Jean Metzinger

Léonce Rosenberg (Galerie L'Effort Moderne), Paris
(Probably) acquired circa 1970
Thence by descent to the present owners

In good condition. With an old wax lining. The surface of the work is stiff due to the lining and the work is buckling slightly as a result of this. The surface is fairly dirty. There is a thin web of craquelure especially visible in the yellow pigment. There is a small loss to the pigment, upper left. Under UV: several small spots of inpainting, upper left, lower left corner, and a few others scattered elsewhere, otherwise fine.
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.

Artists working in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries frequented brothels and dance halls for inspiration as well as gaining access to potential models or muses.  Edgar Degas and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec both delighted in depicting prostitutes as well as dancers.  Pablo Picasso, Kees van Dongen and a cast of other artists sought to interpret  the essence of female sexuality by depicting nude or barely-clad women.

Likewise, Jean Metzinger, in Salomé, has captured the "joie de vivre" spirit of 1920s Paris. In the present work, a dancer typical of those who performed in the Folies-Bergère or similar cabarets (fig. 1) is depicted as she is unveiling herself before her audience, in this case the viewer of the canvas.

Fig. 1 Brassaï, Mannequin nu aux Folies-Bergère, circa 1912