Large archive of original art, sketches, studies and notebooks by Max Weber and Helaine Blum

Weber, Max & Helaine BLUM

About this Item

Large archive of original art, sketches, studies and notebooks by Max Weber and Helaine Blum. The collection documents the working student-teacher relationship between the two artists with many of the notebooks having been used in Weber's lessons to Blum. The worksby Weber, both sketches and finished, show his move from the abstraction prevalent in his early work to his later representational style. Blum's work included here encompasses her lesson notebooks as well as sketches and studies used in preparation for her sculptural work. In addition, the collection includes 2 notebooks ascribed by Helaine Blum to George Grosz, and a large oil portrait by Blum's daughter Maryann, as well as two books on art given by Weber to Blum; one with an intimate inscription, the other with his notes and extra-illustrated with original sketches. Max Weber (1881-1961) immigrated to the United States with his family at the age of 10. He travelled extensively before returning to New York to become integral to the Cubist movement in America. Helaine Blum (c. 1910-2010), was born in Cleveland, Ohio, to a wealthy family. She travelled extensively throughout Europe before finally settling in New York to focus on painting and sculpture, under the tutelage of Max Weber and William Zorach. Her relationship with Weber became particularly close the two corresponded for decades on matters personal and professional, including their thoughts on art, creativity, travel, and social and religious issues (primarily Judaism). Blum enjoyed tremendous success as a sculptor, producing bronze busts of the great luminaries of her day, including Albert Einstein, Linus Pauling, Max Weber, and David Ben-Gurion. A brief inventory of the collection follows. Max Weber: 16 sketchbooks with studies, sketches and teaching notes; approximately 131 loose works, including still lifes, nudes and figure studies, and abstracts, executed in a variety of media (graphite, charcoal, watercolor); 13 portraits done in a variety of media, includingone portrait of Helaine Blum; 5 framed pieces, including abstracts and still lifes. Helaine Blum: 5 sketchbooks, some of which were used during lessons with Max Weber; approximately 91 loose works, including street scenes, still lifes, figure studies, landscapes and sketches used in preparation for her bust of David Ben Gurion, executed in a variety of media(oil on board, graphite, charcoal, watercolor); 3 framed pieces. George Grosz: 2 sketchbooks, one with approximately 51 sketches, the other with 38 pages of drawings and sketches Miriam Blum Richman: large oil portrait of George C. Marshall Weber, Max. Essays on Art. [New York] : [Printed by William Edwin Rudge], 1916. First Edition. Original illustrated wraps; pp. 77. Inscribed by the artist, "To Helaine with love eternal from Max." Yapp edges lightly wrinkled and chipped, otherwise fine. Einstein, Carl. Negerplastik. Munchen: Kurt Wolff Verlag, 1920. First Edition. Illustrated paper over boards, cloth backstrip, lettered in black; pp. xxvii (text), [3], 108 b/w plates. Boards a bit scuffed and scratched. With Max Weber's ownership signature on the FFEP and his handwritten notes and sketches in the margins. Also includes a laid-in sketch by Weber with his notes. A fascinating look at a sculptor's engagement with his medium, its variety and history, Weber comments on 35 of the sculptures shown here -- "how elemental!!!" he says of one, "more real and living expression than the style of Brancusi or even Modigliani" he remarks of another. He also sometimes echoes the images with a sketch of his own, or subjects them to careful scrutiny, as indicated by measurements or lines breaking the piece up into smaller parts. Most of his notes are in the wide margins, with a few penciled direct on the image. Seller Inventory # 260493

Bibliographic Details

Title: Large archive of original art, sketches, ...

Binding: Soft cover

Condition: Very good, in general

Signed: Signed by Author(s)

Edition: 1st Edition