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Russian and European Fine and Decorative Art, May 7-8, in Dallas

DALLAS, TX - Two paintings from one of Russia's largest collectors and a Matisse landscape will headline Heritage Auction Galleries' next Signature® Auction of Russian and European Fine & Decorative Art, May 7-8, at its Design District Annex, 1518 Slocum Street.

Early Spring-Petrograd (1917) by Boris Israelevich Anisfeld and Fin du Monde by Marie Marevna come to Heritage from the Mkrtich Okroyan Collection of Fine Arts, a collection that is unique in its scope and significance.

Okroyan is not only known as a collector of art in Russia, but also as a developer of aviation technologies and as a leader of experimental research in the fields of aviation and engineering. He began collecting in the 1980s, purchasing works by artists such as Somov, Lentulov, Aivazovsky, and Nesterov long before their notoriety reached the levels seen recently at auction. He later began collecting Art Deco sculpture, resulting in one of the largest collections of chryselephantine sculpture from the 1920s and 1930s not just in Russia, but in the world.

In the past few years Okroyan has actively engaged in collecting Russian classical and avant-garde painting, and also adding to his collection some of the biggest names of Western European art. His latest endeavor has been the successful establishment of the Museum of Private Collections in Moscow called the Center for the Arts. This will be one of the largest private collections of Russian and European paintings, as well as the largest collection of Art Deco sculpture in the world that is open to the public.

Cagnes, Paysage au Temps Orageux (1917) is one of only four paintings created by Henrí Matisse from the garden of fellow artist Pierre-August Renoir. Reminiscent of the Impressionists, it was painted en plein air while he was working at Renoir's Villa of Les Collettes in the town of Cagnes-sur-Mer.

Although notably different from some of his other landscapes and interior compositions, Matisse has stayed true to his overall technique, using simple forms, bold brushstrokes, and color to express emotion. This star of the European Paintings portion of the auction comes to Heritage from a private collection in San Diego.

Other highlights from the Fine Art portion of the auction include: several paintings by Azerbaijani artists Mikhail Abdullayev and Boyuk Aga Mirzazade; Franz Knébel The Younger's, View of Tivoli (1871); a lovely Odalisque by Jean Joseph Benjamin Constant; an Impressionistic still life, Bouquet of Flowers in Basket, by Georges Jeannin; and contemporary Irish artist John Kingerlee's Landscape, Kilcatherine (1999-2004).

The auction also features a wide selection of European furniture and decorative art, whose highlights include a pair of late 19th century French marble and gilt bronze torchieres; a French Louis XV-style petit secretaire; a charming bronze sculpture by Antoine-Louis Barye, Ours Assis (Seated Bear); an early 20th century French Aubusson-style tapestry; and an early 19th century Portuguese rosewood center table.

The following specialists can be contacted for more information about this auction's offerings or to discuss consignments:

Russian Art - Dr. Douglass Brown, 214-409-1165 or DouglassB@HA.com

European Art - Courtney Case, 214-409-1293 or CourtneyC@HA.com

Decorative Art - Meredith Meuwly, 214-409-1631 or MeredithM@HA.com

To reserve your copy of any Heritage auction catalog, please contact Client Services at 1-800-872-6467, ext. 1150, or visit www.HA.com/Catalog to order by email.

Heritage Auction Galleries is the world's third largest auction house, and by far the largest auctioneer of rare collectibles, with annual sales more than $700 million, and 425,000+ registered online bidder members. For more information about Heritage's auctions, and to join and gain access to a complete record of prices realized, along with full-color, enlargeable photos of each lot, please visit www.HA.com.

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