Georges Braque

Galerie Theo, Madrid
Galeria Amparo Gamir, Madrid
Private Collection, Europe (acquired from the above)
Thence by descent to the present owners

Valencia, Instituto Valenciano de Arte Moderno, Georges Braque, 2006, illustrated in colour in the catalogue

Galerie Maeght (ed.), Catalogue de l'œuvre de Georges Braque, Peintures 1916-1923, France, 1973, illustrated p. 79

The canvas is not lined and there appear to be no signs of retouching visible under UV light. There are two tiny holes to the upper and lower extreme edges of the canvas (not visible when framed), and some surface dirt in places, which could be easily removed. There are some minute paint losses in places, mainly towards the upper left corner. Otherwise, this work is in overall good condition.
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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 still-life first appears in Braque's œuvre around 1906, and endured as a dominant theme throughout his artistic career. Often selecting everyday items as his subject, he appreciated the genre as a 'tactile, even manual space', which he could manipulate and mould as he wished (Isabelle Monod-Fontaine, Braque, Order and Emotion, (exhibition catalogue), Museum of Contemporary Art, Andros, 2003, p. 19).

Verre et Plat de Fruits is a pivotal example of Braque's multi-planed investigations, in which he chose to adopt deliberately contradictory viewpoints in order to explore three dimensional space.  As viewers, we are invited to investigate and view from a frontal perspective the outlined fruits at the centre of the composition, while the plate on which they are placed against, is viewed from a conflicting birds-eye perspective. The subject matter feels very much within reach, but somehow eludes us. This piece also conveys a very characteristic and subtle use of cast shadows, which hint at depth and create a sensorial 'in-between' space. Braque has been quoted as saying that 'it is the relationship between objects themselves, and with the 'in-between,' which constitutes the subject matter' (quoted in Douglas Cooper, Braque: The Great Years, Chicago, 1972, p. 51). Braque modulates the earthly tone of the composition with the use of a stark green, lending the work an aura of dazzling movement. He further disrupts the surface by incising minute lines on the lower left and right plane, juxtaposing the visual surface with the tactile surface of the paint.