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PIX & BACKGROUND
Featuring new acquisitions by The Martin Art Trust
Featuring new acquisitions by The Martin Art Trust
MOSES SOYER
JANIE SAMUELS
GEORGES BRAQUE
This lithograph by Georges Braque, entitled “Apples and Leaves” (“Pommes et Feuilles”) is signed, numbered and dated. It is a charming example of Braque’s masterful skill as one of the leading movers and shakers of the Parisian art scene of the 20th century. He was especially known as a painter, printmaker and sculptor. His most notable contributions were in his alliance with Fauvism from 1905, and the role he played as a rival of Picasso in the development of Cubism. Acquired by The Martin Art Trust at a sale of 19th and 20th century artworks at Swann Auctions in September 2025.
GEORGE GROSZ
One of the sharpest visual German artists during the 1920s under the Weimar Republic, George Grosz is best remembered for his acid illustrations of the battles between oppressive bosses and their sultry workers. This particular image has a factory manager bluntly telling how he would run his business with a whip hand, or he couldn’t be successful. Hence Grosz titled this work with a quote from this manager: “Ich will alles un mich her ausrotten, was mich einschrankt, dass ich nicht Herr bin.” It is a savage portrait, with sharp visual double entendre in the imagery (is he smoking a cigar, or is he playing with his cock?). The work is a photolithograph on Japan paper, created in 1922 in a small edition of 100 copies signed in pencil on the lower right. Acquired by The Martin Art Trust at an auction of 19th and 20th artworks by Swann Auctions in September 2025.
PIERRE ALECHINSKY
Pierre Alechinski is one of those delightful mid 20th century artists who defy definition. He could be a surrealist, a print maker, a merry prankster and more. Born in Belgium, Alechinsky gravitated towards Paris where he enjoyed a long successful career, His brilliant line and use of strong colors is in strong evidence in this work, “Trois Desordinateurs” (Three Rebels) produced in 1967. The work is signed in pencil and numbered “32/50”. The work was part of the Collection of Laura and Lewis Kruger, who were active promoters of the Museum of Art and Design. This work was purchased by The Martin Art Trust at the Showplace Estate Auction in October 2025.
IVAN SOROKIN
One of the delights of post-war Russian art is the revival of impressionist imagery. One of the leading examples of this trend can be found in the works of Ivan Sorokin. The painting here is an oil painting on masonite, depicting a rural town with churches. It depicts a muddy dirt road, leading from the onion domes of the town’s Russian Orthodox church. The work is entitled “March”, which explains why the snow appears to have melted somewhat. The work is signed and dated 1985. Sorokin was widely respected in Russia, where in 1990 he was awarded the title Honored Artist of the RSFSR. The Martin Art Trust purchased this painting at a sale in October 2025 at Antique Arena, an auction house that specializes in Russian artwork.
PABLO PICASSO
In his later years, many of Pablo Picasso’s works reflected on the lost prowess of man, drawing on characters from mythology. In this case Picasso created a poignant image of a minotaur who was just been defeated by a young man. The full title of the work is “Minotaur Defeated by Youth in Arena.” The elegant line in this etching shows the youth in an arena who has defeated the minotaur, but almost seems reluctant to celebrate his victory. The etching is signed and numbered (83/250) in pencil, while the year of creation (1930) is on the plate of the etching itself. The work was acquired by The Martin Art Trust, at an auction at Antique Arena on October 14, 2025.
GEORGE RENE SINICKI
Sinicki was a complete impressionist,who though born in Russia, seemed to absorb French impressionism as his very own . Most of his works deal with still lifes and landscapes. However, he occasionally enjoyed to portray the heated competition of soccer matches and the like. This work was bought in 2025 at Auctions Showplace.
ERNEST TROVA
It is rare to find an artist who can’t be put into a simple box. Ernest Trova’s creative skills were largely self taught, and as a natural surrealist he enjoyed tweaking the staid art scene that he found in in his native St. Louis. This piece, entitled Primo Canto, includes a miniature version of the “Roman Boy” statue which originally catapulted him to fame. Primo Canto seems like a miniature scale version of a monumental work. It is proof of Trova’s unique artistic endeavor.
