Pwt 12 2016 MOSCOW, 1935 : THE FORBIDDEN NUDITY, ALEXANDER GRINBERG’S IMPRUDENCE

WEEKLY TRANSMISSION N°12

THURSDAY 24 MARCH 2016

THE FORBIDDEN NUDITY, ALEXANDER GRINBERG’S IMPUDENCE

MOSCOU, 1935 :

ALEXANDRE GRINBERG OU LE PHOTOGRAPHE IMPRUDENT

n°5, detail

MOSCOW, 1935 :

PWT-12 2016 CONTENTS : An artist sentenced to Gulag for bourgeoise pornography in Soviet Russia, 1936 III The request for deletion of the conviction of Alexander Danilovich Grinberg, 1941 IV La requête de l'effacement de la condamnation de Alexandr Danilovitch Grinberg, 1941 V Thirteen prints the KGB did not find, 13 Alexander Grinberg proof prints 1-13

n째3, detail

The e-bulletin presents articles as well as a selection of books, albums, photographs and ancient documents as they have been handed down to the actual owners by their creators and by amateurs from past generations.

The physical descriptions, attributions, origins, and printing dates of the books and photographs have been carefully ascertained by collations and through close analysis of comparable works.

The books and photographs consigned from all around the world are presented in chronological order. It is the privilege of ancient and authentic things to be presented in this fashion, mirroring the flow of ideas and creations. Prices in euros, Paypal is accepted.

N째12 : Forbidden Nudity

Weekly Transmission 12

III

24 March 2016

.

Sentenced to Gulag labor camps (1936–1939) for distribution of pornography.

Alexander Grinberg (Aleksandr Danilovich Grinberg, Александр Данилович Гринберг, 1885–1979) was a Russian and Soviet photographer. In 1908 he was awarded the silver medal in the all-Russian photo exhibition in Moscow and the gold medal in the international photoexhibition in Dresden. He was the neighbour of Alexander Rodchenko, living on the same floor in Kandinsky’s owned building, but prefered pictorialist photography.

Since 1929, the year of the "Great Break", with the turn in the Soviet politics toward only realist-socialist arts, Grindberg pictorialist and especialy erotic photography was declared inappropriate for Soviet morale, as a feature of the "overindulged idleness of the rich".

Nevertheless he risked one more exhibition of semi-naked women in 1935, and was eventually sentenced to Gulag labor camps (1936–1939) "for distribution of pornography."

From Alexander Grinberg’s library

Weekly Transmission 12

IV

24 March 2016

.

The request for deletion of the conviction of Alexander Danilovich Grinberg Artist-photographer (born in 1885 in Moscow), professor of the Institute of Cinema in Moscow, decorator of Lenin Museum in Moscow, arrested «for the dissemination of pornography» January 15, 1936 and sentenced to five years of camp penitentiary.

He did his sentence in Bamlag (= Baikalo-Amourskii ispravitel'no trudovoi-lager ', part of GULAG NKVD) in the Amur region (the Far East of the USSR), as a photographer and Bureau Chief camp photography.

Grinberg was released on March 25, 1939 (as "udarnik"). And soon, on 15 May of 1939 he was allowed to rsume his professional activity as the photographer of the Museum of History and Fine Arts at Zagorsk (old-Troitze Sergieva = Lavra Lavra of the Holy Trinity St. Sergius).

In his application dated 15 February 1941 he requested the deletion of the conviction, because he finds his judgment absolutely unfounded: — "I confess that as a photographer-artist, sometimes in my free time, I was taking nude pictures for exhibition purposes ... those nudes were exposed in the exhibition "Masters of Soviet photography" in Moscow in April-May 1935 and received from the jury a mention and an award consisting of some travel I could not do because I had too much work then at the Museum of Lenin ....

— I offered some very good pictures with the models ...

— I find the judgment absolutely unfounded — I was photographing the instigation purely artistic ...

— I promise to work diligently for the wealth of our country, the Soviet Government and the Communist Party. "

(Alexander Grinberg, 15 February 1941)

Weekly Transmission 12

VII

24 March 2016

.

La requête de l'effacement de la condamnation de Alexandr Danilovitch Grinberg Artiste-photographe (né en 1885 à Moscou), professeur de l'Institut du Cinéma à Moscou, décorateur du Musée de Lénine à Moscou, arrêté "pour la diffusion de la pornographie" le 15 janvier 1936 et condamné à 5 ans du camp pénitencier.

