Medardo Rosso

Léon Abric, Paris (possibly acquired from the artist)
Thence by descent to the previous owner

Mino Borghi, Medardo Rosso, Milan, 1950, listed p. 67; illustration of the plaster n.p.
Margaret Scolari Barr, Medardo Rosso, New York, 1963, illustration of the wax over plaster p. 42
Marco Fagioli, Medardo Rosso, catalogo delle sculture, Florence, 1994, no. 36, illustration of the wax p. 99
Medardo Rosso (exhibition catalogue), London, Whitechapel Art Gallery (& travelling), 1994, no. 34, illustration of the wax p. 29
Medardo Rosso, Le origini della scultura moderna (exhibition catalogue), Turin, GAM, Galleria Civica d'Arte Moderna e Contemporanea di Torino, 2004, no. 25a, illustration of the plaster p. 157; no. 25b, illustration of the wax p. 159
Paola Mola & Fabio Vittucci, Medardo Rosso, catalogo ragionato della scultura, Milan, 2009, illustration of the wax models pp. 311-316

The work has a rich brown patina. Slight surface dirt and some minor accretions in the thickest crevices. Some minor pitting visible in the figures face, original to the castings process. The work is screwed to a wooden base. Colours: the colours are fairly accurate in the catalogue illustration.
"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."

Dame à la voilette is a majestic impression of modern life. This work is a depiction of a fashionable young lady adorned with hat and veil, the type of woman, according to Mino Borghi, the artist would have encountered on evenings out on the Parisian boulevards. The present work was acquired by Medardo Rosso's close friend Léon Abric, writer, intellectual, and regular of the bohemian artistic circle of Montmartre and Le Chat Noir. There, he befriended numerous artists such as Toulouse-Lautrec, Willette, Courteline, Tristan Bernard and the operetta composer Claude Terrasse. The plastic, expressive quality as well as the texture of this work all combine to convey the fleetingness of the moment, the perspective of the artist, and an impression de boulevard.