Tom Wesselmann

Wetterling Gallery, Stockholm
Acquired directly from the above by the present owner

Thomas Buchsteiner & Otto Letze, Tom Wesselmann 1959-1993, Ostfildern 1994, n.p. no. 67, illustrated in colour
Sam Hunter, Tom Wesselmann, New York 1995, p. 42, illustrated in colour

Colour: The colours in the catalogue illustration are fairly accurate, although the overall tonality is brighter and more vibrant in the original. Condition: This work is in very good condition. Upon close inspection, there is some very light scattered wear along the extreme outer edges.
"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."

Nightime Still Life with Four Roses and Pear is a striking example from Tom Wesselmann’s still life series. Whilst the traditional accoutrements – fruit, flowers – set the piece within a larger historical context, stemming from the Dutch still lifes of the seventeenth century, the addition of a boldly pointed star projects the image firmly back into a twentieth century consciousness, its cartoon-like outline indirectly reflecting the commercialisation of popular culture that remained one of the primary concerns and influences throughout the artist’s career.

The discovery of the artistic potential of metalworking was a revelation to Wesselmann, enabling him to retain the subtlety of draughtsmanship whilst imbuing his works with the energy and dynamism of three-dimensionality. Wesselmann’s excitement in his discovery and on-going refinements within this medium shine through in a statement he made to Sam Hunter, author of a monograph on the artist: ‘When I got this new metal stuff going, I had never run into anything so heady before… It was the most exciting time of my entire life, these past few years, beginning these steel and aluminium pieces, and then seeing them through to fruition.’ (Sam Hunter, Tom Wesselmann, Barcelona, 1995, P. 42.) The on-going duality between two and three dimensions, raises the status of this bold example beyond that of mere still life, seeming to endow the work with a pulsating vitality. The colours are almost jewel-like in their brightness, sharply contained within the deep black contours in a manner that, according to Hunter, ‘evokes the stained glass windows of the historical past.’ (Ibid. p.41).