Lot 82 : Ben Shahn (1898-1969)
Auction Location: United States of America - 2004
Please sign in or subscribe to Artfact Premium or Artfact Fine Art to see auction date and house information.
Please sign in or subscribe to Artfact Premium or Artfact Fine Art to view enlarged images.
Artist or Maker:
Ben Shahn (1898-1969)
Title:
Three Penny Opera
Description:
Three Penny Opera
signed 'Ben Shan' (lower right)
pen and ink and watercolor on paper laid down on board
14 1/4 x 14 1/4 in. (36.2 x 36.2 cm.)
Executed in 1958.
Provenance:
The Downtown Gallery, New York.
Notes:
Property from the Collection of Goddard and Brigitta Lieberson, AKA Vera Zorina
Vera Brigitta Lieberson, the renowned ballerina, made her stage debut in Berlin before moving to Paris and then to London, studying successively under the tutelage of Nicholas Leget and Marie Rambert. Her career swiftly progressed and in 1934 she was invited to join Colonel de Basil's Ballets Russe de Monte Carlo. As a member of the ballet troupe she was required to choose a Russian stage name and selected Vera Zorina. Throughout her career, Vera Zorina worked with the most famous ballet dancers and choreographers of her time including Anton Dolin, Lionid Massine and George Balanchine, whom she married in 1938. She also became a great success in America appearing both on stage and in numerous films including Samuel Goldwyn's The Goldwyn Follies.
In 1946 Zorina married Goddard Lieberson who later became president of Columbia Records, a subsidiary of CBS. Zorina's involvement in the arts continued throughout her life. As her career as a dancer came to a close she turned to music and directed operas for the Santa Fe Opera, The New York City Opera and The Norwegian Opera companies.
Christie's is pleased to offer lots 82, 90 and 107 on behalf of The Collection of Goddard and Brigitta Lieberson.
Other Lots from Shahn:
View all Auction Results for Shahn
