Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 8

Leopold Survage
1931 French drawing by Cubist artist Leopold Survage of dancers

1931

About the Item

Leopold Survage (French / Finnish 1879- 1968) Les danseuses Signed and dated ‘Survage / 31’ (lower right) Pencil on paper 10.1/2 x 8.5/8 in. (27 x 22.2 cm.) Having risen to the status of a Modern Master as a member of the Cubist group at the beginning of the century, Survage was acclaimed by Apollinaire and Léonce Rosenberg for his idiosyncratic style. Born in Moscow in 1879, as a child he dreamt about becoming an architect but seeing the works of Gauguin and Cézanne in the Morosov collection made him decide to pursue painting and he enrolled at the Moscow College where he met Archipenko, Larionov, Pevsner and Sudeikin. They joined together and exhibited as the Symbolist Group The Blue Rose in 1905. By 1908 Survage was in Paris where he attended Matisse’s course for a short while and exhibited at the Salon d’Automne. After an early Fauvist phase he joined the Cubists while the movement was just developing, he took an active part in their experiments and exhibited with them at the Salon des Indépendants in 1911. In 1910 and 1911 Survage exhibited with the historic Knave of Diamonds society in Moscow that included Kandinsky, Chagall and Malevich, and was one of the most influential organisations for promoting contemporary art and as such considered to be a crucial reference point in the extraordinary adventure of Russian Modernism. In 1912 Survage started on a groundbreaking series “Rythmes Colorés” for which he produced two hundred totally abstract compositions, thus historically positioning himself as one of the early pioneers of Abstract art, many of these are now in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Survage’s contribution to the 1914 Salon des Indépendants was applauded by the famous poet and critic Guillaume Apollinaire, who subsequently organised a one-man exhibition for him in 1917 at the Galerie Bougard. It was during these years that Survage embarked on one of his most famous and influential series, the Cubistic city scenes “Paysages Cubistes”. In 1919 Survage became highly active with the legendary Séction d’ Or group to which he had been a founding member and consisted of all the modern masters, Archipenko, Braque, Boccioni, Gris, Leger, Picasso, Van Doesburg etc. Together they held revolutionary exhibitions in Paris, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Brussels, Rome. At this time Survage also began to exhibit at the famous Galerie L’Effort Moderne of Léonce Rosenberg who had taken over from Kahnweiler as the leading Cubist dealer. Here during the 1920’s Survage exhibited in several major exhibitions such as “L’Effort Moderne”; “Les Maitres du Cubisme”; “Synthèse et Construction”. Furthermore Survage became involved with the activities of De Stijl and created a series of works for the Bauhaus. Several international exhibitions over the next few years established Survage’s status as a modern master, most notably Knoedler Gallery, New York, 1929; Painting in Paris, MOMA New York, 1930; Avant-Garde Artists, Tokyo, 1933. His work was becoming increasingly Surreal, drawing inspiration from ancient philosophies, his visionary goal was to interpret in understandable signs and images the profound realities of life, often influenced by the “Arcana Caelestia” writings of the 18th century Swedish scientist and mystic Emanuel Swedenborg. Survage's reputation would continue to be reinforced through numerous exhibitions over the next few decades of the artist’s prestigious career including Abstract Art, the First Masters, Paris, Rome, Milan, 1950. In 1937 he received the coveted gold medal for his outstanding work at the Paris International Exhibition. His immense contribution to the development of modern art has been recognised through several awards notably the Prix National Français de la Solomon Guggenheim Fondation, 1960; and the Légion d’Honneur, 1963; also many retrospectives including a major show in 1966 that started in Paris and went on tour to international museums. The artist is represented in many public collections including the Musée National d’Art Moderne, Centre Georges Pompidou Paris; Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow; Musée du Petit Palais, Geneva; National Gallery, Prague; Athens Museum; Wallraf Richartz Museum, Cologne; Chicago Arts Club; Bezalel Museum Jerusalem; Minneapolis Institute of Arts; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; Museum of Modern Art, New York.
  • Creator:
    Leopold Survage (1879 - 1968, French, Finnish)
  • Creation Year:
    1931
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 10.5 in (26.67 cm)Width: 8.63 in (21.93 cm)Depth: 1 in (2.54 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Movement & Style:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
    Recently backed by a restorer so that that tear to the lower left is masked (though evident on close inspection). Beautifully framed and mounted behind mask in a black and silver art deco moulding.
  • Gallery Location:
    Petworth, GB
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU54038387892
More From This SellerView All
  • Popart, 1960s pencil and watercolour design by Welsh artist Jeffrey Morgan
    Located in Petworth, West Sussex
    Jeffrey Morgan (British, b.1942) EVERYONE Pencil and watercolour with collage 25.1/4 in. (64.2 cm.) circular A 1960s pop art design for a tin tray Jef...
    Category

