Lot 136
  • 136

Egon Schiele

Estimate
200,000 - 300,000 GBP
bidding is closed

Description

  • Egon Schiele
  • PIANIST RODERICK MACKEY
  • signed Egon Schiele and dated 1913 (lower right); stamped with the Nachlass mark on the reverse
  • pencil on paper
  • 31.5 by 41.5cm., 12 3/8 by 16 3/8 in.

Provenance

Estate of the artist
Private Collection
Acquired from the above by the present owner

Literature

'Egon Schiele', in Die Aktion, Vienna, 2nd September 1916, mentioned p. 494
Jane Kallir, Egon Schiele: The Complete Works, London, 1998, no. 1409, illustrated p. 512

Condition

Executed on cream wove paper, laid down on fine tissue, hinged to the mount in the top two corners, floating in the mount. There is a watermark running along the top edge. There is a line of paper rubbing parallel to the left edge of the sheet with associated discolouration (visible in the catalogue illustration). Apart from some tiny spots of foxing, mainly to the upper left quadrant, and some slight discolouration to the extreme lower edge, this work is in good condition. Colours: Overall accurate, although the paper tone is whiter and the pencil lines 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."

Catalogue Note

Executed in 1913, Pianist Roderick Mackey is a stunning demonstration of the abrupt angular style that Egon Schiele began to adopt that year as he assimilated the Cubists' geometrical aesthetic into his figural studies. The oblique perspective from which Schiele scrutinises his sitter denies accurate personification; true identity is only disclosed to the artist. The averted eyes and downcast profile, however, convey great precision. Even the most impetuous of lines is invested with great consideration, every contour charged with the immediacy of the artist's hand.


354L10005_COMP
Egon Schiele, 1914. Photograph by Anton Trčka