ELENA POLENOVA (1850-1898) AT THE ABRAMTSEVO WORKSHOPS, MOSCOW OBLAST, RUSSIA
TABLE, CIRCA 1890
£1,750
Auction: Day One: 20 April 2022 | From 11:00
Description
carved and stained birch
Dimensions
89cm wide, 76cm high, 65.3cm deep
Footnote
Note: Elena Polenova was an accomplished, painter, illustrator and designer, having initially taken an interest in drawing from her mother, herself an amateur artist and children’s author. By 1870, she took further classes in watercolours and ceramics, and enjoyed an educational year abroad in Paris. However, the Russo-Turkish War had a profound effect on her and she abandoned her studies to focus on a nursing career, providing essential care to the wounded. In 1877, family tragedy and a devastating personal heartbreak prompted a move to Moscow to live with her older brother, the renowned painter Vasilii Polenov. With so much loss and tragedy surrounding her, Elena reverted back to her youthful interests and devoted herself entirely to art.
Shortly after, she was introduced to Savva Mamontov, a wealthy businessman and patron of the arts. He had fostered a community of artists, musicians and designers on his estate and encouraged them to study traditional Russian culture as inspiration for their creative output. Elena immersed herself in this flourishing environment and by 1885 she had taken over management of the furniture workshops, a pivotal point in her career. Under her leadership, students at the Abramtsevo workshop enjoyed widespread critical acclaim across the globe; a table similar to the present lot was shown in the Russian Pavilion during the 1900 Paris Universal Exhibition. Elena is thought to have produced over 100 furniture designs during her time at the workshops and the influence from traditional Russian crafts is clear; boldly carved forms and patterns are sensitively reworked with her own intention of creating a captivating style that both striking and functional.