Georg Baselitz

Heiner Bastian Fine Art, Berlin
Ulla and Heiner Pietzsch Collection, Berlin
Sotheby's, New York, November 14, 2001, Lot 34
Acquired by the present owner from the above sale

London, The Royal Academy, The 224th Summer Exhibition, July - August 1992
Staatliche Kunsthalle, Art of Our Time: Contemporary Art From a Private Collection in Berlin, September - October 1997, cat. no. 5, p. 31, illustrated
Dresden, Residenzschloss, Dali/Miro/Picasso. Sammlung Ulla und Heiner Pietzsch, June - August 2000

This work appears in very good condition. The canvas is well stretched and the surface is clean. There is evidence of light wear to the extreme edges. Otherwise, there are no apparent condition problems with this work. There is no evidence of inpainting under UV light inspection. Unframed
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.

Der Junge Ritter is an outstanding example of Georg Baselitz's monumental painterly expression. Executed in 1991, this powerful work sees the artist moving away from a more figurative, plastic approach, to more abstract, evocative construction. The "New Spirit" in painting of the 1980's saw Baselitz highly commended for his tactile approach to figure. The early 1990's saw him return to a more condensed surface of abstract mark making, but always with the memory of the figure in mind. Here, bold pools of earthy colors swell upon the canvas surface, reminiscent, in pattern, of the abstract works from the 1950's by Ernst Wilhelm Nay. Baselitz is able to evoke the suggestion of human form in the careful lattice construction he employs with these passages of paint. The human figure seems to ebb in and out of the abstract background, further encased by the grid construction that serves to push back the power of the painted swathes of paint, but also help to configure the anthropomorphic evocation evident upon close inspection.