- 16
Nahum Gutman
Description
- Nahum Gutman
- Chaim ve Elisha Street
- signed in Hebrew (lower right), signed N. Gutman and dated 34 (lower left)
- oil on canvas
- 25 1/2 by 21 7/8 in.
- 65 by 55.5 cm.
- Painted in 1934.
Exhibited
Condition
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
In 1926, Nahum Gutman returned to Eretz Israel after spending six years in Europe pursuing his art studies. He became a part of a group of modernist artists who created the Eretz Israel movement, changing the local art scene by infusing it with new ideas and energy. These artists, mostly foreign born, used quasi-naive styles, striving to capture the sense of optimism and liberation felt by the Zionist settlers. The naïve approach, particularly in Gutman and Rubin's work of the period, was of a highly sophisticated nature and showed a certain reverence to the naïve French master, Henri Rousseau.
This major early canvas was painted in the 1930s, a time in which the artist focused on landscape painting. Gutman, through his subdued color palette and harmonious composition, captures the nuances of this tranquil street in which two figures, reduced by an array of trees, walk silently and alone.