The Architecture of Irony

Rosenberg, Harold (1906–1978)

Saul Steinberg [Signed by Author] [Exhibition checklist]

New York: Alfred A. Knopf In Association With The Whitney Museum Of American Art, 1978.

A definitive retrospective of Saul Steinberg’s mid-century visual wit, pairing his intricate line work with the critical depth of Harold Rosenberg. 

This volume serves as the primary record of the 1978 Whitney Museum exhibition, capturing Steinberg’s transition from 'The New Yorker' cartoonist to a formidable philosopher of the graphic line. This copy is elevated by its direct connection to the publisher of the 'modernist circle' in New York.

KEY FEATURES
+++ Visuals: Illustrated throughout with numerous plates, including several in color, documenting Steinberg’s drawings, collages, and assemblages. 
+++ Exhibition checklist comprising 12 pages in stapled wraps, providing a complete inventory of the 1978 Whitney retrospective, laid into this copy.
+++ Binding: Oversized pictorial wraps with extended flyleaves. 
+++ Imprint: Alfred A. Knopf in association with the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, 1978. First Edition, first printing.
+++ Specs: 4to (quarto); 256 pages including bibliography. 
+++ Provenance: From the estate of Ben Raeburn, publisher of Horizon Press.

LIMITATION & SIGNATURES: Signed by the author, Harold Rosenberg, on the front free endpaper. Signature is crisp and without personalization.

CONDITION: Overall Grade: Very Good. The bindings are tight and square. The internal text is clean and free of markings, displaying only light, even age-toning. The wraps show moderate shelf handling wear and light rubbing to the extremities, consistent with a softcover volume of this size and weight.

SCHOLARLY FEATURES
+++ Design & Aesthetics: Explores Steinberg’s unique 'masking' of reality through calligraphy and architectural parody, a hallmark of 20th-century American modernism.
+++ Scholarship: Harold Rosenberg, the preeminent critic who coined the term 'Action Painting,' provides a deep intellectual framework for Steinberg’s often whimsical subjects.
+++ Influence: A critical document for understanding the intersection of popular illustration and fine art in the post-war era.

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE —
Harold Rosenberg was one of the most influential art critics of the 20th century. As the regular art critic for 'The New Yorker', his championing of the Abstract Expressionists and his social-criticism approach to aesthetics redefined how Americans viewed modern art.

This specific edition arrived at a pivotal moment, coinciding with the Whitney’s major retrospective that solidified Steinberg’s status beyond the magazine page. This copy, originating from the estate of Ben Raeburn—the visionary behind Horizon Press and publisher of Frank Lloyd Wright—places it within the inner sanctum of the New York intellectual and publishing elite who fostered these creative collaborations.

SUBJECTS: Saul Steinberg, Art Criticism, 20th Century Illustration, Whitney Museum, Modernism, Association Copy, Signed Work, Art Monograph.

Item #21900
ISBN: 0394735919

Price: $175.00