Frank Auerbach

A gift from the artist to Ruth and Jospeh Bromberg in 2008

William Feaver, Frank Auerbach, New York 2009, p. 350, no. 972, illustrated in colour

Colour: The colours in the catalogue illustration are fairly accurate, although the green tones are slightly deeper and richer in the original. Condition: This work is in very good condition. No restoration is apparent under ultraviolet light.
"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."

Executed between 2007 and 2008, the present work is the very last portrait Frank Auerbach painted of Ruth Bromberg. In a letter dated March 2008, Ruth, with palpable regret, informed Auerbach of her need to resign as a sitter:  "I know how important your sitters are to you and I would not wish to be the cause of disruption to your work schedule. I have always taken my sittings very seriously and with your best interests in mind, I am reluctant to take on a commitment that I might not be able to fulfil... My seventeen years as a sitter have been a source of the greatest pleasure and joy throughout... Thursday afternoons will never be the same again and I feel the loss" (Ruth Bromberg in a letter to Frank Auerbach, 20 March 2008). Significantly, Auerbach designated the present painting as a gift to the Brombergs when he first began work on it - herein providing the ultimate conclusion to Ruth's seventeen years as a sitter by joining the very first painting with the very last: "By some strange coincidence, both you first and last painting of me will be with me here in my home, as a constant source of pleasure along with all of your other great works" (Ibid.).