Paul Delvaux

Private Collection, Antwerp (a gift from the artist; until 1956)
Mme Jean Krebs, Brussels
Stooshoff Fine Art, London
Private Collection (sale: Christie's, London, 2nd February 2004, lot 80)
Purchased at the above sale by the present owner

Brussels, L'Atelier de la Grosse Tour, Paul Delvaux, 1933, no. 5
New York, Staempfli Gallery, Paul Delvaux, 1959, no. 1
Lille, Palais des Beaux-Arts, Exposition rétrospective des œuvres de Paul Delvaux, 1966, no. 5, illustrated in the catalogue
Brussels, Musée Communal d'Ixelles, Paul Delvaux, 1967, no. 3
London, Acoris, The Surrealist Art Centre, Surrealist Masters, 1972, no. 13, illustrated in the catalogue
Rotterdam, Museum Boymans van Beuningern, Paul Delvaux, 1973, no. 5, illustrated in the catalogue
Ferrara, Gallerie Civiche D'Arte Moderna, Palazzo dei Diamanti, Paul Delvaux, 1986, no. 9, illustrated in the catalogue
Osaka, Musée d'Art de Daimaru; Tokyo, Musée d'Art d'Isetan, & travelling, Paul Delvaux, 1989-1990, no. 15, illustrated in the catalogue
Paris, Grand Palais, Paul Delvaux: Peintures, dessins 1922-1982, 1991, no. 10, illustrated in colour in the catalogue
Brussels, Royal Museum of Fine Arts of Belgium, Paul Delvaux 1897-1994, 1997, no. 26, illustrated in colour in the catalogue
Monaco, Salle d'Exposition du Quai Antoine 1er, Paul Delvaux, 2001, illustrated in the catalogue

Albert Van Hoognbemt, 'De Nieuze Generatie - V. Paul Delvaux', in Kunst, Gand, 1933, no. 9, p. 302
Les Beaux-Arts, Brussels, 7th December 1934, no. 142, p. 20
Les Beaux-Arts, Brussels, 17th November 1966, no. 1143, p. 13
José Vovelle, Le Surréalisme en Belgique, Brussels, 1972, no. 202, illustrated p. 171
Antje von Graevenitz, in Weltkunst, Munich, 15th May 1973, no. 10, p. 807
Michel Butor, Jean Clair & Suzanne Houbart-Wilkin, Delvaux, Catalogue de l'œuvre peint, Brussels, 1975, no. 56, illustrated
Marc Eemans, Le nu de Rops à Delvaux, Brussels, 1981, illustrated
Maurice Debra, Wandelingen en Gesprekken met Delvaux, Tielt, 1991, illustrated p. 65
David Scott, Paul Delvaux, Surrealizing the Nude, London, 1992, no. 5, illustrated p. 23

The canvas is not lined. There is a 8cm. horizontal line of retouching above the sitters elbow and a small area of broken lines and specks of retouching adjacent to the upper edge. There are nailhead-sized spots of retouching at intervals along the upper and right edges and two nailhead-sized spots of retouching under her right breast as well as few specks of retouching in the sitter's body. All retouching is visible under UV light. Apart from some very light craquelure, mainly under the window, this work in in 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. 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, painted in November of 1932, contains many of the characteristics of Delvaux's main body of work, focusing on the subject of the female nude set in a landscape of classical architecture.

Although Delvaux did not witness the mystifying, empty Italian piazzas of Giorgio de Chirico's work until 1934 he was undoubtedly aware of the Surrealist movement having met Edouard Léon Théodore Mesens, one of the leading exponents of surrealist art in Belguim, in 1930. It was a combination of this meeting and his visit to the Midi Fair in Brussels that set Delvaux on his path towards Surrealist art. While in Brussels, Delvaux stumbled across a cabinet of curiosities in the shed of the Spitzner Museum containing a wax figure of a naked woman; she was to become the intimate muse for the present work to Nu au lever (Le Lever).