Lot 127: Ivan Fomich Khrutsky, 1810-1885 , portrait of a young lady with flowers and fruit oil on canvas

oil on canvas

113.75 by 81cm., 44½ by 32in.

Sotheby's London, Russian Pictures, Works of Art and Icons , 5 December 1989, Lot 61

Shortly after arriving in St. Petersburg from a small village in the Vitebsk region, Ivan Khrutsky, son of a Polish priest, became one of the capital's most popular artists. His meticulously-detailed still lifes based on the Old Master tradition were in high demand from the early 1830s, the time of the rise of this genre in Russia. Khrutsky also painted landscapes and portraits, frequently combining these elements as in the present lot. The Academy of Arts recognized his artistic achievements by awarding Khrutsky Major Silver (1836) and Gold Medals (1838) and granting him the title of Academician in 1839.
Portrait of a Young Lady with Flowers and Fruit is a vivid example of Khrutsky's oeuvre. Another well-known version is currently in the collection of the National Art Museum of Belarus in Minsk. Most likely they were both completed within several years of 1838 since the sitter's dress style remains unchanged, but her hair has been arranged in a slightly different manner. The central part of the painting is occupied by Khrutsky's trademark luxurious still life. The composition is intricately arranged on several levels and includes many objects that can often be found in other works by the artist. For instance, the silver jug with a hunting scene is featured in Still Life with Flowers and Fruit (1839) (fig.1) and the basket of strawberries can be found in Still Life with Candle (1836), both in The State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow. The abundance of ripe fruit and blooming flowers is reinforced by the dramatic autumn sunset, a characteristic element for Romantic painting of that period.