BORIS IZRAILEVICH ANISFELD | Deposition from the Cross

Estate of the artist

Chicago, Baptist Graduate Student Center, 6th Annual Religious Art Show, 25 April - 10 May 1965

Christian Art, January 1965, illustrated on the cover
E.Lingenauber and O.Sugrobova-Roth, Boris Anisfeld Catalogue Raisonné, Düsseldorf: Edition Libertars, 2011, p.114, no.P102 illustrated

The board is very slightly bowed and it is attached to a stretcher. The edges have been covered in copper strips, which has resulted in some abrasions and associated losses to the paint layer and gesso. There are scratches scattered throughout the composition, the most visible and deep of which are located across Christ's shins, in a cross formation and horizontally across the figure of Buddha, on the headscarf of the right-hand female figure at the bottom of the work, as well as on the yellow background along the centre of the right and left edges. There are further surface scratches, some of which are inherent to the artist's technique. There is paint loss in places. The surface of the work is dirty with spots in places. Inspection under UV light reveals restoration to the aforementioned scratches to the Buddha, to the shins of Christ, to the blue robe of the female figure directly to the right of Christ, as well as spots of retouching to the lower right corner. There are further minor spots of retouching in places. Inspection under UV light additionally reveals a layer of discoloured uneven varnish. Held in an gilt and carved wooden frame. Unexamined out of frame.
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The present lot is closely related to Destiny (1956) sold at Sotheby’s London in 2011, which also combines scenes of the nativity and crucifixion of Christ with vignettes from other paintings by the artist in the background.