44 - BORUKH (BORIS SHTEINBERG) (RUSSIAN 1938-2003)

BORUKH (BORIS SHTEINBERG) (RUSSIAN 1938-2003) Composition with Scrolls and Stars, 1973 assemblage of carved wood, wooden sticks, brass rods and chain on painted ground 47.6 x 34.3 cm (18 3/4 x 13 1/2 in.) framed dimensions: 63.2 x 50.1 cm (24 7/8 x 19 3/4 in.) signed in Cyrillic and dated lower right PROVENANCE Acquired directly from the artist by an American diplomat, Moscow Thence by descent Acquired from the above by the present owner LOT NOTES Borukh, the pseudonym of Boris Shteinberg, was a writer, painter, graphic artist and maker of collages and assemblages in the Moscow underground. He was the older brother of the abstract painter Eduard Steinberg. In this 1973 assemblage, cut-out forms shaped like the scrolls and pegboxes of stringed instruments are layered over a bold black-and-white ground. They are overlaid with six-pointed stars built from slender wooden sticks and bound together by brass rods and fine chain. The star and the instrument evoke memory and Jewish heritage, recurring concerns in his work. Rarely seen on the market, Borukh's object works have been compared to those of Joseph Cornell, Arman and Cesar. His Twinkling Composition (1970) is in the Norton and Nancy Dodge Collection at the Zimmerli Art Museum. Keywords: Soviet Nonconformist Assemblage, Borukh Shteinberg, Eduard Steinberg Brother, Jewish Soviet Art, Star of David, Moscow Underground 1973 N.B. Condition reports are available upon request. All lots are sold in as-is condition at the time of sale. Please note that any condition statement regarding works of art is given as a courtesy to our clients in order to assist them in assessing the condition. The report is a genuine opinion held by Shapiro Auctions & Appraisals LLC and should not be treated as a statement of fact. The absence of a condition report or a photograph does not preclude the absence of defects or restoration, nor does a reference to particular defects imply the absence of any others. Shapiro Auctions & Appraisals, LLC., including its consultants and agents, shall have no responsibility for any error or omission.