DIANA FREEDMAN-SHEA
One of the most painterly artists in America today, Ms Freeman-Shea is heavily influenced by Renaissance artists (especially Canaletto) and their artistic descendants like Lois Dodd. This work entitled “Making Plans” uses light in much the same way Canaletto did when he created his stunning portraits of London in the late 1th century, bathing the landscapes with the glowing skies of his native Venice. This painting was purchased during a major one-person show at the Prince Street Gallery that closed on November 22, 2025.
BORIS GRIGORIEV
This painting, entitled “Fish on a Plate,” is a superb example of Boris Grigoriev’s ability to elevate even the simplest subject. Born in 1886, he came of age during the brief but astonishing flowering of Russian modern art. He became widely known for his skill as an artist and as an illustrator. He also produced a number insightful portraits including leading lights in art, music and poetry. These included portraits of the poet Anna Akhmatova, the pianist and composer Sergei Rachmaninoff, as well as the theater impresserio Meyerhold and the innovative opera singer Chaliapin. Like many other modernists, he felt compelled to leave Russia, travelling widely before settling in southern France, where he died in 1939.
ARNOLD ROTH
One of the great cartoonists of the late 20th century, Arnold Roth is quick to spot the absurdities of culture and the human condition. In this piece, entitled “Da Vinci”, speculates what might have happened if the artist had done a casting call for models to be used in his masterpiece, illustrating “Petrovian Man”. Spoiler: You can see the model who was chosen to illustrate a scientific pinnacle of the Rennaisance. But what would happen if the Master had one of the other candidates? Inow have this cartoon on my wall, to remind me that the road to enlightenment can have some very amusing detours. This work was acquired by The Martin Art Trust in April 2025.
NATALE POLLASTRINI
A certain quiet calm settles in as one views the works of the late Italian painter Natale Pollastrini. Her subjects are the architecture of small villages with few if any intrusions or the hustle and bustle of modern cities: No cars, motor scooters or neon signs. The paintings are small gems of a way of life that for most of us is now long gone. The work pictured here measures only 4.5” x 3.25”. Although Pollastrini’s paintings are small in scale they carry a much larger message about the ability to enjoy taking a rest from the onward rush into the future. The Martin Art Trust acquired this little gem at a sale at Auctions Showcase in Astoria in August 2025.
RED GROOMS
Red Grooms is one of the great art pranksters of our time. In this case, he created an image in which a newspaper is written for dogs, hence the artwork’s title: “The Daily Arf” In the image, the dog panting as if to see more news in The Daily Arf, while his best friend (man) is scratching its head. This particular work is an AP (Artist’s Proof), numbering 10 of 12 total, signed and dated. It was created in 1974. The Daily Arf was acquired by The Martin Art Trust in June 2025, through an offering on First Dibs, the on-line cyber tag sale focused on fine art and other collectibles.
PATRICK WEBB
A friend who helped me put this massive oil painting on a wall in my apartment, studied the artwork, entitled “Friday Deliveries”, and observed that the work had to be made after 1980. “Why?” I asked. “Because the city only installed the street lamps visible in the painting after 1980,” he replied. As I looked at the painting, which measures just over 40” x 50”, I noticed that the artist has taken care to include other wonderful clues to one thing that was missing: No cell phones were to be seen! That means that this painting, completed in 1983, is a time capsule based on the artist’s keen observation. It would be several years before everyone would have a cell phone glued to their ears! The Martin Art Trust acquired this work at Doyle Fine Art in February 2025. But bringing the painting home meant calling on my cell phone to get a large Uber to transport it! As I pondered how I ever lived without high tech services, I muttered to myself: “God bless technology!”
FEDOR KASCHEEV
An excellent example of Russian impressionism, the late Fedor Kascheev’s oil painting, entitled “Apiary,” was created in 1958. Viewers can easily spot the bee hives amid the flowers and tall grass which the title refers to. The painting conveys the serenity of a traditional Russian garden which one might find in a suburban dacha near a small city. This work, from the estate of a New York-based diplomat, was acquired by The Martin Art Trust at the Showplace auction house in Queens, NY in early 2025.
SAUL STEINBERG
One of the leading illustrators and cartoonists for over 50 years, until his death in 1999, Saul Steinberg was noted for his quirky take on various aspects of daily life, as well as whimsical cityscapes of which the work shown here is an outstanding example. Entitled “Main Street”, this color lithograph, is a rare Artist’s Proof (AP) of which only 4 such copies were produced. The work, created in 1972-73, was acquired by The Martin Art Trust in an auction sale at Doyle Fine Art in early 2025.
