Joan Miró

Private Collection, Barcelona
Acquired from the above by the present owners

Executed on cream wove paper, not laid down, floating in the mount. The sheet is fixed to the mount with tape at intermittent places on the verso. The sheet has deckled edges, visible when framed. There are artist's pinholes at all four corners. Apart form some light time-staining, this work is in good condition.
"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 present work is the final study for a series of prints published in 1987 entitled Le Fantôme de l'atelier and is executed on the reverse of one such print. The mixture of different media is characteristic of Miró's work in the last years of his life, following his move to a large new studio near Palma designed by his friend, the architect José Luis Sert. Miró's restless need to experiment and reinvent his art resulted in continuing experimentation with the various possibilities offered by collage, lithography, engraving and ceramic. The brilliance of colour and variety of textures in this work illustrate a delight in and sensitivity to different materials, which was a continuous theme in Miró's work throughout the later years of his life.