Georges Braque

O'Hana Gallery, London
Sale : Galerie Kornfeld, Bern, 23rd June 1982, lot 46
Private Collection, Switzerland (acquired at the above sale)
Sale : Sotheby's, London, 23rd June 2011, lot 188
Acquired at the above sale

The canvas is not lined. Examination under UV light reveals some minor retouching in the background around the edges: two 1cm spots along the left part of the upper edge, two very fine 1cm hairline strokes above the fruit, and some tiny dots to repair abrasion to the extreme edges. Otherwise this work is in very 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."

Georges Braque's exploration of the still-life genre is undoubtedly one of the most exhaustive and exhilarating artistic journeys in the history of twentieth-century art. From the Cubist still-lifes of his “Ateliers” series, to his “Cheminées” and “Guéridons”, it was objects, rather than landscapes or living creatures, that always inspired Braque and led to his most accomplished masterpieces. He himself expressed his preference for the genre, saying that "the still-life is a tactile, even manual space, in contrast to the space of the landscape, which is a visual space"(Edwin Mullins, The Art of Georges Braque, New York, 1968, p. 41). It is the malleability of the still-life composition, both real and illusory, that allowed Braque to approach his art with such rigour, and therefore make his work so rich, visually and intellectually.

Nature Morte à la Poire et aux Pommes is a remarkable example of the artist's post Cubist period. The forms create a succession of layered kidney-shaped lozenges, some solid, like the white cloth the apples rest upon, and others delineated by charming arabesques, such as the dish and the globular pear. White curving lines caress every shape in the composition, adding to the sense of unity between form and content. Isabelle Monod-Fontaine has written of the "inexhaustible poetic richness Braque achieved with his still-lifes' and the way in which 'the still life as a genre is raised to a new level of profundity and complexity, which has probably never been attained since." (Isabelle Monod-Fontaine, Georges Braque: Order and Emotion (exhibition catalogue), Museum of Contemporary Art, Andros, 2003, p. 24)