Lynn Chadwick, R.A.

Galerie Farber, Brussels, where acquired by the present owner in the 1970s

Caracas, Galeria Freites, January - February 1993, illustrated on the cover (another cast).

The Connoisseur, August 1974, illustrated p.281 (another cast);
Dennis Farr and Eva Chadwick, Lynn Chadwick, Sculptor, 2006, Lund Humphries, Aldershot, cat. no.569, pp. 256-57, illustrated (another cast).

The following condition report has been prepared by Plowden-Smith Ltd., 190 St Ann's Hill, London, SW18 2RT. The work is comprised of three standing figures manufactured from bronze. The figures are mainly from bronze with a green patination, however the faces and torso areas are made from polished bronze. Overall the figures are in a good and structurally sound condition. For the purpose of this report, the figures have been arbitrarily labelled one, two and three. Figure One The figure has streaking to the surface in places caused by water staining. The feet are dirty and show tidemarks where they have been in close contact with soft ground.There is some dirt in the crevices of the sculpture. On the underside there is evidence of the white investment material used in the casting process. There are two areas of pale green at the back of the head/top of the neck. These are areas of corrosion and this should be treated to prevent further deterioration. There is a small crack underneath the chin, this is not thought to have any structural significance. The polished bronze areas have toned down with age. There is a water stain streak to the right hand side of the face as you view the sculpture. On the left hand side of the face there is a group of surface scratches (pic.f). There is a deep gouge/scratch in three parts to the top of the torso above the left breast which measure approximately 4" long. This is deemed to be part of the history of the object and no treatment is recommended. There is pitting in the torso area particularly along the lower parts of both left and right hand sides and along the bottom edge. This is likely to be part of the casting process. There are some irregularities in the polished bronze area torso on both the left and right hand side in the form of small circles. These are thought to be original to manufacture. Figure Two The figure has streaking to the surface in places caused by water staining. The feet are dirty and show tidemarks where they have been in close contact with soft ground. There is some dirt in the crevices of the sculpture. The patina has worn through in places, above the polished bronze torso area on the left hand side as you view the figure and there is also a small area on the right hand side. There is also some loss underneath the bottom edge of the polished bronze area. The polished bronze areas have toned down with age. There is a long water stain streak to the right hand side of the face as you view the sculpture. As with figure one there is pitting in the torso area and irregularities in the casting. There is one area above the stomach button and there are a few to the right hand side. There are also approximately eight others to the bottom left hand side of the torso area. Figure Three The figure has streaking to the surface in places caused by water staining. There is extensive evidence of this on the underside of the figure. The feet are dirty and show tidemarks where they have been in close contact with soft ground. There is some dirt in the crevices of the sculpture. The polished bronze areas have toned down with age. The torso is in relatively good condition, although there is some minor pitting as with the other two figures. There are some irregularities in the face. Half way down on the right hand side of the face, there is a small area which is copper in colour and another area which is dark with a copper colour halo around it which is on the left hand side. These are deemed to be repairs, however it is not possible to say whether these were carried out at the time of manufacture. There is a small scratch to the top left hand side of the face and a small dark mark on the right hand side of the face.
"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."

Three Elektras is a monumental version of Chadwick's most iconic theme: seated or standing figures. His series of works on the theme of Elektra depicts one or more female figures, seated, standing or reclining, and it was in this group of works that he introduced a new technique of mixing highly polished with rough surfaces. While the artist usually resisted using colour in his sculptures, the contrast between different finishes of the bronze gives the sculpture a colourful, versatile quality, with the polished surfaces accentuating the female attributes – the woman's head and torso. While the title Elektra originates in Greek mythology, Chadwick does not appear to make any allusion to the mythical figure, and the term could equally refer to the shiny quality of the surface of the sculpture.

In this composition, Chadwick turned away from the nearly abstract style of his earlier work, and instead combined his characteristically stylised, geometric forms with a naturalistic element. While the central figure is standing tall and upright, the two side figures appear to be leaning slightly, indicating an intimate grouping. Collette Chattopadhay wrote of the lyrical potency of similar compositions: 'A new fondness for naturalism begins to appear in Chadwick's work which endows his geometric figures with a startling anthropomorphic credibility. The angle at which a geometric head tilts, or the manner in which a cubic torso leans forward or sideways, imbues these robotic creatures with an uncanny familiarity. Indeed, Chadwick's propensity for infusing cubic figures with ironic, anthropomorphic allusions remains one of his supreme artistic accomplishments, vying with and at times surpassing Picasso's explorations in these areas' (C. Chattopadhay, Lynn Chadwick (exhibition catalogue), Tasende Gallery, Los Angeles, 2002, p. 7).