This is a striking photograph by noted artist, Ben Magid Rabinovitch (1884-1964) dating to the 1920s. Rabinovitch was a photographer, gallery owner, and founder of the Studio Gallery Photography School (later renamed the Rabinovitch Photography Workshop). Born in the Ukraine, he emigrated with his family to New York in 1887. In the years leading up to the First World War he worked as an accountant. He served in the American Army during the conflict and upon his return, took up photography. In 1920 he opened "The Studio School of Art Photography" at his studio and gallery, billed as "a small personal school . . . for those who see differently." The school was one of the three important New York photographic academies during the interwar years, and continued to be an important presence with a definable style until the mid 1950s. An active participant in national photographic salons, Rabinovitch mingled with various groups of photographers. The most important one-man exhibitions of his work took place in 1922 at Bookery Gallery, in 1934 with "Theatrical Portraits" at the Studio Gallery, and in 1945 with the "40 Year Retrospective". Rabinovitch passed away in 1964 and had ordered that at the time of his death, all of his negatives were to be destroyed. Many of the remaining Rabinovitch prints are held at the The International Center for Photography in New York City.
This photograph is part of a large collection of original Ben Rabinovitch portraits and studies from the estate of Ethel Sager, a professional dancer in New York City during the 1920s and 1930s. This Ravgravure print features a harlequin dancer in costume. The print is signed by Rabinovitch on the lower right corner in pencil. Framed under glass. The frame is not period to the print. In overall very attractive condition with some mild toning. - The frame is 20 1/2" x 16 5/8" with a sight view of 18 3/4" x 15". The printed area is 13" x 10 1/8".