NICOLAS KALMAKOFF (1873-1955) Woman and Buddha

signed with monogram and dated ‘1924’ (lower right) watercolour, Ink, and graphite on paper 18 x 25 cm (à vue) Executed in 1924 A singular and visionary artist, Nicolas Kalmakoff developed in the early twentieth century a highly personal iconography infused with symbolism, esotericism and references to the Orient. Dated 1924, the present work belongs to the artist’s mature period and perfectly illustrates his fantastical imagination. The composition depicts a nude female figure seated upon a serpentine chimera reminiscent of an Asian dragon, set within a richly decorative environment populated by stylised floral motifs and hybrid beings. Executed with refined draughtsmanship and delicate watercolour highlights, the work conveys the mysterious and dreamlike atmosphere characteristic of Kalmakoff’s symbolist aesthetic.