Chaim Soutine (Russian-French, 1893-1943) Attributed: Oil on canvas, signed, framed.Chaim Soutine was a Russian-French artist best remembered for his expressionist depictions of meat carcasses. Born into poverty in present day Belarus, he first studied at the Vilna Academy of Fine Arts before emigrating to Paris in 1913 to enroll in the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, where he studied under Fernand Corma, but soon took his own work in his own direction. By 1917 Soutine had befriended Amedeo Modigliani, with whom he shared the dealer, Leopold Zborowski. After fleeing Paris during the First World War, Soutine returned in 1923 and signed with Paul Guillaume, a prominent Parisian art dealer who championed Soutine’s work. Guillaume would showcase Soutine’s work to American collector Albert Barnes, who would immediately purchase sixty of Soutine’s best works. This marked a transition for the once penniless artist, who was now able to court a variety of patrons that would keep him employed for the rest of his career.

This piece, with its rather tame depiction of a man dressed in pirate garb, is rather unusual for Soutine, and is most likely an early piece from his time in art school, where students were required to hone their figure drawing skills by painting models dressed in a variety of garbs. This work may have been completed under the direction of his mentor at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, Fernand Corna, who oftentimes looked outside of the western world for inspiration for his compositions.
Dimensions: 15 x 23" canvas, 21 x 29" frame
Provenance:

Good condition. Aged varnish, minor retouching, surface grime.
NOTE: Attributed works are believed to be by the artist. Other sources may disagree. Experts on the artist have not been consulted. If Documents are not listed, this lot is sold without documentation. Color fidelity of photos presented is not guaranteed. Lack of a condition statement does not imply that a lot is perfect. Please examine photos read descriptions and contact the auction house with any questions prior to bidding. Please refer to our Terms and Conditions prior to bidding.