Claudio Bravo 1936-2011

Marlborough Gallery, New York

Paris, Institut du Monde Arabe, Claudio Bravo and Morocco, March 16-May 16, 2004, p. 76, illustrated in color
Monterrey, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Monterrey, Claudio Bravo, 2007, cat. 25, p. 87, illustrated in color

Paul Bowles, Francisco Calvo Serraller and Edward J. Sullivan, Claudio Bravo, Paintings and Drawings (1964-2004), Madrid, 2005, p. 407, illustrated in color

This painting is in perfect condition. The canvas is well stretched. The paint layer is clean and may have been varnished since it was painted, but it is well illuminated by the varnish. The work should be hung as is. (This condition report has been provided courtesy of Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc.)
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.

“...Là, tout n'est qu'ordre et beauté,
Luxe, calme et volupté.

Des meubles luisants,
Polis par les ans,
Décoreraient notre chambre;
Les plus rares fleurs
Mêlant leurs odeurs
Aux vagues senteurs de l'ambre,
Les riches plafonds,
Les miroirs profonds,
La splendeur orientale,
Tout y parlerait
À l'âme en secret
Sa douce langue natale.

Là, tout n'est qu'ordre et beauté,
Luxe, calme et volupté…”

“...There all is order and beauty,
Luxury, peace, and pleasure.

Gleaming furniture,
Polished by the years,
Will ornament our bedroom;
The rarest flowers
Mingling their fragrance
With the faint scent of amber,
The ornate ceilings,
The limpid mirrors,
The oriental splendor,
All would whisper there
Secretly to the soul
In its soft, native language.

There all is order and beauty,
Luxury, peace, and pleasure..”

“Invitation to the Voyage” from Les fleurs du mal , Charles Beaudelaire, 1857

Morocco was Bravo’s refuge and his inspiration. He often said that his homes were “luxe, calme et volulpte,” a quote from French poet Charles Baudelaire’s Les Fleur du mal. Bravo spoke lovingly of the joy of living surrounded by the collections of silver, Roman antiquities, Chinese art,  Islamic glass and pottery. The beauty which existed in his homes  is often seen in his still life paintings.