Lesser Ury

Lesser Ury (1861-1931) a German artist was highly regarded at the time of his death, but is now largely forgotten except for his impressionistic scenes of Berlin life. Born in Birnbaum, Poznan (then part of Prussia), he moved after the death of his father and during his teens to Berlin. In 1878 he began his art studies in Dusseldorf, spent time in Paris and Brussels, moved around the German cities of Munich, Stuttgart and Karlsruhe, before finally returning to Berlin in 1887. As a mature painter he introduced impressionism into the Berlin art scene, but not to popular acclaim. As a Jew, he was subject to the rampant anti-semitism of the newly established German Reich and as an importer of a foreign French art movement, he was subject to a strong nationalist condemnation engendered by the recent Franco-Prussian War. He remained an outsider in the Berlin art scene for most of his life but finally did achieve recognition in the years immediately prior to his death in 1931 - with a number of prominent exhibits and acceptance into the Berlin Secession. While known primarily as an impressionist, his later art was post-impressionistic with the same interests and color sense to be found in early Van Gogh and Picasso. Moreover, he produced a number of important pieces with Jewish themes, for which reason he was included in a historic exhibition of Jewish artists curated by Martin Buber for the 5th Zionist Congress in 1901. Buber, in a letter sent to Ury, described his visiov of a Jewish artist. "… who independently of outside formulas and commandments found his way through the wilderness, who has nothing in common with schools and cliques and who is led only by the laws of his own being, who was hard as metal to all external solutions, and whose art was soft and flexible as wax under the hand of the angel. Only from such an artist…can we learn that the Jewish spirit, the old turmoil over pictures is reborn to a second youth and incorporated in paintings". From the context of the quote, it is clear that Buber regarded Ury as such an artist. Shortly after Ury's death in 1931, the Nazi's ascended to power and systematically attempted to remove the art and reputations of Ury and other Jewish artists from European culture. In Ury's case, they were largely successful and his work is barely known today.

Lesser Ury Lithograph
The atmosphere in this Lesser Ury lithograph is one of gloom, reminding us of the difficult lives that farmers led in late 19th, early 20th century Europe. Outside of the occasional trees and the cows behind the squatting women, the land looks barren underneath a grey sky. The almost bare trees suggest a mournful Fall day. The print is signed (L. Ury) and dated (1917) in pencil on the lower right margin. There are also notations in pencil from another hand(s) on the lower edge. The print is in fine condition with a light yellow stain on the left margin, a slight mat burn, and various shallow creases. The print will be sent in an acid free mat. paper dimensions - 14 1/2" x 9 3/4"; image dimensions - 10 1/2 x 7 3/8" Price: $875.00 info@artatthecenter.com		Click image to enlarge

Lesser Ury Print
An intaglio print by Lesser Ury has a peasant woman who appears to be looking out a window with a chair in the background. While the overall tone is dark, Ury has successfully expressed what light is in the scene. The print is signed in pencil on the lower right margin; the image is bold and clean, the margins wide. There is a tear in the upper border which does not extend into the image, and there are assorted marks outside the image including two penciled notations along the bottom of the paper which do not appear to be in Ury's hand. The print will be shipped in an acid free mat. paper dimensions - 10 1/4" x 4 3/4": image dimensions - 7 5/8" x 2 3/4" Price: $750.00 info@artatthecenter.com		Click image to enlarge

Lesser Ury Print
The creator of this intaglio print was Lesser Ury (1861-1931) who was born in Birnbaum. In his youth, he moved with his family to Berlin. Trained at the Kunstakademie in Düsseldorf, he made his reputation after returning to Berlin and exhibiting with the Berlin Secession. He is noted for his urban landscapes which he produced both in paintings and prints. Signed (Lesser Ury) in pencil on the lower left margin; titled (undeciphered ) in pencil on the lower right margin. This print, mounted on thin paper, is in fine condition with a faint time stain around the image and paper losses at the edges and corners - well away from the image. We will send this piece flat and in an acid-free mat. image dimensions: height - 6 5/8"; width - 5 1/2" Price: $950.00 info@artatthecenter.com		Click image to enlarge