Moses Soyer (American, 1899-1974). Watercolor, ca. 1940s. Signed at lower right. A breathtaking watercolor by the legendary Moses Soyer - depicting one of his favorite themes, dancers. The ballerina sits on a chair in reverse, resting her head upon her hands which in turn she has placed on the backrest of the chair. She is dressed in a blue leotard and red tights, with her eyes lowered and her long brunette hair cascading all the way to the small of her back. This piece captures an intimate moment - the dancer appears to be pensive and projects an air of melancholy that inspires curiosity, leading the viewer to question the narrative. Is the dancer simply thinking intensely about her choreography? Is she unhappy with her performance? Or is she just plain exhausted after a demanding routine? Interestingly, Soyer married a dancer named Ida Chassne in 1922, and dancers were among his signature themes. Size of painting (sight view): 13.625" L x 11.5" W (34.6 cm x 29.2 cm) Size of frame: 20.625" L x 18.3" W (52.4 cm x 46.5 cm)

Born in Borisoglebsk, Russia, Moses Soyer and his family immigrated to the Bronx, New York City in 1912 due to political turmoil in Czarist Russia. He was the twin brother of Raphael Soyer and the older brother of Isaac Soyer; all three brothers were accomplished artists. Living in New York had its advantages for a budding artist. Moses Soyer studied art at Cooper Union, the National Academy of Design, the Educational Alliance, and the Ferrer Art School - all between 1916 and 1920. His teachers included Ashcan artists Robert Henri and George Bellows. Moses had his first solo exhibition in 1926 and in addition to having a successful career as an artist, would later teach at the Contemporary Art School and The New School. In addition, Moses and his twin brother Raphael were Social Realist artists during the Great Depression, and many of their works highlighted the struggles of the working class during this period. Furthermore, the twins created a mural together under the Works Progress Administration Federal Art Project at the Kingsessing Station post office in Philadelphia.

Moses Soyer's works have been collected by esteemed museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art (NYC), The Museum of Modern Art (NYC), the Brooklyn Museum, the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Hirschhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden (Washington D.C.), the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art (NYC), the Walker Art Center (Minneapolis, MN), the Amon Carter Museum of American Art (Fort Worth), the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Honolulu Museum of Art, and the Yale University Art Gallery.

Provenance: private Boulder, Colorado, USA collection

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#171217

Signed by the artist at the lower right. This watercolor has not been examined outside the frame but appears to be in very good condition save slight ripples at peripheries and normal toning to paper. The frame shows some expected wear commensurate with age, but is overall very attractive and complements the painting beautifully.