Weeping Man with Donkey – Illustration by Aleksandr Petrovich Apsitis

Small gouache or watercolor illustration on paper by the Russian-Latvian artist Alexandre Alexeieff Apsitis (1880–1944), signed “APSIT” in Cyrillic at lower left. The work depicts a man in a fur-trimmed red cap and white tunic, kneeling beneath a star-filled night sky, overcome with emotion as he presses his arm across his eyes. At his side is a donkey, rendered with almost human expressiveness, its head turned closely toward the grieving figure. The scene is bordered in a decorative frame of stylized scalloping, giving the image a jewel-like quality reminiscent of book illustration or theater design. The pairing of a sorrowful human figure with the gentle companionship of an animal suggests a scene drawn from folklore or fable, but we do not know which specific tale is referenced.

About the artist
Alexander Petrowitsch Apsitis (1880–1944) — also known as Aleksandr Petrovich Apsit (Александр Петрович Апсит) in Russian, Aleksandrs Apsītis in Latvian, and often signing simply as APSIT — was a Russian-Latvian illustrator, graphic artist, and painter. He studied at the Imperial Society for the Encouragement of the Arts in St. Petersburg and became widely recognized for his prolific work in book illustration, poster design, and magazine art during the early 20th century. Apsitis was especially active around the years of the Russian Revolution, producing political posters as well as satirical and narrative images for popular journals. His style reflects an integration of Russian folk motifs, Art Nouveau influences, and decorative border work, often marked by jewel-like color palettes and narrative intensity. After emigrating from Russia, he worked across Europe until his death in 1944, leaving a distinctive body of work that continues to be valued for its fusion of folk tradition and modernist sensibilities.

Dimensions: 20 x 26 cm in the frame.
Painted Image size: 6 x 10 cm