René Magritte

Sophie Babet (sold: Palais Galliéra, Paris, 18th March 1971, lot 54)
Private Collection, USA (acquired by 1981)
Waddington Galleries, London
Acquired from the above by the family of the present owners in 1987

Saarbrücken, Saarland Museum, Surrealistische Malerei in Europa, 1952, no. 51
Paris, A L'Etoile Scellé, 1953
Paris, Galerie Isy Brachot, Magritte, 1979, no. 24, illustrated in colour in the catalogue (titled La Belle hérétique and as dating from 1960)
Brussels, Galerie Isy Brachot, Magritte, 1979, no. 24

Letter from André Breton to Magritte, 11th January 1953
David Sylvester (ed.), Sarah Whitfield & Michael Raeburn, René Magritte, Catalogue Raisonné, London, 1994, vol. IV, no. 1307, illustrated p. 129

Executed on cream wove paper, not laid down, hinged to the mount on the reverse of the top two corners. There are artist's pinholes in all four corners and remnants of tape from previous mounting along the reverse of all four edges. There is a diagonal repaired tear in the lower left corner and a partially retouched diagonal scratch in the lower right. Apart from some areas of retouching along the top of the left edge and in the blue pigment by the right edge, and a few very small spots of pigment loss at the right edge, this work is in good condition. Colours: In the original, the tonality of the sky, the mountains, the wall and foreground is blue, and not as purple as it appears in the printed catalogue illustration. The colours are overall stronger and richer 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."

The present work was once in the collection of Sophie Babet who in 1952, together with André Breton, founded the gallery 'A L'Etoile Scellée' in Paris. According to the catalogue raisonné of Magritte's work, 'Magritte, having heard that a group surrealist show was being organized at the gallery, wrote to Breton on 9 December 1952 reproaching him for not inviting him to participate. He went on to ask if Breton would be able to use two pictures currently in Paris'. One of those pictures was the present gouache. In a letter 'dated 11 January 1953, Breton informed him: "Someone also brought to the Gallery, on your behalf, the big gouache entitled "Perspective", which was hung at once"' (D. Sylvester (ed.), op. cit., pp. 128-129).

Fig. 1, René Magritte, Madame Récamier de David, 1967, bronze, The Menil Collection, Houston