Oil on Canvas. Signed and attr. Chaim Soutine (Russian, 1893-1943) lower right corner. 10.4 x 20.5 in. (26.5 x 52 cm). Chaim Soutine’s style of painting bridged more traditional approaches with the developing form of Abstract Expressionism, concentrating on shape, color, and texture over representation. Ultimately, he is known for zealous landscapes of the Midi (southern France), characterized by an enchanting, fairy-tale like quality that pervades his almost-kinetic swathes of color. A friend of Amedeo Modigliani, Soutine also painted portraits and still lifes with stylistic and compositional allusions to painters he befriended and/or admired, including Modigliani, Henri Matisse, Paul Cezanne, Jean-Baptiste-Simeon Chardin, Francisco Goya, and Rembrandt. In his portraiture, female subjects in particular convey considerable personality with their awkward poses rendered in expressive, semi-abstract brushwork. Because of the hunger he faced growing up in a Lithuanian Jewish ghetto, the centrality of food and Jewish ritual are prominent in much of Soutine’s earlier work.

All authorship of items in this catalog are described according to the following terms:

By [Artist Name] : In our opinion, the work is by the artist.

Attributed to [Artist Name] : In our opinion, the work may be ascribed to the artist on the basis of style, but there may be some question as to actual authorship.

In the manner of [Artist Name] : In our opinion, the work was executed by an unknown hand, but was designed deliberately to emulate the style of the artist.

After [Artist Name] : In our opinion, the work was executed by an unknown hand, but is a deliberate copy of a known work by the artist.

Circle of [Artist Name] : In our opinion, a work of the period of the artist showing his influence, closely associated with the artist but not necessarily his pupil.

Follower of [Artist Name]: In our opinion, a work by a pupil or a follower of the artist (not necessarily a pupil).

American, 19th century : In our opinion, this work was executed by an unknown hand, and can only be identified by origin (i.e., region, period).

Bears signature : In our opinion, the signature on the artwork may be spurious.
Apocryphal : Of doubtful authenticity.