Bidspirit auction | Alexandre-Marie Colin (1798 - 1875)

Alexandre-Marie Colin (1798 - 1875) - Rescue of Ivan Masepa, 1834 - Alexandre-Marie Colin (1798 - 1875) - Rescue of Ivan Masepa, 1834 Watercolour/mixed media on canvas framed in a passepartout behind glass in a simple wooden frame. Very finely detailed depiction of a wide landscape with mountains in the background. Under a tree, two Cossacks untie a naked man from a horse lying on the ground, while other women, men and children look on. The story behind it is as follows: a courtier who was competing with the young Masepa for the favour of the Polish king had raised the story that the latter had had an affair with a certain Madame Falbowska. In revenge, her husband had Masepa tied naked to a horse and driven into the steppe. After three days he was rescued by Cossacks, where he soon made a stellar career. Signed and dated lower left: A. Colin - 1835. dimensions: frame dimensions approx. 62 x 52.5 cm, picture dimensions approx. 36 x 27 cm. Very good condition, frame with traces of age and use. Ivan Stepanovych Masepa was hetman of the Ukrainian Zaporozhian Cossacks from 1687 and is considered a national hero in Ukraine, which gained independence in 1991. Alexandre-Marie Colin was a French history and genre painter.