Efroim Seidenbeutel

The board is warped with creases from bumping in the lower left corner. There is one small spot of rubbing on the center lower edge. The picture surface is in good condition aside from some grime.
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.

Identical twins, Efroim and Menashe Seidenbeutel, were born into  an impoverished family where education was encouraged. Their artists talents were evident from an early age and eventually, they attended the exclusive and prestigious Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw.  They painted together and despite their distinctive artistic styles, it was not unusual for them to add details to each others artwork.  In the early 1930s, the Seidenbeutels often traveled to Krakow, depicting the happy and blissful environment there.  According to Mieczyslaw Wallis, "their many new paintings had little to do with the well-known monuments of Krakow but were views of the city's suburbs and byways ? of red-tiled roofs, vegetable gardens, families sitting down to dinner as smoke rose from the chimneys of their homes."  As the 1940s approached, the Seidenbeutels' work began to change, often reflecting the political climate of the impending war and the increasing sense of fear felt among the Jewish community in Poland.  The brothers lost their lives at the hands of the Nazis at Flossenburg concentration camp just before it was liberated in April 1945.

The spontaneity and loose brushstrokes in the present lot are typical of Efroim's style.  His bother, Menashe tended to be more retrained in his approach.