252 - ROMANTICISM

ROMANTICISM LEV FELIKSOVICH LAGORIO (1826–1905), ATTRIBUTED TO. LOW TIDE AT SUNSET. CIRCA 1859. A monumental marine landscape depicting a tidal harbour in the evening, attributed to the Russian painter Lev Feliksovich Lagorio (1826–1905). The composition is centred on a large three-masted sailing vessel set on wooden supports within the drying zone of a small coastal shipyard. The work derives particular expressive power from the finely observed atmosphere of sunset. The artist builds subtle transitions of golden, amber and crimson tones, suffusing the scene with a soft evening glow. The rays of the setting sun are reflected in the shallows and across the damp foreshore, enhancing the sense of depth and spatial recession. The sky occupies a substantial part of the composition and becomes its principal emotional element. The dark hull of the vessel and the delicate linear pattern of its masts and rigging stand out with particular clarity against the luminous horizon. In the foreground, fishermen and local inhabitants are shown engaged in everyday activities around the ship. These small-scale figures emphasise the monumentality of the vessel and the breadth of the surrounding space. Shore buildings, boats and the silhouettes of smaller vessels in the distance create the impression of an active coastal harbour while preserving the overall contemplative mood of the work. The painting is executed to a high professional standard. Particular attention is given to the construction of the vessel and rigging, the reflections of light on the damp shoreline, and the gradual dissolution of the distant planes into the atmospheric haze. The romantic expressiveness of the sunset is combined with close observation and compositional clarity characteristic of Lagorio’s marine landscapes from his European period. The painting is presented in a gilt wooden frame dating from the late 19th century, in keeping with the historical character of the work. Signature: Not found. The reverse of the canvas bears the stamp of the Parisian artists’ materials supplier Ange Ottoz, Paris, dating to the mid-19th century and consistent with the proposed dating of the work. Dimensions: Canvas: 82 × 124.5 cm. Framed: 99 × 151 cm. Medium: Oil on canvas. Condition: Good. Natural age-related changes to the paint surface, with pronounced craquelure. Minor traces of old restoration to the canvas. The canvas has been lined and reinforced. The condition is consistent with the age of the work. Provenance: French private collection. In the ownership of the same family for several generations. Width: 151cm, Height: 99cm, Depth: 15cm, Weight: 20kg, Condition: Good, Material: Oil, Canvas, ID: ID-ANTQ-16536