Two Steinberg Drawings

Two untitled drawings by Saul Steinberg are being offered together at Sotheby's New York in the June 7 Contemporary Art sale. The drawing of the cat is far better known, and deservedly so.

http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2012/contemporary-art-n09004/lot.205.html

Sale price added June 7, 2013

http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2012/contemporary-art-n09004/lot.205.html

Saul Steinberg, The New Yorker, January 28, 1967

Saul Steinberg, The New Yorker, January 28, 1967

March 30, 2014 Update:  The cat drawing is currently with the Adam Baumgold Gallery in New York.

http://www.adambaumgoldgallery.com/

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Saul Steinberg: Happy New Year to Igor Stravinsky

Composer Igor Stravinsky must have been delighted to receive this 1953 New Year's gift from artist Saul Steinberg. Steinberg created a fair number of drawings on music paper, and, not at all surprisingly, many of them had musical themes. This one features a bandleader conducting cat and bird animal players. The bodies of Steinberg's birds are often his fingerprints. Fingerprints carry special significance for Steinberg and are key autobiographical as well as graphic elements in his book The Passport (1954).

Passantino Brand No. 92 identifies the type of music paper. I don't believe it is meant to be Steinberg's title.

Saul Steinberg, 1953
Signed and inscribed "To Igor Stravinsky, Happy New Year"
Heritage Auctions Listing, November 10, 2006

http://fineart.ha.com/c/item.zx?saleNo=638&lotNo=25291#780780775

Saul Steinberg, 1953
Signed and inscribed "To Igor Stravinsky, Happy New Year"
Heritage Auctions Listing, November 10, 2006

http://fineart.ha.com/c/item.zx?saleNo=638&lotNo=25291#780780775

Saul Steinberg, 1953
Signed and inscribed "To Igor Stravinsky, Happy New Year"
Heritage Auctions Listing, November 10, 2006

http://fineart.ha.com/c/item.zx?saleNo=638&lotNo=25291#780780775

Saul Steinberg, 1953
Signed and inscribed "To Igor Stravinsky, Happy New Year"
Heritage Auctions Listing, November 10, 2006

http://fineart.ha.com/c/item.zx?saleNo=638&lotNo=25291#780780775

Saul Steinberg, 1953
Signed and inscribed "To Igor Stravinsky, Happy New Year"
Heritage Auctions Listing, November 10, 2006

http://fineart.ha.com/c/item.zx?saleNo=638&lotNo=25291#780780775

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Saul Steinberg Violin Solo and Liberty Duet

On December 15, Bonhams will be offering two original ink drawings by Saul Steinberg in its Fine Books and Manuscripts sale. The first is a female violinist drawn on music paper. The second is a pair of women reportedly similar to "Three Liberties."

Sale 19427 - Fine Books and Manuscripts, 15 Dec 2011 
New York

The first drawing:

Lot No: 5151

STEINBERG, SAUL. 1914-1999.

Original gouache and ink on large sheet of musical score, 500 x 330 mm, of a corpulent Baroque violinist, signed lower right, laid down, matted and framed.

Estimate: US$5,000 - 7,000

December 15, 2011:  Sold for US$7,500 inclusive of Buyer's Premium

http://www.bonhams.com/usa/auction/19427/lot/5151/

On a similar note:

Saul Steinberg (AMERICAN, 1914-1999)

A violin player 

signed 'Steinberg' (lower right)
ink on a lined music sheet
19½ x 13 in. (49.6 x 33 cm.)

Price Realized 

$6,875
Price includes buyer's premium
Estimate$2,000 - $3,000
Sale Information

Sale 1956 Lot 339
Christie's Interiors 
15 - 16 January 2008
New York, Rockefeller Plazahttp://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_details.aspx?intObjectID=5027857

The second drawing:

Lot No: 5152

STEINBERG, SAUL. 1914-1999.

Original ink and traces of color on paper, 360 x 280 mm, of 2 women similar to his "Three Liberties" but wearing curiously anachronistic punkish pants, signed and dated at lower right ("Steinberg 1951"), colors faded, matted and framed.

Estimate: US$5,000 - 7,000 

December 15, 2011:  Sold for US$6,875 inclusive of Buyer's Premium

http://www.bonhams.com/cgi-bin/public.sh/WService=wslive_pub/pubweb/publicSite.r?screen=LotDetailsNoFlash&iSaleNo=19427&iSaleItemNo=5152246

For the record, here are Steinberg's "Three Liberties" (1949-1951). I don't find the resemblance between the drawings all that compelling. I do find it intriguing that he spent three years working on the drawing, which shows three female subway riders in a pose glibly suggestive of the Statue of Liberty.

http://www.artknowledgenews.com/Saul_Steinberg_Illuminations.html

March 31, 2014 Update: The untitled work with two standing female figures is currently listed with Adam Baumgold Gallery.

http://www.adambaumgoldgallery.com/

http://www.adambaumgoldgallery.com/

Note: Need more? My previous Steinberg post is here.

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