- 28
Moshe Mokady
Description
- Moshe Mokady
- Portrait of Hanna Rovina
- signed Mokady and signed in Hebrew (lower left)
- oil on canvas
- 15 3/4 by 14 1/8 in.
- 40 by 36 cm.
- Painted in the 1920s.
Provenance
Moshe Mokady
Then by descent to the present owner
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
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In the present lot, Mokady captures the iconic actress, Hanna Rovina's, commanding presence through his dynamic composition and bold colors. He places her in the immediate foreground and focuses on her dramatic expression, evoking the traditions of the Viennese Expressionists. Irith Hadar explains "In Moshe Mokady's view, art was meant to represent an emotional and spiritual reality that transcended the particularities of time of place. The expressive means he employed in his early work reflect the aesthetic values that he had absorbed during his studies in Vienna and Zurich, which were derived from German painting. These values centered upon choosing an image, depicting its external attributes as representing psychological content, and processing the image into a meticulously finished art object." (Mordechai Omer, ed., Highlights from The Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Tel Aviv, 2005, p. 256)
One of the founding members of the Moscow Habimah Theater Company, Hanna Rovina achieved fame and glory with her portrayal of Leah in their 1922 production of The Dybbuk . She arrived in Palestine in 1928 with the company, establishing herself as the leading actress in the Hebrew theatre. Rovina was awarded the Israel Prize for Theater Arts in 1956. She died in 1980.