George Grosz

Private Collection (acquired directly from the artist)
Sale: Sotheby's New York, 14th May 1986, lot 133
Galerie Neher, Essen
Acquired from the above by the present owner in 1986

Executed on cream paper, not laid down, hinged to the mount at the upper two corners, and floating in the mount. There are six artist's pinholes along all four edges. There are three tiny specks of staining to the upper edge, towards the upper left corner. There are some light creases in places, most prominently to the lower left quadrant. There are some paper remnants to the verso of the lower corners, probably from previous mounting. Otherwise, this work is in overall good 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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Attracting visitors from around the world, the 'Grüne Woche', founded in 1926 in Berlin, was an international fair of exhibitors representing and showing the progress made in the fields of nutrition, agriculture and horticulture. This particular occasion provided Grosz the opportunity to examine the variety of people roaming the city streets. The present work depicts just one of the many characters arriving to Berlin for the fair. His attire shows that he made an effort to dress up for the occasion which is a clear contrast to the appearance one would expect of a city-goer. The inscription on the work would indicate that this incongruous visitor is from Zwickau, a small provincial town in Saxony.

Strolling the city by night, Grosz depicts the moment in which the out-of-towner encounters a group of prostitutes wandering the streets, taken aback with total surprise by this remarkable vision. The viewer enters the scene as the wanderer encounters these three women and there is no masking his astonishment. Here Grosz, the great master of satire, does what he does best injecting great irony and panache into this very everyday scene from Berlin life.