Research:
Watercolor on paper.
Marks:
The reverse with embossed paper seal of the arms of Prince Pavel Demidov and a French inscription describing the scene.
Provenance:
Prince Pavel (Paul) Demidov (1839-1885)
Sold by the Commissaires-Priseurs de la Ville et de l’Arrondissement de Nice, Collections Demidoff, 29-30 January 1934, Lot 125 (illustrated).
This painting depicts the arrival of the funeral procession of Russian Emperor Alexander I (1777-1825) to Kazan Cathedral in Saint Petersburg in March of 1826. The death of the emperor was wholly unexpected. During a trip to the south of Russia, for the sake of the health of his ailing wife, Elizabeth, Alexander himself contracted Typhus. He died in the Crimean town of Taganrog on December 1, 1825. The funeral procession did not depart Taganrog until January 10th, almost six weeks after Alexander died, and then took nearly two months more to reach St. Petersburg, where the memorial and burial took place on March 13th, a total of 102 days after the monarch’s death.
The event was commemorated in paintings and engravings at various locations on the route.
The present watercolor is signed Piotr Lebedev, and formed part of the “Collection Demidoff”, sold at auction on January 29-30, 1934 in Nice, where it was presented as the illustrated lot 125.
Full research report available on request.