Untitled, 1917 (28.8 × 19.9 cm), 1917
Signed and dated on front lower left: “K/17” and on verso in Cyrillic: “Dear M. D. Congratulations Yours, Kandinsky” (Дорогому М.Д, С поздравлениями, Ваш Кандинский). Expert Reports: Scientific and technological research and analysis by Prof. Victor P. Golikov, Department Chair, Center of Historical and Traditional Technologies of the Institute of Heritage named after Dmitry Likhachev, 2012 Moscow, Russia Provenance: - 1910’s -1920’s acquired by Dmitry Petrovich Gordeev (archeologist, art historian, artist, specialist in East- ern art; born in Kharkov; lived and worked in Tbilisi 1910-1920; was very close to art circles and avant-garde artists of that time; chronicled the Tbilisi group of futurist artists; arrested in 1933; after release lived and worked in Tbilisi in the State Museum of Art in the Department of Russian art under the leadership of S. I. Natsubidze); - Purchased from above by Mr. & Mrs. S. I Natsubidze, Tbilisi in 1950’s -Inherited from above by Nina Solomonovna Natsubidze, Tbilisi -Private Collection by 2012, Paris- Tallinn Notes on Collections: Dmitry Petrovich Gordeev (1889 – 1968) was the son of scientist and public figure P. A. Gordeev and brother of poet Bojidar. Gordeev was an archeologist specializing in Caucasian, Byzantine, and Middle Easter art; an artist, he was the student of F. I. Shmit, who was born in Kharkov. In 1910-1920, he was close to the avant- garde literary and art circles in Moscow and became a member of the “Futurist” group. He became their chronicler (see his publication in Tbilisi, 1918). He was arrested and tried during the artistic purges in au- tumn 1933 and later exiled to Tbilisi in 1943 where he worked as a research associate and later Chief of the Department of Russian Art at the museum in Tbilisi until 1979. Alexandra Vladimirovna Natsubidze was an employee of the Tbilisi Museum beginning in 1959 and from 1965 until her death led the department of Russian Art. Dmitry Petrovich Gordeev was her employee, from whom she purchased many works of the Russian avant-garde over the years to help support him financially.