Adolf Feder

Private Collection, Connecticut
Acquired directly from the above, circa 1990s

Oil on canvas. The surface is dirty and covered wtih a layer of yellowed varnish. There is minor paint loss around edges and paint layer is thin in areas. There is a minor pin hole in upper right corner. Under UV no pigments fluoresce, but varnish prevents a conclusive analysis. Held in a silver painted gilded wood frame. 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.
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.

Feder was born in Odessa to a family of Jewish merchants. In 1905 he joined the Bund, a Jewish workers' organization which supported the failed 1905 revolution. Forced to flee, he wound up studying art in Berlin, Geneva and finally Paris. In Paris he worked at Henri Matisse's informal art school and became one of the more visible members of the vital artists' community in Montparnasse. The present lot is a very early and therefore rare work by the artist. Dated 1912, it was probably exhibited at the famed Salon d'Automne to which Feder frequently contributed from 1911 to 1938.