George Grosz (1891/3-1959)

Schuljunge (School Boy) (1929)

Pen and ink on paper

Signed to lower right

17 1/4 x 22 1/2 in., framed to 24 1/4 x 29 3/4 in. 

Original pen and ink drawing on paper titled Schuljunge (School Boy) by prominent German Expressionist and New Objectivity (Neue Sachlichkeit) master George Grosz (1893–1959). Executed during the waning years of the Weimar Republic in Berlin, this poignant social commentary depicts a stern, uniformed schoolboy clutching a satchel as he walks through a bustling urban streetscape, flanked by laborers and pedestrians rendered in Grosz's signature crisp, economical linework. Renowned for his sharp socio-political critiques and satirical views of interwar German society, Grosz's original Berlin-era works on paper represent the high-water mark of his career and remain heavily sought after by fine art collectors.

Provenance: Estate of the artist. Soufer Gallery, New York. Irving Brown, New York (acquired from the above circa 1985); Estate sale, Christie's, New York, 3 May 2006, lot 242 and 22 September 2009, lot 78. 

Housed in a silvered gilt frame with a fabric mat, the artwork presents in fine overall condition, displaying strong ink application and gentle, uniform age-toning consistent with paper stock of the late 1920s.