GEORGE GROSZ
This work, a lithograph entitled “Louise”, is a very early work of art produced in 1919 by the famed German artist and caricaturist George Grosz. This work is a tender subject unlike the savage caricatures with which Grosz regularly targeted the military and the wealthy, while sympathetically portraying members of the working class. This particular work is dedicated to his friend and fellow artist John Heartfield. It was included in “Ecce Homo” (“Behold Man”), a famous collection of Grosz’s cartoons, published in 1922/23. This artwork was acquired by The Martin Art Trust in April 2025, through a sale at the Showplace auction house located in Astoria, Queens.
THOMAS HART BENTON
The images created by Thomas Hart Benton are often ranked second only to those of Norman Rockwell in capturing the American spirit in the mid- 20th century. This work, entitled “Morning Train”, created in 1943, shows a train approaching a small stop somewhere in the Midwest. More importantly, it is showing the parents are saying goodbye to their son who is about to go off to fight in World War II. Thomas Hart Benton captures the emotional scene with the young man hugging his mother, while his father stands stoically apart. This scene resonated profoundly with millions of American families, as the United States was ramping up to unleash its industrial and military might during World War II. This work was issued in a print run of 250; each copy was signed by Benton himself. This artwork was acquired at an auction of prints at Swann Galleries in October 2024.
MANVILLE CHAPMAN
This work, entitled “Village Scene” depicts the monochromatic nature of a small town in the American southwest. It was created by Manville Chapman, an artist most known for his impressionistic landscapes and village scenes from his native New Mexico. Although his work is mostly collected by local aficionados, this charming oil painting came up for sale at a New York-based auction house in January, 2025, where it was acquired by The Martin Art Trust.
ARNULFO MENDOZA
Although primarily known as a master weaver and promoter of art in the Oaxaca region of Mexico, Mendoza demonstrates his use of surreal imagery in this outstanding gouache painting incorporating rich colors and patterns to achieve a stunning image of a goddess floating between wavy hills below and a starry night above. Created circa 2000, this work represents Mendoza at his best. The Martin Art Trust acquired this work in early 2025 at Showplace Auctions in New York.
(ANONYMOUS) BRONZE LEOPARD
This is a significant example of the outstanding bronze casting in the metal working region of Benin in West Africa. The work was probably created in the mid-19th century, in the last pre-colonial flowering of Benin bronze culture. The statue depicts a female leopard, carrying her cub on her back, with delicate details on the face of the mother. The cub serves as the handle for the lid of this hollow statue, which may have originally held spice or incense in earlier times. The Martin Art Trust acquired this artwork at Auctions Showplace in New York City, from the estate of a New York-based diplomat, in February 2025.
DAVID BURLIUK
This is an outstanding example of work of Burliuk, a major Ukrainian artist, who was known for his works as both a futurist and a neo-primitivist. The work, “Two Women and a Red Horse” is both deceptively simple yet loaded with key symbols of Ukrainian and indeed Slavic culture. This is especially notable with the inclusion of a red horse, symbolizing prowess, war and bloodshed. It was painted in 1948, when memories of the destruction of World War II were still all-too-familiar to those who initially viewed this painting. The Martin Art Trust acquired this work at Auctions Showplace in February 2025.
DAVID HOCKNEY
This stunning portrait of the Greco-Alexandrian poet C.P.Cavafy, was drawn by Hockney when he was in his late 20s. It was part of a limited edition portfolio of illustrations of 14 poems by Cavafy. The work shows Hockney demonstrating his confidence of both line and subject matter. The work was published by London-based Editions Alecto in 1967 in an edition of 300 copies. Acquired by The Martin Art Trust at Christie’s in February 2025.
David Burliuk, Arnulfo Mendoza, David Hockney, (anonymous Benin Bronze), Tony Smith, Sonia Delaunay, Abraham Walkowitz, William King, William Sharp, WMortimer Menpes, Jacques Lipchitz, Jean Arp, Katherine Shubert-Kunioshi, Herman Rose, Pedro Roth, Victoria Chica, Zekio, Jay Walker, Karel Appel, Cynthia Consentino, RG Calvin, Andres Muller. Joseph Meierhans, Louis Charles Moeller, Jorge Vargas, Allan D'Arcangelo, Charles Gordon Harris, Charna Rickey, George Gardner Symons, Dan Romer, John Sloan, Henri Duhem, Scott Cousins, Jeff Miller,
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