Sotheby's to host sale of Russian paintings

On Wednesday, the central office of Sotheby's auction house in London's Bond Street hosts a traditional "Russian sale" of paintings of the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries - 199 lots all in all. Judging by the guide prices quoted by the organizers, they intend to make a handsome profit from the sales of paintings that could grace any museum or private collection in Russia or abroad. "Far from Kiev" by Vladimir Makovsky, for instance, will be sold for approximately 150,000-200,000 pounds. 100,000-150,000 pounds is the guide price for Ivan Aivazovsky's "The Sea Blockade of Crete." About 40,000-70,000 pounds will be drawn from the sale of canvases by Konstantin Makovsky, Vasily Navozov, Nikolai Dubovsky, Pyotr Konchalovsky, Konstantin Korovin, Zinaida Serebryakova, Nikolai Sverchkov and others.

The auction is expected to gather a large number of dealers specializing in fine arts. They will all participate in tenders in the interests of Russia-based clients.