Apr 21, 2026 10:00 EST
Russian Paintings / Russian Works of Art
239
Russian Folio: The Tsar’s Family
Album of photogravures, The Tsar's Family, artist B. Zvorykin. St. Petersburg: Published by the Infirmary of Their Imperial Highnesses the Grand Duchesses Maria Nikolaevna and Anastasia Nikolaevna in Tsarskoye Selo, 1914. 12 photogravures, each 34 x 27 cm. In an engraved publisher's folder by the artist Boris Zvorykin, the back cover inscribed with an inventory number in ink: 1399/55, [list] 105, from the Alexander Palace, children's quarters.
Provenance:
Alexander Palace, Tsarskoye Selo.
With Hammer Galleries, New York.
India Early Minshall, Cleveland, purchased from the above, November 18, 1935.
Sold for $2,432
Estimated at $1,000 - $1,500
Includes Buyer's Premium
Album of photogravures, The Tsar's Family, artist B. Zvorykin. St. Petersburg: Published by the Infirmary of Their Imperial Highnesses the Grand Duchesses Maria Nikolaevna and Anastasia Nikolaevna in Tsarskoye Selo, 1914. 12 photogravures, each 34 x 27 cm. In an engraved publisher's folder by the artist Boris Zvorykin, the back cover inscribed with an inventory number in ink: 1399/55, [list] 105, from the Alexander Palace, children's quarters.
Provenance:
Alexander Palace, Tsarskoye Selo.
With Hammer Galleries, New York.
India Early Minshall, Cleveland, purchased from the above, November 18, 1935.
Notes:At the outset of World War I, women of the Russian Imperial family and the aristocracy mobilized to support the war effort by supplying hospitals for the wounded and working in medical facilities under their patronage. Many trained as nurses, tending to injured soldiers and, in some cases, even assisting in surgeries.
Empress Alexandra Feodorovna established several hospitals, including one near her residence at Tsarskoye Selo. There, she and her two elder daughters, Olga and Tatiana, personally cared for the wounded. Her younger daughters, Maria and Anastasia, were considered too young for formal nursing duties. Instead, they supported a hospital at Tsarskoye Selo under their patronage—the Infirmary of Their Imperial Highnesses the Grand Duchesses Maria Nikolaevna and Anastasia Nikolaevna. They spent time with wounded soldiers, playing games and offering companionship, and were widely appreciated for their warmth and approachability.
This folio was among many items acquired from Hammer Galleries by India Early Minshall (1885–1965), a prominent American art collector. Minshall is best known for her extensive collection of Fabergé and other Imperial Russian decorative arts, much of which she later bequeathed to the Cleveland Museum of Art in her native Ohio.
In generally good condition, consistent with age. Lightststain, soiling to cover, some edges slightly bent.
Any condition statement is given as a courtesy to a client, is an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact and our Organization shall have no responsibility for any error or omission. Please contact the specialist department to request further information or additional images that may be available.
Auction: Russian Paintings / Russian Works of Art, Apr 21, 2026
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Auction of Russian Paintings / Russian Works of Art Tops $1.7 Million
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April 21, 2026 Sale Total Soars Past Expectations Amid International Bidding
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Circa 1905 Winter Sunset by Ivan Fedorovich Choultsé Achieved $152,900
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Consignments Are Currently Being Accepted for Future Auctions
NEW YORK, NY – Doyle’s highly successful auction of Russian Paintings / Russian Works of Art on April 21, 2026 saw international bidding drive outstanding results and a sale total that topped $1.7 million – far surpassing expectations. The paintings section of the sale delivered exceptional prices for a broad range of Russian art spanning the 19th and 20th centuries.
Ivan Fedorovich Choultsé
Transatlantic competition drove bidding on a radiant landscape by Ivan Fedorovich Choultsé (1874–1939) far beyond its $20,000–40,000 estimate, achieving an impressive $152,900. Titled Coucher de soleil (Engadine), or Twilight of the Gods, the circa 1905 work captures a brilliant sunset over a snow-covered landscape in the Swiss Alps—a region that proved a rich source of inspiration for the artist. Choultsé was celebrated for his masterful handling of light, particularly in winter scenes, where he rendered snow and ice with remarkable luminosity and depth.
Alexey Gavrilovich Venetsianov
Portrait of a Girl with a Hay Rake attributed to Alexey Gavrilovich Venetsianov achieved a stunning $140,200 amid spirited bidding that spanned the globe. Venetsianov (1780-1847) is widely regarded for his sensitive portrayals of rural life, which helped shape a distinctly Russian school of genre painting in the early 19th century. Property from a West Coast Private Collection, the present painting depicts a young peasant girl rendered in the characteristic manner of the Russian master.
Dmitri Krasnopevtsev
Strong results were also seen for Soviet non-conformist art, with a focused group of works underscoring continued demand for “unofficial” artists working beyond the limits of state-sanctioned doctrine. Among them, a still life by Dmitri Krasnopevtsev (1925-1995) achieved $70,350, reflecting sustained collector interest in artists who developed highly individual visual languages—often marked by wit, experimentation, and a pointed engagement with the realities of Soviet life.
Russian Works of Art
The April 21 sale also featured a section showcasing Russian Works of Art, including Fabergé, enamels, silver, porcelain and icons. (Read More)
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Consignments are currently being accepted for future auctions. We invite you to contact us for complimentary auction estimates. Our Specialists are always available to discuss the sale of a single item or an entire collection.
