Israeli and International Art

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Lot 82
  • 82

Reuven Rubin 1893-1974

bidding is closed

Description

  • Reuven Rubin
  • Jerusalem the Golden
  • signed Rubin and signed in Hebrew (lower right); signed Rubin, signed in Hebrew, titled, inscribed, dedicated and dated 1972 (on the stretcher)
  • oil on canvas, unframed
  • 23 5/8 by 31 7/8 in.
  • 60 by 81 cm.

Provenance

Gift from the artist; thence by descent to the present owner

Condition

Canvas is lined. In good condition aside from minute loss upper and lower right corners. Slight cracquelure with lifting in greys in trees above signature lower right and also in distant trees uper left. Small area of cracquelure in white along path center left. Under UV: scattered spots of in-paint (possibly by the hand of the artist) along edges and in upper right background and upper left in trees.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Catalogue Note

"Rubin's poetic-mystic approach becomes even more noticeable in his paintings of the thirties. The small details of little stone houses, paths, trees, camels and donkeys gradually diminish and disappear altogether. Instead, his layers of paint become richer and more tactile. Yet, in spite of the abundant use of paint, the impression created is vague and hazy. The olive trees blend into the surrounding space, the Dome of the Rock is seen behind the wall, and even the wall seems to lose its material weight. This becomes even more evident when Rubin returned to Jerusalem after the Six-Day War in 1967. The city was united again, the old city accessible, but for Rubin the legend of Jerusalem prevailed, and its landscapes remained a poetic vision originating in the mind of the artist and nurtured by his life-long love for the city." (Carmela Rubin, Rubin Jerusalem Landscapes In Honour of Israel's 40th Anniversary, Rubin Museum, Tel Aviv, 1988).