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Hermitage Fine Art
175
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UNKNOWN ARTIST, CIRCA 1930–1940
See original version (French)
175
-
UNKNOWN ARTIST, CIRCA 1930–1940
See original version (French)
Estimate €1,500 - €2,000
Voluntary lot
Description
UNKNOWN ARTIST, CIRCA 1930–1940
Sketch for the propaganda poster ‘Life without work is theft; work without art is barbarism’
bearing the Cyrillic monogram and date ‘N.G. 34’ (bottom right)
gouache, tempera and pencil on paper
16 x 21.7 cm
The Cyrillic inscription ‘Zhizn’ bez truda — vorovstvo, trud bez iskusstva — varvarstvo’ is inspired by a well-known maxim attributed to the British art critic John Ruskin (1819–1900): ‘Life without industry is guilt, and industry without art is brutality’. This adapted version was widely circulated in Soviet cultural and intellectual circles, where the importance attached to the dignity of labour and its relationship with art took on particular significance.
At the buyer’s request, we shall be happy to provide a general report on the condition of the lot described above. However, as we are not professional conservators or restorers, we strongly advise potential buyers to carry out their own inspection or to consult a specialist of their choice to obtain a full assessment of the lot’s condition. Descriptions of items provided in the catalogue or by correspondence are for information purposes only and should not be regarded as a definitive assessment.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSION REGARDING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD ‘AS IS’, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SALE PUBLISHED IN THE CATALOGUE.
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
About the sale
From 19th-century art to modern art, Eastern European art, icons, Camille Pissarro, Jean-Baptiste Olive, Lynn Chadwick, Léon Bakst.
Auction location
Auction time
10/27/2026 at 2:30 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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