Carl Moll

Sale: im Kinsky, Vienna, 20 November 2007, lot 73
Purchased at the above sale by the present owner

Brünn, Künstlerhaus, Kunstausstellung, Mährischer Kunstverein (a label on the reverse)

Original canvas. There are no signs of retouching visible under ultra-violet light. Overall this work is in very good original condition.
"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 is a particularly fulsome flower composition by Moll. The strong light combined with the painter's bravura brushstrokes capture the dahlias' robust forms and rich colouring to evoke a halcyon mood of sun-drenched summer days.

Carl Moll was a great admirer of the beauty of nature, and throughout his artistic career explored landscape and still-life painting. During the First World War, sunlit landscapes provided a respite from the turmoil of the conflict. Similarly, during the Second World War, Moll commented to his friend Anton Steinhart on the palliative importance of flowers: ‘Even if the fields are inevitably bound to be cultivated with potatoes, from time to time one does still manage to find a beautiful flower in their midst.’ (letter of 3 May 1944).

Dahlias were introduced into Europe over two hundred years ago, imported from Mexico to the Botanical Gardens in Madrid at the end of the eighteenth century. Their popularity spread quickly across the continent. Bringing a riot of colour to the garden at the end of the summer when most other plants have ceased flowering, Moll was captivated by the plant's late blooming and cheerful nature. In the present work, each brushstroke is a masterful exploration of the texture of the plant with a myriad of different tonalities of white, cream, yellow and pink, that capture the play of light on the petals to optimum effect.