El Lissitzky

Lithograph printed in red and black, 1919-20, on off-white wove paper, published by UNOVIS, Vitebsk

In good condition, the full sheet with a horizontal and vertical center fold. (Small associated ink loss and folds partially enforced with Japan.) The red is bright. (Paper very lightly toned throughout.) Several spots of damp-stain in the uninked circle at right. A few minuscule nicks along extreme sheet edges and a few spots of light rubbing in the margins.The verso with some pale stains and faint offprint?
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.

This rare poster is one of only a few known surviving impressions printed by the Russian avant-garde artist group UNOVIS in 1919-20.  Yevgeny Kovtun, former curator at the Russian State Museum, St. Petersburg, explained that UNOVIS required large editions of this poster and therefore two matrices were used.  The Lenin Library, Moscow, houses the only known impression of the alternate 1919-20 state.

Two other impressions of Beat the Whites with the Red Wedge have sold in these rooms on April 29, 2011 (lot 57) and April 26, 2012 (lot 131).  The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston owns a third impression, which was originally in the collection of Solomon Telingator, a Soviet typographer and student of El Lissitzky. Each of these posters is identical to the present example.