Two Women at Afternoon Tea (Untitled Interior)
Print (Lithograph or Serigraph) on heavy wove paper • Itzchak Tarkay (Israeli, 1935–2012)
Style & Movement
Contemporary Figuration / Post-Impressionism with influences from Fauvism and Matisse.
Medium & Technique
Color lithography or serigraphy with vibrant ink saturations and fine line work; likely utilizes a mixed-media printing process to achieve the watercolor-like transparencies.
Creation Period
Late 20th to early 21st Century (c. 1990-2010)
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 18 x 24 inches (estimated paper size); Portrait orientation.
Subject Description
The composition features two elegant women seated at a table covered with a patterned purple cloth. A bowl of fruit and flowers rests on the table. In the foreground, a detached vignette shows a coffee/tea pot. The background suggests a window looking out onto a landscape with a house. The work explores themes of female camaraderie, leisure, and bourgeois interior design.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Very Good; the paper appears bright with no visible foxing, though there is minor curling at the top edge consistent with being unframed.
Estimated Market Value
$400 - $800 USD (highly dependent on the edition number and signature presence, which are not visible in this photo).
Auction Estimate
$200 - $500 USD
Provenance History
Likely sourced from a commercial art gallery or cruise ship auction house (e.g., Park West Gallery), which were primary distributors of Tarkay's editions.
Art Historical Significance
Tarkay is a central figure in the modern 'boudoir' or 'cafe' art genre. His work is significant for its popularization of a nostalgic, European aesthetic in the global art market at the end of the 20th century.
Notable Features
The piece exhibits the artist's signature use of bold primary colors opposite soft pastels, defined by fluid, graphic outlines and a lack of traditional perspective.
Condition Issues
Possible minor handling creases at the deckled top edge; the bottom margin is cut off in the image, so signature and numbering status cannot be fully verified.
Conservation Recommendations
Recommend archival mounting under UV-protective glazing and acid-free matting to prevent fading of the vibrant pigments.