Aluminium Drypoint Table, 1978 by Saul Steinberg

Provenance:
Posner Gallery, Milwaukee
Private Collection, Toronto

Saul Steinberg was a highly regarded illustrator for the "New Yorker Magazine", whose "View of the World from 9th Avenue" is perhaps one of his most well-known illustrations, presenting a caricature of the provincial perception that Manhattanites had of life beyond the Hudson River. It originally appeared on the March 29th cover of "The New Yorker" in 1976. After serving in the Second World War, Steinberg started publishing his work in other major publications, such as "Vogue", "Harper’s Bazaar", and "Fortune", while continuing to illustrate for "The New Yorker".

Aside from his illustrations, Steinberg was also a multifaceted artist who produced and exhibited work in a variety of media, including textile, photo-based work and sculpture. Known as the "Table Series", Steinberg began showing these conceptual works at Betty Parsons and Sidney Janis galleries in the early 1970s. These upright compositions show the various implements of his trade, filled with carved and painted "trompe-l’oeil" wood objects, including items found in his studio, which sometimes even contained representations of present or past works and the food he ate.

In "Aluminium Drypoint Table", the featured objects include the following: an etching plate showcasing a modern composition, the resulting print alongside it, a stylized ruler, brush, pencil and a row of coloured stamps across the top. As in similar table works, these objects all serve to visually represent the iconology and practice of the artist.