Bidspirit auction | Issachar Ber Ryback (1897–1935)

Issachar Ber Ryback (1897–1935) - Still Life with Bottle and Grapes. 15 × 10.5 cm Oil on paper, elegantly framed in a wooden frame, depicting an intimate modernist still life composed of a central bottle, clusters of grapes, and additional objects arranged in a refined and thoughtfully balanced composition. The work combines free, confident drawing with delicate passages of color in shades of grey, blue, and brown, creating a sense of depth, harmony, and quiet intimacy. The painting originates from the estate of the artist's wife, who lived in Bat Yam, and was acquired directly through this provenance. The auction house is familiar with and aware of the transfer of works originating from the artist's widow. Documentation regarding the work's provenance, as well as the possibility of obtaining a certificate confirming its origin, may be available. Ryback, one of the leading figures of the Jewish avant-garde in the early twentieth century, worked in Europe and was deeply influenced by both Cubism and Expressionism. His art is characterized by a tendency to fragment form and merge reality with abstraction, often transforming everyday objects into vehicles for rich emotional and psychological expression. Even in his still life, ordinary subjects acquire a poetic and introspective quality. The artist died at the remarkably young age of only forty (1897–1935), leaving behind a relatively limited body of work. The scarcity of his oeuvre has contributed significantly to its desirability and importance among collectors of early modernist and Jewish avant-garde art. Important Note: The work is not signed. However, it was acquired from the estate of the artist's wife, representing a significant provenance that supports the attribution of the painting to Ryback. The possibility of obtaining provenance documentation and a certificate relating to the work's origin further enhances its historical and collecting value. Technique: Oil on paper Subject: Modernist still life Signature: Unsigned Provenance: From the estate of the artist's wife in Bat Yam; provenance documentation may be available Condition: Very good Frame: Included A rare and historically significant original work, combining high artistic quality with documented provenance. It represents a unique opportunity for collectors, galleries, and admirers of early modernist art to acquire a work connected to one of the important voices of the Jewish avant-garde.