Fernand Léger

Nadia Léger, Paris
Musée Fernand Léger, Biot
Sale: Sotheby's, London, 5th July 1979, lot 471
Waddington Galleries, Ltd., London (purchased at the above sale)
Albert A. Robin, Chicago & Palm Springs
Bequeathed from the above to the present owner in 2005

Executed on cream wove paper, laid down on board. There is a tiny nick to the upper right edge and some minor paper skinning (3cm long) to the lower right edge, and another slightly raised area of paper abrasion (2.5cm long) to the lower right corner, well below the initials. There is a further minor vertical (1.5cm long) abrasion to the upper right corner, above and to the right of the horse's head. Otherwise, this work is in overall good 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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Musicien et acrobate V is among the finest examples of Léger's preparatory output for his monumental La Grande Parade, now in the collection of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York. A common motif in the history of modern art, the circus served as a particular focus of fascination and source of inspiration for Léger, and he understood it: 'not as a staged drama playing out the sad fate of humanity condemned to masquerade, but as a grand, joyful spectacle, ringing with sound, colour, and unpredictable magic that never [failed] to charm' (Constance Naubert-Riser, 'Fernand Léger,' The Great Parade: Portrait of the Artist as Clown (exhibition catalogue), Paris & Ottawa, 2004, p. 119). In 1954 Léger reflected on his circus imagery and his meticulous process: 'In this parade, it's not like at the zoo, the animals are nearer and the shock you get is more powerful. The circus was the event of my childhood. And here it is, back again in my painting... It took me two years to paint La grande parade. I study things in depth. I work very slowly... The more I look at myself, the more I realize I'm a classicist' (Dora Vallier, 'La Vie fait l'œuvre de Fernand Léger, propos de l'artiste recueillis,' Cahiers d'art XXIX, vol. II, Paris, 1954, p. 157)