in graphic art and the illustration of Russian historical narratives.

This composition on paper, subtly combining watercolour with highlights of white gouache (notably to depict the snow on the ground), draws on the iconography of a horseman or boyar emerging from a frame featuring ornamental motifs typical of the Neo-Russian style. The old label affixed to the reverse lists the artist’s name in Germanic script (Ssomoff) along with the title ‘Pokrop Velek’ (most likely referring to an illustration or graphic design linked to the historical or literary figure of Prokop the Great / Prokop Veliky).

Despite the visible signs of weathering on the paper, the work retains the graphic elegance and nostalgic poetry characteristic of Russian art from the turn of the 20th century, oscillating between Symbolism and a rediscovery of the national past.