Bidspirit auction | 19TH C. RUSSIAN OIL ON

19TH C. RUSSIAN OIL ON TIN SBITEN VENDOR SIGNED J. ORLOFF - This 19th-century Russian oil painting on tin-plate depicts a standing sbitenshchik (traditional honey-beverage vendor) set against a dramatic, cloud-filled sky. The figure is characteristically attired in a brown kaftan, high black boots, and a red cap trimmed with fur, while carrying the distinct tools of his trade: a large, cloth-wrapped metal urn (baklazha) for keeping the sbiten warm and a specialized belt holding glass tumblers for serving customers. The work is signed ”J. Orloff” in the lower right corner, a signature associated with the Russian artist Ivan Petrovich Orloff (1815–1861), who is known for his genre scenes and winter landscapes. The painting is executed on a metal tin plate, a medium occasionally employed for detailed miniature genre works in the mid-19th century. Imperial Russia, Folk Type, Street Merchant, Genre Painting, Romanticism, Baklazha, Cyrillic History, Metal Support, Antique Portrait, Slavic Culture Dimensions Frame 14 x 12 in, Image 8 3/4 x 6 3/4 in. All measurements are approximate. Condition The work appears in good stable condition with minor surface wear and age-related darkening to the varnish, housed in a contemporary gilded wooden frame.