Alice Neel

Commissioned by Mr. and Mrs. Samuel P. Mandell for the Sacred Arts Committee of the Congress, Washington, D.C. in 1976

Philadelphia, Civic Center, Forty-First International Eucharistic Congress Exhibit, August 1976

Patricia Hills, Alice Neel, New York, 1983, pp 173, 177 and 176, illustrated
Exh. Cat., Philadelphia Museum of Art, Alice Neel, 2000, p. 66, illustrated

This work is in very good condition overall. There is evidence of light wear and handling to the edges, resulting in some hairline craquelure at the pull margins. There is a small horizontal abrasion at the bottom right and a small accretion along the right middle. Under Ultraviolet light inspection there is no evidence of restoration. Framed.
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.

In 1976, Alice Neel was commissioned by Mr. and Mrs. Samuel P. Mandell for the Sacred Arts Committee of the Congress to paint the portrait of Archbishop Jean Jadot, a Belgian apostolic delegate to the United States who previously served in several diplomatic posts in Africa and Asia. To prepare to paint "such a difficult subject," as Jadot referred to himself, Neel first visited the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. to study the clerical portraits of Thomas Eakins, in particular the portrait of Apostolic Delegate Diomede Falconio from 1905. Indeed, the resemblance between the two paintings is striking, and Neel perfectly captured the majestic, almost regal air of the Eakins portrait in her 1976 iteration.