Cecily Brown

Gagosian Gallery, New York
Acquired by the present owner from the above in 2004

This work is in very good condition. There are no apparent condition problems with this work. In artist's frame. No restoration is apparent under ultravilet light. In wood frame.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Philip Guston's description of painters as "carpenters" is a particularly apt way of thinking about Brown's handling of her medium. Her paintings are a mix of fast and slow, thick and thin, a virtuosity of handling and a deliberate clumsiness, of images held in suspense, between recognition and pure gesture. Despite their apparent gestural improvisation, Brown's canvases are not an arena for unmediated expression. They are consciously constructed, generally over periods of days, weeks and even months. Brown generally approaches each new painting with an idea in mind, often based on one of the many images she encounters, either as paintings themselves, their reproductions or images she stumbles upon in her day to day life. Once started she relies to a large degree on a certain intuitive response to what happens on the canvas. Suzanne Cotter (Exh. Cat., Modern Art Oxford, Cecily Brown: Paintings, 2005, p. 44)