OLEG ABAZIEV (B. 1949) Bust of Empress Maria Fedorovna (1847-1928)

signed in Cyrillic ‘O Abraziev’ (on the back); inscribed in Cyrillic ‘EIV Gosudarynia Imperatritza Maria Feodorovna’ [Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna] (on the base) bronze, brown patina Edition of 2, foundry Airaindor Valsuani, Paris H. 73 cm (77 cm with base) In 2002, Jeanne Augier, the famous owner of Negresco, legendary hotel in Nice, commissioned the Russian artist Oleg Abaziev to create busts of Maria Fedorovna and Alexander III. In 2004, the two busts took pride of place in the Salon Royal at Negresco, among countless other works of art acquired by the owner. Maria Fedorovna, who became the widow of Russian Emperor Alexander III, often stayed in Nice and made a major contribution to the construction of the Russian cathedral in Nice, in memory of Grand Duke Nicolas, heir to the Russian throne, who died in Nice in 1865. Oleg Abaziev also created the statue of Vaslav Nijinsky as Petrouchka, one of the dancer's greatest roles, which stands on his grave in Montmartre cemetery.