- 217
Edgar Degas
Estimate
120,000 - 180,000 USD
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Description
- Edgar Degas
- Femme surprise
- Inscribed Degas, numbered 42/H and stamped with the foundry mark Cire Perdue A.A. Hébrard
- Bronze
- Height: 16 in.
- 40.6 cm.
Provenance
Jeffrey H. Loria & Co., Inc., New York
Acquired from the above in January 1970
Acquired from the above in January 1970
Literature
John Rewald & Leonard von Matt, L'Oeuvre sculpté de Degas, Zurich, 1957, no. LIV, illustration of another cast pl. 64
John Rewald, Degas's Complete Sculpture, Catalogue Raisonné, San Francisco, 1990, no. LIV, illustration of another cast p. 147
Anne Pingeot, Degas Sculptures, Paris, 1991, no. 61, illustrations of other casts pp. 112-13 & 182
Sara Campbell, "A Catalogue of Degas' Bronzes" in Apollo, August, 1995, no. 31, illustration of another cast p. 31
Joseph Czestochowski & Anne Pingeot, Degas Sculptures: A Catalogue Raisonné of the Bronzes, Memphis, 2002-03, illustration in color of another cast p. 202
John Rewald, Degas's Complete Sculpture, Catalogue Raisonné, San Francisco, 1990, no. LIV, illustration of another cast p. 147
Anne Pingeot, Degas Sculptures, Paris, 1991, no. 61, illustrations of other casts pp. 112-13 & 182
Sara Campbell, "A Catalogue of Degas' Bronzes" in Apollo, August, 1995, no. 31, illustration of another cast p. 31
Joseph Czestochowski & Anne Pingeot, Degas Sculptures: A Catalogue Raisonné of the Bronzes, Memphis, 2002-03, illustration in color of another cast p. 202
Condition
Work is in very good condition. Golden brown patina. Some very minor surface dirt in crevices.
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 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.
Catalogue Note
The exploration of movement is a defining feature in the oeuvre of Edgar Degas, and nowhere is his exceptional aptitude for rendering the human form in motion more evident than in his sculptures. Femme surprise is an important sculpture featuring the natural state of the human form. The present composition features a female dancer taken unawares; her body crouches forward slightly at bent knee as she glances over her left shoulder toward. John Rewald discussions reveal Degas’ preference for the natural expression of form: “Posing for Degas was not easy; the hours were long, and the artist was so exacting that some models refused to work for him. The sight of a rounded back or a listlessly extended hand could make him roar with anger. He had a profound aversion for all so-called ‘graceful’ poses, which were so popular in other studios, and nearly always insisted on poses that were full of action” (John Rewald, Degas’s Complete Sculpture, Catalogue Raisonné, San Francisco, 1990, p. 25).