Your Personal Guide to the Russian Masters
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Count Semyon Romanovich Vorontsov,
by Sir Thomas Lawrence
Prince Mikhail Vorontsov, 1818,
by Sir Thomas Lawrence
A Family History
Ivan Lindsay, the head of Lindsay Fine Art Ltd, is a descendant of the Vorontsovs, a family of statesmen, diplomats and generals. His lineage can be traced back to Count Semyon Romanovich Vorontsov (1744 - 1832), a diplomat who distinguished himself in the Russo-Turkish War and was appointed to London as a minister. Legend has it that Grigoriy Potemkin, Catherine the Great's famous favourite, was the one who persuaded the empress to send Vorontsov away in order to get rid of a potential rival. For excellent service Count Vorontsov was promoted to the rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and remained in England until his death. His daughter, Ekaterina, married Lord Pembroke, while his son Prince Mikhail went back to Russia and became a successful field-marshal in the war against Napoleon, and after leading several campaigns in Russian southern territories was appointed Viceroy of Caucasus and Crimea.
The Vorontsovs commissioned numerous prominent palaces across Russia and had an extensive collection of paintings and antiquities. Most of this heritage was nationalized after the revolution of 1917 and sold by the new government. What little that remained can presently be seen in several museums on the territory of the former Soviet Union, including the State Museum of Archaeology in Odessa and the State Russian Museum in St Petersburg.
The legacy
Ivan Lindsay’s interest in Russian art started many years ago when he went to Russia to research his family history. In 2004, following requests from clients, Lindsay Fine Art Ltd formed a Russian division to deal in Russian paintings and to accommodate Russian speaking enquiries.
Until now, interest in the Russian Art market has come primarily from Russian collectors wishing to buy back their heritage but international collectors are now beginning to realise the great potential. Valuations are, however, still only a fraction of those of Western paintings, despite the fact that the best Russian artists are generally considered to be on a par with those in the West.
The Russian department
Since its establishment the Russian department has developed rapidly. Our success is based on the company's extensive experience in dealing in Western art and on maintaining a uniquely high level of expertise. We consult and keep close connections with leading Russian art historians, museum keepers, restorers, artists and artists' descendants. We continuously expand our network and establish good relationships with collectors and experts from provincial museums, former Soviet republics and all across the globe. We have the in-house capacity to value, restore and provide conservation for paintings.
The future
Western collectors and museums will inevitably enter the market and when they do, valuations will climb rapidly. For those with a discerning eye, there are many opportunities to move into this exciting new market. See the essay Introduction to the Russian Art Market in the Essays section for a more detailed insight.
Lindsay Fine Art Ltd is looking to acquire Russian paintings of the 19th and 20th centuries with a particular focus on:
- Russian Impressionists such as Korovin, Gorbatov, Mashkov and Konchalovsky
- Moscow school artists of the 1950s and 1960s such as Plastov, Stozharov and Tkachev brothers