Raymer Society Consignment Art Auction
Lot 90:
Description
Artzybasheff, Boris (1899-1965) Last Trumpet, 1937 wood engraving, trial proof, pencil signed BA in lower right, good condition, mat but no frame, image size: 11.5 x 8 inches. Artzybasheff was born in Russia in 1899, and according to unconfirmed sources, he fought with the White Russians before immigrating to the United States in 1922. He was a skilled draftsman, and found work illustrating in New York City, primarily children’s books, of which he eventually illustrated over fifty.Various histories state that he served as an advisor to the Psychological Warfare branch of the US Department of State during World War II; however, it was the War Department, that maintained this branch. It is also possible that he worked with the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), a US intelligence agency under the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Regardless, he was vehemently anti-fascist, and did work for the Office of War Information (OWI) producing War Bond posters, to raise funds for the US Government to pay for the war effort.Artzybasheff produced a book of his own artwork, As I See (New York: Dodd, Mead, and Company, 1954) which provides his anthropomorphic illustrations of Neurotica (neuroses and addiction), Mechinalia (machines), Diablerie (war), and Escapades (afflictions of emotion). His prose is lyrical, filled with metaphor, and often dispirited. He writes, "It would seem to me there is very little human about men at times, except their shape."Artzybasheff died in Lyme, Connecticut on July 16, 1965. His archives reside at Syracuse University.
Condition: good, mat, no frame
Dimensions: 17.5 x 13 x 0.25 in
Weight: 0.5 lb
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