Vladimir Davidovich Gudiashvili

A gift from the artist to the previous owner in 1967

The canvas has been laid down onto board, which is slightly bowed. The corners of the board appear to have bent over quite significantly, or in some cases broken off and later repaired. There are further repaired creases running along the reverse of the board in places. The board also appears to have some spots of water staining to the reverse. The paint surface is dirty and the varnish has discoloured. There is light abrasion to the edges and restoration corresponding to the repairs on the reverse are visible across the corners. UV light reveals some retouching along the repaired corner l.r. along the outline of the ladies' shoulders and to a few very minor spots in the corners. Held in a black painted wooden frame.
"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."

Gudiashvili evolved as an artist in two rich and diverse cultural environments, Tbilisi and Paris, describing the latter as 'my greatest love after my motherland'. It is perhaps a mark of his integrity as an artist that throughout his experiments with a range of mediums and movements, these near dichotomous origins are often cited in reference to his style. It is rare however, to find a work which balances the two so naturally. In Georgia, the young artist was profoundly influenced not only by the symbolist association known as The Blue Horn, but also by his first-hand study of ancient bas-reliefs, frescoes and elements of Byzantine aesthetics, such as the two-dimensional figures and opaque hues evident in the offered lot.

 

The culturally vibrant French capital stood in contrast to this background of Eastern stasis and when Gudiashvili arrived in Montparnasse in 1919, he became a regular at the famous Café de la Rotonde, a centre of artistic debate, frequented by Picasso, Léger, Breton and Derain among others. In his memoirs, Gudiashvili vividly describes 'the continuous buzz of voices' at La Rotonde disputing the merits of Cubism, Abstraction and Realism, but in a perceptive afterthought he also notes: "The majority of its clients was in difficulties, not only from a material point of view, but also morally, internally - you could see it on their faces; it was a multicoloured world, but at the same time full of suffering, something that would make uneasy even the most sophisticated Parisian."  Paris and the Parisians echoes this insight and, as with Gudishvili's best works, it has deep psychological dimension as well as a simple decorative elegance. The portraits of this unknown trio are unnervingly expressive - their relationship seems melancholic, even agitated, but at the same time the physiognomies clearly recall eastern typologies and it may be this oriental component which mutes the complex emotional tension.

 

During his Paris period Gudiashvili exhibited often at the Salon d'Automne alongside Derain, Matisse and Signac, yet it is undoubtedly his friendship with Modigliani that is most pertinent to Paris and the Parisians. Gudiashvili sketched Modigliani several times in 1920, and the elongated faces and curved profiles here bear an affinity and stylistic unity with some of the greatest portraits of his Italian contemporary (fig.1).