Chantal Joffe

Victoria Miro Gallery, London, where acquired by the present owner in July 2006

The board is sound. The work is in good overall condition with areas of strong impasto. There are three finger marks along the lower left edge, which appear to be the artist's finger marks. Along the bottom edge, there is a fragment of old adhesive tape which is adhered to the outside of the stretcher edge and slightly overlaps onto the paint surface. Under ultraviolet light, there do not appear to be any signs of retouching. The work is unframed but is mounted on a metal stretcher. Please telephone the department on 020 7293 6424 if you have any questions regarding the present work.
"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."

'Why are there no men? It's because I think about women and their thoughts and ideas, and I suppose when I'm painting them I'm getting to be them, in a sense'.
Chantal Joffe, in conversation with Stella McCartney, Interview, 3^rd August 2009.   

The female figure is the constant subject of Joffe's bold and distinctive work. Whether they are catwalk models, porn actresses, mothers or children, Joffe gives unprejudiced attention to each in a lively and witty manner. She assumes an observational role in her paintings akin to the manner of a naturalist, fascinated by human behaviour. This adopted viewpoint results in unsentimental portraits which convey an emotional intensity that recalls the tradition of Alice Neel (see lot 18). Women confront the viewer in a variety of poses from the mundane to the explicit but Joffe's viewpoint remains one of open observation rather than judgement. She questions assumptions about what makes a noble subject for painting and challenges conventional ideas of feminist art.

The source of Joffe's paintings derives from her own photographs of personal friends and from various photos and snapshots found in fashion magazines. The fashion world has long attracted Joffe's observing eye, sharing in fashion's celebration of the female form and its fascination with beauty. With these images as a starting point, Joffe then enriches them through her own interpretations, seen in the distortions of the brush, loosely applied paint and her reworking of the picture space. By drawing attention to the physicality of the painting process, Joffe injects her works with an irresistible energy.

The present work engages the viewer through fluid brushwork and an expressive rendering of form that is also strangely confrontational. White Silky Knickers is not the erotic subject it might first appear on the surface. The scale of the canvas allows no room for a flattering pose or a subtle application of paint, and the model's plain but direct expression removes any sense of voyeurism. Rather, the painting reveals Joffe's sharp eye for observation; one that is insightful and honest and readily plays on the humour of everyday awkwardness.