Nice 10.5 x 13.5 lithograph of a portrait of an older Albert Einstein holding a pipe, signed in the lower right in pencil by the artist, "Wm. Sharp." Matted to an overall size of 15.25 x 18.75. In fine condition.
Born as Leon Schleifer in Austria, William Sharp (1900–1961) studied in Austria and Poland before finishing his studies in Berlin in 1918. He fled from Nazi Germany to America in 1934 and changed his name to 'William Sharp' in 1940. He became known for his illustrations that captured the political, racial, and economic tensions of the Cold War era. He worked for newspapers and illustrated books, including those by Ernest Hemingway and Thomas Mann.
Einstein was well-known for his pipe smoking—other than his messy hair, there may be no more characteristic element of his image than his pipe. Even in later years when he curbed his tobacco use on doctor's orders, he could not bear to give up the tactile experience—he would smokelessly cradle the bowl in hand or clench the stem between his teeth while he did his deepest thinking. Upon joining the Montreal Pipe Smokers Club in 1950, he reportedly said: 'I believe that pipe smoking contributes to a somewhat calm and objective judgment in all human affairs.'
