Saul Steinberg's New Yorker Works Surveyed at PaceWildenstein Exhibition

PaceWildenstein presents a survey exhibition of Saul Steinberg's work for The New Yorker from February 11 to March 5, 2005. Over 50 original drawings and covers are displayed, offering a rare view of his contributions spanning nearly 60 years. Steinberg, born in Romania in 1914, studied architecture in Milan before fleeing anti-Semitic laws and immigrating to the United States. His first New Yorker submission appeared in 1941, leading to 90 covers and more than 1,200 drawings that became synonymous with the magazine. The exhibition includes "The Line," a 1950s work featuring a continuous, transforming line across 30 feet, and a 1961 cover depicting an opera house with false handwriting. Steinberg's drawings blend cartooning with fine art, exploring post-war American culture through witty, compressed vignettes. He considered drawing "a way of reasoning on paper" and remained loyal to The New Yorker throughout his career, calling it his "patria." The show coincides with the publication of "Steinberg at the New Yorker" by Abrams, featuring an introduction by Ian Frazier and text by Joel Smith. Steinberg's work, often described as sui generis, navigates themes of modernity, communication, and American vitality with sly candor.