Christo

Private Collection (acquired directly from the artist in 1985)
Sale: Sotheby's, London, Contemporary Art, 22 June 2006, Lot 124
Acquired directly from the above by the present owner

Colour: The colours in the catalogue illustration are fairly accurate. Condition: This work is in very good condition. (i) There are superficial rub marks in places along the edges of the plexiglas frame. The sheet undulates slightly. There are scattered rub marks and handling marks in the bottom third of the composition, probably inherent to the artist's choice of medium and working process. (ii) There is a small spot of discolouration outside the bottom right hand corner of the map and very slight discolouration to the top extreme edge of the sheet. There are faint rub marks and handling marks in places throughout the white paper area, probably inherent to the artist's working process.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The authenticity of the work has kindly been confirmed by Christo and Jeanne-Claude

Christo and Jeanne-Claude successfully achieved their twenty-four year goal of wrapping the Reichstag on 24th June 1995. It was to be one of the most artistically monumental and significant episodes to have been realised by the couple. For two weeks a building that had emblemised a century of historical unrest became an unprecedented celebration, attracting more than five million visitors.

The Reichstag was opened in 1894 and housed the German parliament until 1933, when it was severely damaged in a fire supposedly started by the communist agitators. The National Socialists, however, were soon to be thought accountable for the arson attack in an attempt to flush out their opposition. Although the building played no real strategic role during the Second World War, it was the very symbol of Fascist power and was subject to heavy artillery fire. 1954 saw the weakened dome of the Reichstag demolished and the entirety of the building was left in a run-down state until the 1960s when it was reopened as a conference center. 

The wrapping of the Reichstag in 1995 expressed grandeur in both conception and execution. Throughout the history of art the use of fabric has been a fascination for artists. From the most ancient times to the present, fabric, forming fold, pleats and draperies, is a significant part of paintings, frescoes, reliefs and sculptures made of wood, stone and bronze. The use of fabric on the Reichstag follows the classical tradition. Fabric, like clothing or skin, is fragile, it translates the unique quality of impermanence. The richness of the silvery fabric, shaped by the blue ropes, creates a sumptuous flow of vertical fold highlighting the features and proportions of the imposing structure, revealing the essence of the Reichstag. (Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Press Release, June 1995).

Foster and Partners would erect a new landmark for Berlin after the Christo project in the construction of a new unified German Parliament, the main focus of which would be its glass dome, reflecting the transparency of the new government. Its aim was also towards public accessibility and although several motifs of the old Reichstag remained, the modern reconstruction, as with the unwrapping and new 'unveiling' of the building by Christo, revealed a new centre stage for modern day Berlin and indeed for Germany as a whole. The various studies executed for this project are an integral part of its documentation and this present example highlights the artist's schematic and visionary approach to what was a colossal achievement.