El Lissitzky

Probably gifted to Kunsthalle Bremen in 1948
Deaccessioned by Kunsthalle Bremen in 1978
Private Collection, Germany
Sale: Sotheby's London, November 26, 2007, lot 46, illustrated
Acquired directly from the above sale by the present owner

a rare and complete set of ten lithographs printed in colors, 1923, with justification, this copy 5 of 75, the justification and each plate signed in pencil, on wove paper, with full margins, in good condition apart from a short tear to the extreme right edge of justification, with the usual registration holes, slight paper discoloration to extreme edges of sheets, occasional minor handling creases and fox marks, loose as published, with original red printed cardboard portfolio cover (worn)
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.

The development of the Die Plastische Gestaltung Der Elektro-Mechanischen Schau,'Sieg Über Die Sonne' is well documented. The designs were inspired by Aleksei Kruchenykh and Mikhail Matiushin's 1913 Futurist opera Victory Over the Sun. The opera broke with existing artistic and theatrical conventions; the text was written in the "transrational" language of zaum and dissonant music accompanied the actors' movements and speech. Its plot envisioned a mechanized world of the future, where the sun is captured by a group of futurist strongmen. Influenced by Italian Futurism, the production glorifies speed, technology and male strength. The opera was re-staged in Vitebsk in 1920 by Malevich's students from the Unovis group. Inspired by this later production, Lissitzky conceived the opera as an electro-mechanical theater of the future and created gouache designs for the figures in the production. He revived this project in 1923, replacing Malevich's non-representational decorations with his "Spectacle Machine," whose parts could go up and down while transporting the characters in this "electro-mechanical theater" through space. The figurines were to move about mechanically within an open network of scaffolding, situated on a plaza that was accessible from all sides. Lissitzky's figurines were artificial beings, faceless and machine-like. According to the artist, they are meant to embody a synthesis of art, science and technology. In his introduction to the portfolio, color should be understood not as a means of defining the image but as a conditional denotation of properties of real materials, such as copper or iron. Deploying the language of abstract art in the service of the new state, Lissitzky introduced Soviet-related imagery into some of his designs.

Lissitzky deliberately wanted these designs to remain in the form of lithographs; he wrote that he was leaving the execution of his ideas to others. Their influence was considerable, particularly on the production of print portfolios at the Bauhaus in Weimar.