Il a fait son temps à Bamlag (=Baikalo-Amourskii ispravitel'no-trudovoi lager', la partie intégrante de GOULAG NKVD) au région d'Amour (l'Extreme Orient de l'URSS), comme photographe et chef du Bureau de photographie du camp.

Libéré le 25 mars 1939 (comme "oudarnik"). Le 15 mai de 1939 il commence son travail de photographe du Musée de l'Histoire et des Beaux arts à Zagorsk (anciennement Troitze-Sergieva Lavra=La Laure de la Sainte Trinité-Saint-Serge).

Dans son recours daté du 15 février de 1941 il demande l'effacement de la condamnation, parce que il trouve son jugement absolument dénue de fondement : — j'avoue que en tant que photographe-artiste, parfois dans mon temps libre, je prenais des photos de nues pour les buts des expositions. ...

— On les a exposé à l'exposition "Maîtres de la photographie soviétique" à Moscou en avril-mai de 1935 et j'ai eu le prix de jury - un diplôme et un voyage dont je n'ai pas profité parce j'ai eu trop du travail au Musée de Lénine ....

— J'ai offert quelques très bonnes photos aux modèles...

— Je trouve le jugement absolument dénue de fondement — je photographiais sous l'impulsion purement artistique — Je fais la promesse de travailler consciencieusement pour le bien de la Patrie, du Gouvernement soviétique et de la Partie."

Weekly Transmission 12

1

24 March 2016

.

ALEXANDER GRINBERG (1885-1979). Reclining Nude, Moscow, 1933. Vintage silver print, 90x140 mm, retouching, provenance note in Russian in pencil, verso.

2.500 euros

Weekly Transmission 12

2

24 March 2016

.

ALEXANDER GRINBERG (1885-1979). Nude, Moscow, 1933. Vintage silver print, 115x85 mm, retouching, provenance note in Russian in pencil, verso.

3.000 euros

Weekly Transmission 12

3

24 March 2016

.

ALEXANDER GRINBERG). Nude and Shadow, Moscow, 1933. Vintage silver print, 112x70 mm, large negative black effect, provenance note in Russian in pencil, verso. 1.800 euros

Weekly Transmission 12

4

24 March 2016

.

ALEXANDER GRINBERG (1885-1979). Outdoor Nude, Moscow, 1933. Vintage silver print, 110x55 mm, retouching, provenance note in Russian in pencil, verso.

1.500 euros

Weekly Transmission 12

5

24 March 2016

.

ALEXANDER GRINBERG (1885-1979). Nudes, Triptych, Moscow, 1933. Three (3) vintage silver prints, 180x80 mm, provenance notes in Russian in pencil, versos.

(3) 4.500 euros

Weekly Transmission 12

6

24 March 2016

.

ALEXANDER GRINBERG. Variant, Nude Six, Moscow, 1933. Vintage silver print, 180x80 mm, retouching, provenance note in Russian in pencil, verso.

1.500 euros

Weekly Transmission 12

7

24 March 2016

.

ALEXANDER GRINBERG (1885-1979). Nude, Moscow, 1933. Vintage silver print, 180x90 mm, defect in negative, provenance note in Russian in pencil, verso.

1.200 euros

Weekly Transmission 12

8

24 March 2016

.

ALEXANDER GRINBERG. Nude Eight, Moscow, 1933. Vintage silver print, 110x140 mm, retouching, provenance note in Russian in pencil, verso.

2.500 euros

Weekly Transmission 12

9

24 March 2016

.

ALEXANDER GRINBERG. Nude, Moscow, 1933. Vintage silver print, 130x145 mm, retouching, provenance note in Russian in pencil, verso.

3.000 euros

Weekly Transmission 12

10

24 March 2016

.

ALEXANDER GRINBERG. Nude Ten, Moscow, 1933. Vintage silver print, 175x95 mm, old retouching, provenance note in Russian in pencil, verso.

1.200 euros

Weekly Transmission 12

11

24 March 2016

.

ALEXANDER GRINBERG (1885-1979). Forbidden Porn, Moscow, 1933. Vintage silver print, 85x110 mm, provenance note in Russian in pencil, verso.

P.O.R.

Alexander Grinberg

Number Twelve, Second Season, of the Weekly Transmission has been uploaded on Thursday, 24th March 2016 at 18:15 (Paris time).

Upcoming uploads and transmissions on Thursdays : Thursday 31st March, Thursday 7th April, 15:15 (Paris time). serge@plantureux.fr

fax +33153016870

Phone (10 am-5 pm) : (+33) 6.50.85.60.74