Morris Louis

Miriam Jaegerman, Bethesda
Thence by descent to the present owner

Bucharest, Sala Dalles; Timisoara, Museul Banatului; Cluj, Galeria de Arta; Bratislava, The Slovak National Gallery; Prague, Wallenstein Palace, The National Gallery; Brussels, The Palais des Beaux-Arts, The Disappearance and Reappearance of the Image: Painting in the United States Since 1945, January - November 1969, cat. no. 40

Diane Upright, Morris Louis: The Complete Paintings, New York, 1985, cat. no. 598, p. 187, illustrated in color

This work is in generally good condition and has recently benefited from a gentle surface cleaning by Amann + Estabrook Conservation. The unprimed surface of the canvas has discolored with age and exhibits a warm tonality. There is a very small perforation in the fabric located 1 inch from the upper edge and ½ inch from the right edge, and may be a staple mark that is a vestige of the artist's working method. There are a few faint scattered clusters of accretions and abrasions barely visible under normal light conditions located in the lower quarter of the work. Some of the accretions and abrasions fluoresce slightly when examined under UV light including a 1 ½ in. vertical strip located along the left edge and 11 in. from the bottom, a 2 in. area in the lower-left corner; a 4 in. line in the orange area which fluoresces white located 2 in. from the bottom edge; and a series of pinpoint areas in the lower-right. Framed in a wood frame with a metal edge.
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.

The late Miriam Jaegerman was a close friend of Morris Louis and his wife, Marcella, from 1955 until Louis's death in 1962. The two were so at ease with each other that she could offer her most honest critique of his work: "I like this, and I don't like that." She was often by Marcella's side after Louis became ill. After Louis's death, Ms. Jaegerman assisted the Estate with cataloguing his body of work, with this research later being incorporated into the artist's Catalogue Raisonné. As gratitude for her efforts, the Estate gifted Ms. Jaegerman Number 49, an exceptional example of the artist's work; one which she enjoyed in her collection throughout her lifetime.