Boris Israilovich Anisfeld

Brooklyn, The Brooklyn Museum, Boris Anisfeld, 1918, no. 13, traveling exhibition

Christian Brinton, The Boris Anisfeld Exhibition, 1918: Brooklyn, no. 13, illustrated

The following condition report has been provided by Simon Parkes of Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc. 502 East 74th St. New York, NY 212-734-3920, simonparkes@msn.com , an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's. This painting has not been lined. The paint layer is clean and lightly varnished. Under ultraviolet light there is some slight thinness in the face of the man which has been retouched. The remainder of the picture seems to be in very healthy and presentable condition. The picture should be hung as is.
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This enigmatic painting is one of Anisfeld's true masterpieces, and its powerful composition appears both mysterious and supernatural. Originally titled Self Portrait of the Artist with Manikin when it was included in Christian Brinton's The Boris Anisfeld Exhibition in 1918, the piece was described as Poesque, capturing a sense of ambiguity and even horror in the covered figure at right. The work was later renamed Self Portrait with Carnival Figure, and it is true the word "manikin" can refer to an extremely disfigured person.

However, another interpretation suggests that these titles are misleading. The young female figure, almost entirely covered with red garb, becharms the viewer with a mysterious smile which escapes from below the Venetian mask. This Venetian mask references not only the carnival but also the world of theatre. In this sense, the picture is typical of the cultural ambience of St. Petersburg from 1907 to 1917. For Anisfeld this period was characterized by extensive involvement in theatrical design, both in Paris (with Diaghilev) and in St. Petersburg.

It is very interesting to note that Anisfeld dated this picture 1910-1917. Thus not only does this suggest that he completed the work seven years after he began to paint it, but it also corresponds with the years of Anisfeld's participation in theatrical production. Furthermore, he signed the work in Latin, certainly the result of his constant travels to Western Europe, on his own and with Russian ballet companies. His austere facial expression and determined gaze suggest his divine power—perhaps not only in the realm of painting, but also in bringing the stage to life.