George Grosz

Estate of the artist (acquired in 1959)
Sale: Galerie Wolfgang Ketterer, Munich, 2nd June 1980, lot 518
Private Collection (sale: Sotheby Parke Bernet, London, 1st April 1981, lot 211)
Purchased at the above sale by the present owner

New York, Peter Deitsch Fine Arts Inc., George Grosz. Berlin Drawings and Watercolours, 1970, no. 31, illustrated in the catalogue

George Grosz, Ecce Homo, Berlin, 1923, illustrated pl. 77
Italo Tavolato, George Grosz, Rome, 1924 (titled Pastorale)
Georg Grosz, Die Gezeichneten, Berlin, 1930, illustrated p. 21 (titled Zwei Menschen I)
Georg Grosz, 'A little Yes and a Big No' in The Dial Press, New York, 1946, p. 265 (titled For this he cheated all day)
Ulrich Becher (ed.), Georg Grosz. Deutschland über Alles, Rome, 1963 (titled Idillio)

Executed on cream wove paper, not laid down, attached to the mount at all four corners and at intermittent points around the edges. There are undulations to the paper around the lower left corner caused by the mounting of the work. There are two flattened creases to the lower left side of the work, one 5cm., the other 15cm., two flattened creases running horizontally from the centre of the right edge, a 5cm. crease across the upper right corner, and a feint flattened crease to the upper left edge of the work. There are some small paper infills at the centre of the right and left edges, and to three small tears along the upper edge. Apart from a 4cm. tear near the lower right corner, a 1cm. fold to the lower right corner and some scattered nicks and tears to the edges, this work is in fair condition. Colours: The paper tone is warmer and the ink is slightly stronger in the original.
"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."

Executed in 1921, this is the original brush and ink drawing for the final printed plate no. 77 from Georg Grosz's Ecce Homo, published in 1923.