IRINA STENBERG (1905–1985) Jugglers

signed and dated ‘I. Stenberg 1930’ (lower right), signed with initials in Cyrillic ‘I. Sh.’ (lower left), inscribed in Cyrillic ‘Tsirk’ (along the lower edge); titled in Cyrillic ‘Zhonglery’ (on the reverse) watercolour and pencil on paper 32 × 26 cm Executed in 1930. Irina Stenberg (1905–1985) was a Russian-Georgian artist and theatre designer. Born in Tbilisi into a family of German origin, she studied at the School of the Caucasian Society for the Encouragement of Fine Arts and subsequently at the Tbilisi Academy of Arts between 1923 and 1927. Her early works reflected the influence of Art Nouveau, characterised by elegant lines, decorative compositions and expressive figures. In 1929, Stenberg moved to Moscow, where she held a solo exhibition, before returning to Georgia. From 1936, she devoted herself increasingly to theatrical design, beginning with The Adventures of Tom Sawyer at the Tbilisi Russian Theatre for Young Audiences. Between 1936 and 1956, she worked as a stage and costume designer at the A.S. Griboedov Russian Drama Theatre in Tbilisi. Executed in 1930, the present watercolour belongs to Stenberg’s early artistic period, preceding her professional career in theatrical design.