Lot 122: Vasily Grigorievich Khudiakov , 1826-1871 The Revolt of the Armenians of Zeythoun of 1862 oil on canvas

signed in Cyrillic and dated 1867 l.l. oil on canvas

75 by 101cm., 29 1/2 by 39 3/4 in.

Since 1618, in exchange for a fixed annual tribute, the town of Zeythoun in the province of Marash had been granted an autonomous status within the Ottoman Empire. The offered lot depicts the violent events which occurred in Zeythoun in 1862 when Aziz Pasha, Governor of Marash, marched against the Armenians at the head of an army of 10,000 irregulars in an attempt to quell a revolt and seize back the town. At the time, the Ottoman regime was suppressing independent movements throughout the empire, Muslim and Christian alike. In this case however, the Turks suffered a crushing defeat. The battle was fierce in the Armenian quarters of Surenian, Yalubian, Shovroyan and Yeni Tunia - the priest, Mambre Tchmshkadsakdsi, was killed defending the Church of the Holy Saviour and subsequently the Armenians sent a delegation to Emperor Napoleon III, as protector of the Lev.antine Christians, with an appeal for help Grigor Abardian, a priest in the delegation, succeeded in stopping the Imperial carriage in a street in Paris by throwing himself before it with a petition in hand. Their efforts were not in vain - Napoleon came to their assistance and pleaded their cause directly with Abdul Aziz, who was visiting France at the time. Punitive measures planned for the insurgency were cancelled. Khudiakov's interest in the genre of history painting was kindled by the artist Ivan Zavyalov, though his most famous patron was undoubtedly Pavel Tretyakov, with whom Khudiakov enjoyed a close friendship. Indeed, it was to Khudiakov that the great collector revealed his dream of founding a state gallery and it is Khudiakov's painting A Brawl with Finnish Contrabandists that has gone down in history as the very first painting that Pavel Tretyakov bought for the gallery. Another composition depicting The Revolt of the Armenians of Zeythoun was painted by the artist Z.Grigoryan. We are grateful to Dr. Vrej Nersessian of the British Library for providing additional cataloguing information.