Joseph Zaritsky

Bertha Urdang Gallery, Jerusalem
Acquired from the above by the present owner in the 1960s

There are artist's pinholes on corners and edges. Paper is creased throughout. Edges have been restored due to fraying and tears. The painting on the verso is in poor condition due to heave rubbing throughout.
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.

Born in the Ukraine in 1891, Joseph Zaritzky emigrated to Israel in 1922, eventually settling in Tel Aviv. In 1948, he became a member of The New Horizons, the first group of Israeli artists to explore abstract painting.

The present lot is a fine example of Zaritzky's early watercolors, painted shortly after arriving to Jerusalem. The title Nahlat Shiva refers to the neighborhood near his home in Jerusalem, where the trees depicted in the present lot grow. Zaritsky felt an affinity to them, recalling his native landscape amidst the Eastern feel of his new homeland. The work is both spontaneous and controlled; a surge of confident bold lines and forms merge and circumvent while a sense of freedom is expressed through the fluid lines of the pencil and patches of color.