David Burliuk, 1882-1967

Sterling Strauser, Pennsylvania
Acquired directly from the above by the present owner

New Rochelle, Castle Gallery, College of New Rochelle, The Russian Experiment: Master Works and Contemporary Works, September-October, 1990

David D. Burliuk, ed., Color and Rhyme, no. 37, 1958, p. 14, illustrated
Alla Rosenfeld, The Russian Experiment: Master Works and Contemporary Works, New York, 1990, p. 5, illustrated

Oil on lined canvas. The surface is covered with a layer of slightly yellowed varnish and also very fine lines of minor craquelure. There are two small flakes of paint loss to the upper left region which have been addressed. Under UV certain pigments fluoresce, though the varnish prevents a conclusive analysis. Held in a modern wood frame with cloth slip. Unexamined out of frame.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Burliuk, called "the father of Russian futurism," was one of the most active promoters of the Russian Avant-garde movement from 1907 until his emigration from the Soviet Union in 1918. He was a founding member of the Jack of Diamonds group and he also participated in the Union of Russian Artists, 1906-07; The Wanderers, 1907-08; Stephanos, 1908; The Golden Fleece, 1909; The Triangle, 1910; Union of Youth, 1911; the World of Art; and many other exhibitions.

In 1911, Burliuk contributed to the first exhibition of The Blue Rider, a German Expressionist group in Munich. In 1912, he co-signed the Russian Futurist manifesto, "A Slap in the Face of Russian Taste." He founded Hilea, a Futurist group and also illustrated a number of books by Futirist writers. Burliuk left the Soviet Union in 1918 via Siberia, went to Japan and Canada, and arrived in the United States in 1921. In this country, he published the journal Color and Rhyme with his life Marya Yelenevsky, who was also an artist.