No doubt there's a story or two behind William Steig's four small harlequin drawings, hand-titled "Figures" on the backing of the frame. By the 1950s, Steig had fallen under the influence of Picasso and came to draw with an expressive looseness not present in his earlier work from the 1930s and 1940s. Picasso's harlequin images could certainly have inspired the subject matter of these figures as well. For what purpose they were created and wether or not they were published is, for now, a mystery. Over time, they suffered indignities from exposure to light and an apparently acidic matte. There is bound to be a story too about how the originals went from the possession of Mr. and Mrs. J. C. S. Sweet of Mount Carmel to an auction house in Berlin. They were put on the block this week with an estimate of 360 Euros ($387) and an opening bid of 240 Euros ($258). The lot went unsold.
Nosbüsch & Stucke GmbH listing accessed May 1, 2022 |
Note: Those aware of the publication history, if any, of these drawings should feel free to chime in.
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