Georges VILLA (Montmédy 1883 – Paris 1965) - Lot 71

Georges VILLA (Montmédy 1883 – Paris 1965) Chevalier des Gardes Pencil, stump, and watercolor highlights Signed, dated, located, and titled: "Krasnoé-Sélo 1906, Chevalier garde G. Villa" lower left H_32 cm W_51 cm Drawn in 1906 Provenance: Private collection, Metz A renowned portraitist, Georges Villa befriended the Russian military attaché in Paris, Lieutenant Colonel Osnobichine, who invited him to Nice, where he produced numerous portraits of Russian princes and officers. In 1905, he was invited to Russia by Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich, the Tsar’s uncle and a great art lover. Georges Villa (Montmédy, 1883 — Paris, 1965) Cavalry Guard Paper, graphite pencil, blending stump, watercolor. Signed, dated, inscribed with location and title: “Krasnoé-Sélo 1906, Chevalier garde G. Villa” at the bottom left. Height 32 cm; width 51 cm. The drawing was created in 1906. Provenance: — Private collection, Metz. The renowned portraitist Georges Villa befriended the Russian military attaché in Paris, Lieutenant Colonel Osnobishin, who invited the artist to Nice, where he painted numerous portraits of Russian princes and officers. In 1905, at the invitation of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich, the emperor’s uncle and a great connoisseur of art, the artist visited Russia.