Rudolf Bauer, Bauhaus Style Prison, 1938, Pencil Drawing

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Description

Rudolf bauer drawing — rare prison-period work, ca. 1938, pencil on brown wrapping paper, signed with the artist’s “rb” signet; … Read more Rudolf bauer drawing — rare prison-period work, ca. 1938, pencil on brown wrapping paper, signed with the artist’s “rb” signet; a unique and historically significant piece from the german abstract pioneer.

this intimate drawing (39 × 36 cm including frame) belongs to the scarce body of works rudolf bauer produced during his imprisonment by the nazi regime in 1937–1939. Executed in pencil on humble brown wrapping paper—one of the few materials available to him—the composition shows bauer’s characteristic precision: linear diagonals, rhythmic intersections, and a spherical form suggestive of cosmic structure or celestial geometry. Despite the extreme circumstances of its creation, the drawing retains the disciplined clarity that defined bauer’s pioneering role within early non-objective art.

signed lower right with bauer’s distinctive “rb” signet, the sheet bears creases and surface irregularities typical of the prison-period works, now stabilised through conservation framing. Condition is sound, with the fragile paper secured behind museum-grade glazing.

provenance
– henning lohner collection, berlin
– stanford auctioneers, phoenix, 13 october 2023, lot 745

about the artist
rudolf bauer (1889–1953) was a central figure in the development of early abstraction and a key artist within solomon r. Guggenheim’s original collection. His works are held in major institutions including the guggenheim museum, moma, and the neue galerie.

a rare and highly collectible document of bauer’s resilience and artistic vision under oppression. This piece has an attribution mark,
i am sure that it is completely authentic and take full responsibility for any authenticity
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