Jean Arp

François Arp, Paris (brother of the artist; acquired before 1966)

Ruth Tillard-Arp, Paris (by descent from the above in 1988)

Private Collection (acquired from the above before 1998)

Kassel, Alte Galerie, Museum Fridericianum, Orangerie, Dokumenta III, 1964, no. 3, illustrated in the catalogue

Strasbourg, Ancienne Douane, Hommage à Jean Arp, 1967, no. 34

Eduard Trier, Jean Arp: Sculptures 1957-1966, Teufen, 1968, no. 258, illustrated p. 116

Ionel Jianou, Jean Arp, Paris, 1973, listed p. 70

Very good condition. The bronze bears a transparent brown patina with undertones of black and gold. Upon close inspection, scratches and nicks of varying depths are visible on the surface, and some dark casting plugs are evident at the back of the base. Overall, this work is in very 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.
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.

Arp's most successful sculptures are characterized by their unblemished surfaces and smooth curvilinear forms.  Since his involvement with Dada and Surrealism in the 1920s and 1930s and until the end of his life, the elegant beauty of Arp's sculpture was increasingly analyzed in terms of spirituality. Recognized throughout his career for his ability to transcend formal boundaries and create works of art that could be interpreted differently depending upon a given viewer's needs and expectations, Arp was labeled by one critic as "a well-rounded mystic" for his ability to appeal to a wide audience.  At the heart of Arp's success is the organic beauty of his sculptures, which seem to manifest from a vision unencumbered by any formal constraints.  The present work from the 1960s embodies the transcendent physical beauty that came to be expected of the artist at the golden age of his career.

The present bronze was initially intended to be from an edition of three, but Arp decided to enlarge the edition to five during the casting process.  Consequently, this bronze is listed as number 2/5 in the Fondation Arp Archives, even though it bears the number 2/3.  Cast in 1963, it is the first example from the edition made by the foundry for the artist's personal collection, and it was lent by Arp to the Dokumenta exhibition in Kassel.  Prior to his death in 1966, Arp gave this bronze to his brother François, who later bequethed it to his daughter Ruth Tillard-Arp.