[Евгений]

THE TURKISH MILITARY SHIP MERSINA IN THE BLACK SEA ON 13 DECEMBER 1877.
Sign. 15 Dec 1877. Oil on canvas 64,5 x81, 5 cm.
Provenance: Private collection, Finland.
Auction: 147
Cataloguenumber: 273.
Estimate: 275.000-350.000 €
Exhibition: Art and the Sea, 23.9.-19.11.2000 The John Nurminen Foundation.
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The picture reflects a historical episode that occurred during the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878. When the December 13, 1977 Russian cruiser "Russia" under the command of NM Baranova took the biggest in the history of the wars in the Black Sea, "a prize" (t . e. captured an enemy ship) - Turkish steamer "Mersin. On "Mersin" was a battalion of Turkish troops, a lot of public money, silver ore, precious things, the government paper. "Russia" with "Mersin" came to Sevastopol.
From the literature about the artist knows that he twice immortalized this event: the moment when both vessels were close to the Turkish port Penderaklii, and during the approach to Sevastopol. Paintings vary considerably in composition. The first option is known: it is in the Naval Museum in St. Petersburg. The second option, kept in a private collection in Finland, presented to the current auction.
We thank GN Goldovsky for information about this product.
Information from the site.