Bidspirit auction | Altman Nathan Isaevich (1889-1970) Illustration

Altman Nathan Isaevich (1889-1970) Illustration for the novel by E. Zola ”Money”, 1963. Paper, ink, pen. 25.5 x 17.7 cm. There are author's notes along the top edge of the sheet. On the back there are editorial notes and the stamp ”Goslitizdat”. The work was published in the collected works of E. Zola (Moscow: Fiction, 1960-1967. Vol. 14. p. 227). Expert opinion of V.S. Silaev - Liszt belongs to the late period of Nathan Altman's work, when the master, one of the key artists of the Russian avant—garde and a brilliant draughtsman, turned to book graphics as an accurate, ”economical” language of the image. The illustration to E. Zola's novel ”Money” (1963) is solved in a manner characteristic of Altman: an expressive pen line, a contrast of ink accents and a restrained composition create a tense, psychologically accurate visual equivalent of the text. The special value of the work is given by its ”editorial biography” and confirmed connection with the publishing process: the author's notes have been preserved along the upper edge, the editorial notes and the stamp ”Goslitizdat” on the back. The sheet is published in the collected works of E. Zola (Moscow: Fiction, 1960-1967. Vol. 14. P. 227), which fixes its status as a genuine original used in the preparation of the publication. The expert opinion of V.S. Silaev confirms the attribution and increases the collector's value of the work as a rare example of Altman's original book graphics. Altman Nathan Isaevich (1889-1970) was a painter, sculptor, graphic artist, theater and cinema artist. Honored Artist of the RSFSR (1968). He studied at the Odessa Art College under K.K. Kostandi and G.A. Ladyzhensky. He was a member of the association ”World of Art”, ”Union of Youth”, ”0,10”, ”Jack of Diamonds”. One of the founders of the Jewish Society for the Encouragement of the Arts. In 1928-1936 he lived in Paris. After returning to the USSR in 1936, he was engaged exclusively in set design and book graphics.