An album of Russian views

German school, Second quarter, 19th century

German school, Second quarter, 19th century
eight gouache views of St. Petersburg inscribed in German including Tauride Palace, Palace Embankment and Summer Garden, St. Isaac's Cathedral, the Admiralty, Alexander Nevsky Monastery and Smolny Institute and nine bookpates relating to Putbus, the paper watermarked J Whatman 1819, bound in gold tooled leather album set with stones at corner plaques and clasp, in original box
dimensions of album: 19.7 x 24.6cm (7 3/4 x 9 11/16in).

Although unsigned, the assembled views of St. Petersburg are reminiscent of Johann Wilhelm Gottfried Barth (1779-1852) a German artist trained at the Royal Porcelain Manufactory in Berlin. Following an extensive stay in the Baltics, Barth turned to St. Petersburg where he created detailed views of the city. For similar work by Barth, see Sotheby's, New York, Russian sale, 23 April 2004, lots 1 and 2.

The Russian views include:
Tauride Palace, View of Tauride Palace from the Garden side, Bertsky house in the Summer Garden (titled '[de] Ribas House' in the gouache), Smolny Convent (titled 'Maidens convent' in the gouache), Saint Isaac's Cathedral, Saint Alexander Nevsky Lavra, View of the Admiralty from Saint Isaac's Square, View of the Admiralty from the Winter Palace.

The bookplates in the second section of the album relate to Putbus, an aristocratic family from a place of the same name in Western Pomerania near the Baltic coast and include: Entrance to the park in Putbus, View of Dusseldorf, Putbus Palace, Stubbenkammer, Lime tree alley and dining hall in the park in Putbus, Cape Arkona, Pavillion in the park in Putbus, Königsstuhl, Granitz Hunting Lodge.

We are grateful to Paul Dyson for assistance with cataloguing this entry.