$264,000
Lesser Ury (German, 1861-1931) Rainy Night, Berlin , c. 1920s Signed "L. Ury." l.l., numbered "110" on the artist's estate label affixed to the reverse. Oil on canvas, 41 1/4 x 26 3/4 in. (105.0 x 68.0 cm), framed. Condition: Retouch, areas of stable craquelure, surface grime. From the estate of the artist through to Elsbeth Kaufman (Mrs. Otto Gottschalk), by family descent to the present owner (shipped out of Germany to Wimbledon, England, c. 1932). N.B. We wish to thank Dr. Sibylle Gross for kindly confirming the authenticity of this work. The painting will be included in her catalogue raisonné for the paintings by Lesser Ury, and a photo-certificate from Dr. Gross will accompany the lot. Born in Birnbaum, Lesser Ury moved to Berlin as youngster in 1871 and fell in love with the city. He studied art in Düsseldorf, Brussels, Paris, and Munich, where in 1893 he joined the Munich Secession, one of the several Secessions formed by progressive artists in Germany and Austria in the last years of the 19th century. In 1901 he returned to his beloved Berlin, where he exhibited with the Berlin Secession in 1915 and 1922. The city of Berlin provided a constant source of inspiration for Ury, who is best known for his urban landscapes under dark, cloud-filled or moonlit skies. It has been said that he painted the life of the city as no other artist of the time.
Auctioneer:
Skinner
Date:
2013-05-17
