- 115
Henri Matisse
Estimate
150,000 - 200,000 GBP
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Description
- Henri Matisse
- VISAGE
- signed H Matisse and dated 51 (lower right)
- black crayon on paper
- 33 by 26cm., 13 by 10 1/4 in.
Provenance
Victor Waddington Gallery, London
Acquired from the above by the present owner circa 1967
Acquired from the above by the present owner circa 1967
Exhibited
London, Victor Waddington Gallery, Henri Matisse Drawings, 1967, no. 24, illustrated in the catalogue
Condition
Executed on cream wove paper, the work is laid down. The left and right hand edges are deckled. There is a very small loss to the extreme top right corner, not visible when framed. There is some mount staining to the left, upper and right hand edges, again not visible when framed. Otherwise, the work is in overall 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. 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."
"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
What staggers me is the sophistication in us all that enables us, from early childhood, to equate a few lines with a living being, none of whose essential characteristics have anything to do with lines on paper. With Matisse's drawings we enter the realm of miracles. The woman is not merely pretty, she is alive. We see her move; we know the back of her head; she is very charming. Moreover, the lines themselves are vivid and confident; they sit handsomely on the paper. The face is very nearly frontal in effect, but look at it in a mirror and you will see that this near-frontality is really a matter of tensions that don't survive reversal.
Norbert Lynton writing about the present work in The Guardian, 6th May 1967
Norbert Lynton writing about the present work in The Guardian, 6th May 1967