    1960s Pop Art Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

    Materials

    Paper, Watercolor, Pencil

  • British drawing of nude sleeping figures entwined by 20th Century artist Ayrton
    By Michael Ayrton
    Located in Petworth, West Sussex
    Michael Ayrton (British, 1921 – 1975) Sleeping figures Inscribed, signed and dated ‘Michael Ayrton 5.11.66 / Sleeping figures II’ (lower right) Pencil on paper 15 x 19.1/4 in. (38.2 ...
    Category

    20th Century Modern Nude Drawings and Watercolors

    Materials

    Paper, Pencil

  • Alice Liddell and sisters, inspiration for Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
    By Lewis Carroll
    Located in Petworth, West Sussex
    This is a beautiful drawing, brimming with the unique personalities of Alice Liddell and her beloved sisters, Lorina and Edith. Dating back to the late 19th Century, this captivatin...
    Category

    20th Century Academic Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

    Materials

    Paper, Pencil

  • Two peasants by a vault (A pair of early 19th Century drawings from Grand Tour)
    Located in Petworth, West Sussex
    Victor Pillement (French, 1767 – 1814) Two peasants by a vault near the walls of a town; and Boatman on the banks of a mountainous lake Pencil and body colour and black crayon on pap...
    Category

    19th Century Landscape Drawings and Watercolors

    Materials

    Crayon, Pencil, Paper

  • Studies of a statue and a sketch of a lady in ink
    By George Richmond
    Located in Petworth, West Sussex
    George Richmond RA (British, 1809 – 1896) Studies of a statue and a sketch of a lady in ink Pencil on paper and pen 6.7/8 x 9.3/4in. (17.5 x 25 cm.) Provenance: Abbot and Holder and Moore Gwyn Fine Art George Richmond was an English painter and portraitist. In his youth he was a member of the Ancients, a group of followers of William Blake. He was a keen follower or cricket, always to be found at Lords. He was a long life friend of Samuel Palmer and was a fellow student of Edward Calvert and Thomas Sidney Cooper. In 1888 Richmond went to Paris to study art and anatomy, it is possible this is from that period. His later works are portraits or prominent figures of the day such as William Wilberforce. He is buried at Highgate Cementary. Perhaps his most famous painting is a portrait of Charlotte Bronte...
    Category

    19th Century Romantic Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

    Materials

    Pen, Paper, Pencil

  • 20th Century German Expressionist drawing of figures in a dream by Carl Hofer
    By Carl Hofer
    Located in Petworth, West Sussex
    Carl Hofer (German, 1875 – 1955) Figures from a dream Pencil and charcoal on paper Signed with initial ‘CH’ (lower right) 17 x 13 in. (43.2 x 33 cm.) Provenance: These works come fr...
    Category

    20th Century Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

    Materials

    Charcoal, Paper, Pencil

You May Also Like
  • Twins
    By Miette Braive
    Located in West Hollywood, CA
    Belgian artist Miette Braive(1916-2000), was classically trained in Belgium, before moving to Paris to pursue her art career as first a student and then a contemporary of the French ...
    Category

    1940s Cubist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

    Materials

    Paper, Graphite

  • "Fading Light", pencil, paper, portrait, cubist, classic arts, vanitas
    Located in Toronto, Ontario
    "Fading Light" is pencil on paper measuring 12" tall by 9" wide. It's very sound structurally, with a figure composed against a classic pedestal (scrolls suggest a Greek Ionic column...
    Category

    21st Century and Contemporary Cubist Portrait Drawings and Watercolors

    Materials

    Pencil, Paper

  • Study for Batavia (The Woodcutters)
    By Serge Ferat (Sergei Nicolaevitch Comte de Jastrebtsov)
    Located in London, GB
    SERGE FERAT 1881-1958 (Le Comte Sergueï Yastrebzov) Moscow 1881-1958 Paris (Russian/French) Title: Study for Batavia (The Woodcutters), circa 1926 Technique: Original Pencil D...
    Category

    1920s Cubist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

    Materials

    Pencil

  • Sketch for Frescoed Frieze - Pencil and Gouache by Paul Bony - 1932
    By Paul Henry Bony
    Located in Roma, IT
    Sketch for Frescoed Frieze is an interesting preparatory study realized by the artist Paul Bony, a famous French painter active in the last century. The artwork is in good state of p...
    Category

    1930s Cubist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

    Materials

    Pencil, Gouache

  • La Plage
    By André Lhote
    Located in Los Angeles, CA
    ANDRE LHOTE "LA PLAGE" PASTEL, SIGNED FRANCE, C.1927 17.75 X 24 INCHES André Lhote 1885-1962 Lhote was born in Bordeaux, France in 1885. H...
    Category

    1930s Cubist Figurative Paintings

    Materials

    Archival Paper, Pastel

  • Frank Dobson, Study of a nude, sanguine chalk
    By Frank Dobson
    Located in Harkstead, GB
    Frank Dobson (1888-1963) Study of a nude viewed from behind Signed Sanguine chalk on paper 10 x 13½ inches 21¼ x 24¼ inches with frame A wonderful exam...
    Category

    Mid-20th Century Cubist Nude Drawings and Watercolors

    Materials

    Paper, Chalk

Recently Viewed

View All