The art market continues to validate the unique status of Saul Steinberg. His still life Second Class (Packaged) from 1980 was offered without reserve in an online auction that opened on February 4, 2020. The rather anemic estimate of $2,000 to $3,000 for this colored pencil drawing on paper seemed calculated to generate hopeful bidder interest, and that it did. By the time the auction closed, though, the price realized was a robust $16,250.
Three separate labels on the back of the original art give the title as Fourth Class (Art Materials) from 1980. The drawing's online sale history would seem to confirm this title. In fact, Christie's originally listed the still life with this title from the labels, then changed it to Second Class (Packaged). What happened?
The concept of Steinberg's four "classes" of still life was enumerated by Sarah Cowan in 2014, reviewing "Saul Steinberg: 100th Anniversary Exhibition" at the Pace Gallery. A Steinberg pencil drawing from 1980-81 including all four of these classes confirms that the Christie's Steinberg represents the second and not the fourth class of still life. The supposition, then, is that Steinberg's Second Class (Packaged) left Pace Gallery some forty years ago with the wrong label or, less plausibly, that a buyer bought more than one and the labels were switched at the framers.
Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives:
Saul Steinberg
Attempted Bloggery's Second Class Index
03169
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| Saul Steinberg Second Class (Packaged), 1980 |
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| Saul Steinberg Christie's Interiors NY Online February 4-13, 2020 |
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| Saul Steinberg Second Class (Packaged), 1980 |
Three separate labels on the back of the original art give the title as Fourth Class (Art Materials) from 1980. The drawing's online sale history would seem to confirm this title. In fact, Christie's originally listed the still life with this title from the labels, then changed it to Second Class (Packaged). What happened?
The concept of Steinberg's four "classes" of still life was enumerated by Sarah Cowan in 2014, reviewing "Saul Steinberg: 100th Anniversary Exhibition" at the Pace Gallery. A Steinberg pencil drawing from 1980-81 including all four of these classes confirms that the Christie's Steinberg represents the second and not the fourth class of still life. The supposition, then, is that Steinberg's Second Class (Packaged) left Pace Gallery some forty years ago with the wrong label or, less plausibly, that a buyer bought more than one and the labels were switched at the framers.
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| https://hyperallergic.com/155375/saul-steinberg-decodes-the-symbols-of-society/ |
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| Saul Steinberg Still Life (1980–81) Graphite on folded paper, 14 ½″ x 23″ |
Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives:
Saul Steinberg
Attempted Bloggery's Second Class Index
03169
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