黑料不打烊

Traditionally on the last day of December the Hermitage presents to the public the most interesting gifts received in the past year.

The painting The Fair by Konstantin Yegorovich Makovsky (1839鈥�1915), a prominent Russian painter of the second half of the 19th century, and a bust of the artist made by Ettore Ximenes (1855鈥�1926), one of Italy鈥檚 leading sculptors around the turn of the 20th century, were presented to the Hermitage by Makovsky鈥檚 granddaughter, Tatiana Korostovets Jacquier, who lives in Paris.

This painting is a large-format sketch that was exhibited at the 20th exhibition of the St Petersburg Society of Artists in 1912 under the title The Fair. A canvas with the same title (probably the finished painting) was shown at the 24th exhibition of the same society in 1915.

By established tradition, art historians have displayed little interest in Konstantin Makovsky鈥檚 late work and the consequence of that is the almost complete absence in museum collections of the works he painted in the 20th century. The last two decades have been marked by a positive reassessment of Makovsky鈥檚 oeuvre as a whole and of his late period in particular.

The State Hermitage possesses nine paintings by Makovsky, dating from various periods in his career. The acquisition of a large-format sketch has made the monographic section of this artist鈥檚 oeuvre more complete. The Fair was painted with temperamental artistry and has not only historical, but also aesthetic significance.

Ettore Ximenes (1855鈥�1926) was one of Italy鈥檚 leading sculptors around the turn of the 20th century and created many monuments in Italy, other European countries and the USA. In Rome, he notably participated in the creation of the Altare della Patria complex (Monument to Victor Emmanuel II) and produced the chariot on the Palace of Justice. He was also responsible for monuments to Garibaldi in Pesaro (1887) and Milan (1895) and to Verdi in Parma (1920). Statues of Dante by him stand in New York and Washington. From his models monuments to Alexander II and Piotr Stolypin were created in Kiev (both 1912鈥�13) and another to Alexander I in Kishinev-Chi葯in膬u (1914). The Hermitage also possesses a marble portrait bust of an unknown man signed by Ximenes.

To all appearances, the bust in patinated plaster was a full-size model for a portrait in bronze or marble. Konstantin Makovsky is shown looking directly forwards, with his head turned slightly towards his right shoulder. He is dressed in an unbuttoned frock coat and a waistcoat, beneath which a shirt and tie can be seen.