May 2017: This year, Sotheby’s will celebrate the 10th anniversary of its Moscow office an exhibition of nearly 70 works of art at the Ivanovsky Hall at the Russian State Library. The exhibition will bring together both works acquired by Russian collectors in past Sotheby’s auctions as well as a strong group of highlights to be offered in forthcoming sales. The latter group will include over 20 highlights from our upcoming sales of Russian art in London, starring works by Ilya Repin, Konstantin Yuon, Ivan Pokhitonov and Fabergé. Also on view will be a handful of works from our forthcoming Paris auctions of African and Oceanic Art, and Old Master Paintings, reflecting the diverse taste of collectors active in Russia today. Russian collectors are currently active participants in no fewer than 50 categories across Sotheby’s international sales.

Sotheby's history in Russia began in 1988 with a ground-breaking sale of avant-garde and Soviet Contemporary Art in Moscow, the first international auction held in the Soviet Union. Two decades later, in May 2007, Sotheby’s became the first international auction house to open an office in Russia. To mark the 10th anniversary of this milestone, Sotheby’s will exhibit over 40 works of art acquired by Russian art collectors in past Sotheby’s sales, alongside the highlights from our upcoming auctions. This provides a rare opportunity to discover private art collections being assembled in Russia today. For further information about Sotheby’s history in Russia and the activity of Russian art collectors in our sales, please see the separate press release.

Irina Stepanova, Managing Director of Sotheby’s Russia said: “For the first time in a decade, we’ve brought together artworks from private collections with works from our forthcoming sales – an ambitious exhibition we’ve dreamed about staging for many years. I am extremely grateful to the Russian clients who responded to our request so enthusiastically, and kindly loaned works from their private collections. Without their support this wouldn't happen. Through their loans, we’re able to demonstrate the diversity of categories in which Russian collectors are engaged today, and their great, varied interest and connoisseurship.”

Open to the public on Wednesday 24th May, this year’s exhibition will be held at the Russian State Library, located on the site of the former Rumyantsev museum, the first public museum established in Moscow. Please see notes to editors for further information about its fascinating history. Sotheby’s next sales of Russian Pictures and Russian Works of Art, Fabergé and Icons will take place in London on 6 June 2017. Together, these two sales are expected to make £9.06-13.06 million / US$ 11.02-15.88 million. A separate press release is available with information about further highlights from these sales.

Russian Art Highlights on exhibition in Moscow