Ernest Julius Wilhelm Mehnert (b. St. Petersburg 1823, d. s.p. 1878)
Large Russian patinated bronze figure of Tsar Alexander II of Russia (1818–1881), dressed in the uniform of the Russian Imperial Army Life Guards Hussar regiment. Signed Mehnert 1871 (in Cyrillic). H. 62 cm.
Provenance: The collection of Baroness Sophie Louise de Plessen, her auction Winkel & Magnussen 347, 1948 no. 794.
Baroness Sophie Louise de Plessen, also called von Plessen (1862–1947), née von Eckermann, came from an ennobled Russian family, who moved to Sweden in 1839. In 1891 she married the Danish diplomat and Chamberlain, Sergius von Plessen (1860–1912). He was born in St. Petersburg as son of the Danish baron and chargé d'affaires in St. Petersburg, Otto von Plessen, and his Russian-born wife, Princess Varvara Gagarina Sergievna. When the sculpture of Tsar Alexander II of Russia came to Denmark it seems to be due to the Russian family ties from von Plessen family.
Wear due to age and use.
Please note: The item is subject to the Anti-Money Laundering Act. In the event of a hammer price of DKK 50,000 or more, including buyer’s premium, the buyer must submit a copy of a valid photo ID and proof of address in order to collect the item.
Russian art and varia, 30 November 2011