Details

Catalog summary

Marcel Janco Ein Hod signed Janco (lower left) oil on canvas 26 1/2 by 31 1/4 in. 67.3 by 79.3 cm. Condition Teh canvas is unlined and in good condition; slightly slack. There is craquelure and some lifting, particularly in the brown areas of the paintings right . There are stray specks of white paint. No signs of inpainting when viewed under uv. In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion. NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE. Catalogue Note Marcel Janco arrived to Palestine from Romania in 1940 after a period of activity among leading Dada and Surrealist artists in cities such as Zurich, Bucharest and Paris. A co-founder of New Horizons , Janco believed in the need to seek a lyrical abstract language in Israeli art. True to these ideals, we see in the present lot how the artist integrates dense, rapidly painted lines and distorted forms, zigzag patterns, and independent patches of colors. Yona Fischer notes that Janco "was a mature painter on his arrival in Israel in 1940. Since that time he has been the only exponent in Israel of an international trend of historical importance. Janco brought the ability to add new modes of expression to those already current...This he did by distorting the form, and reducing it to its dynamic elements by a direct, bold and essentially abstract application of colour." ( Art in Israel , Benjamin Tammuz and Max Wykes-Joyce (eds.), 1963, p. 29-30).