This very rare and highly personal sketch represents a bookplate (ex libris) designed for Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna, the eldest daughter of Tsar Nicholas II, by the distinguished Russian artist Mstislav Dobuzhinsky, circa 1910.
Executed in pencil and blue ink, with delicate accents of silver paint on paper, the composition reflects Dobuzhinsky’s refined graphic style and his association with the influential Mir Iskusstva (World of Art) movement. The drawing bears the artist’s initials “MD” in the lower right corner.
Grand Duchess Olga (1895–1918), the eldest child of the last Russian Emperor, was known for her intellect and sensitivity, and this intimate design offers a rare glimpse into her personal world and cultural milieu.
Mstislav Dobuzhinsky (1875 – 1957) – a prominent painter of the artistic circle Мир Искусства (World of Art) of the first decade of the 20th century
Measuring 7.3 x 10 cm (2 7/8 x 3 15/16 in.), the sketch stands as a unique and historically significant work, combining Imperial provenance with the artistry of one of the leading figures of early 20th-century Russian art.