Reuven Rubin

Mme. Rebecca Delacroix (gifted by the artist in New York circa 1922)
Thence by descent to the present owner

Oil on unlined canvas. There is staining along the bottom quarter of the reverse of the canvas that seems concurrent with water damage, but there is no evidence of this in the picture surface. The picture surface is in generally good condition aside from very faint stretcher bar marks and very minor bumping at the corners. There are small areas of abrasion to the surface around the right shoulder of the sitter and in the lower left corner of the work. Under UV light, there are no apparent inpaints visible.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

This portrait was painted in New York during Rubin's first trip to America, where he, along with his colleague Arthur Kolnik, aimed to exhibit their art. The portrait, like the previous lot, was not documented in Rubin's archive and it surfaced in 2003. The owner knew that the sitter's name was Isidore Heiger, his grandmother's husband in 1922, the date of the portrait.

In his autobiography Rubin recounted that prior to his first voyage to America he wrote an acquaintance in New York (whose name he did not specify) who was a manager at the Rumanian Bank in the city, inquiring about the possibility of storing their paintings and sculptures (which had to be shipped ahead of time) in the vault of the bank for safekeeping until the arrival in the city of the two artists. It appears that Rubin's request was granted, and it can be assumed that the sitter, Mr. Heiger, Commissioner of the Marmorash Bank of Bucharest, was Rubin's acquaintance.

It is likely that Rubin painted Heiger's portrait as a token of gratitude; he also painted a portrait of Heiger's French wife, Rebecca and a third of her young daughter. Shortly after the portraits were painted, Rebecca left her husband and returned with her daughter to France.

The Heiger portrait exudes the established presence of a 'banker'. Within this bourgeois environment and the balanced composition, there is however an underlying drama confined to the sitter's face. Looking at the artist in front of him, it seems that he has complied with the demands of the moment, but the slight smile hinted on his lips and the reserved look in his eyes disclose doubts with regard to the ability of any artist, Rubin included, to faithfully and satisfyingly portray a likeness on canvas. The dynamic, tonal brushwork over an agitated surface across the high forehead and the sitter's flushed pink cheeks may be reflective of thoughts and emotions suppressed beneath the surface and seem to accentuate deeper psychological layers.

We are grateful to Carmela Rubin for providing the above entry.