- 388
Balthus
Estimate
50,000 - 70,000 USD
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Description
- Balthus
- Étude pour Le Lever
- Signed with the artist's monogram (lower left)
- Pencil and watercolor on paper
- 21 3/4 by 16 7/8 in.
- 55.2 by 43 cm
Provenance
Private Collection, France
Acquired from the above in 1980
Acquired from the above in 1980
Exhibited
Vevey, Musée Jenisch, Balthus. De Piero della Francesca à Alberto Giacometti, 2002, no. 60, illustrated in color in the catalogue
Martigny, Fondation Pierre Gianadda, Balthus. 100e anniversaire, 2008, no. 69, illustrated in color in the catalogue
Martigny, Fondation Pierre Gianadda, Balthus. 100e anniversaire, 2008, no. 69, illustrated in color in the catalogue
Literature
Jean Clair & Virginie Monnier, Balthus, Catalogue Raisonné of the Complete Works, New York, 1999, no. D 844, illustrated p. 285 (with incorrect dimensions and media)
Condition
Work is in very good condition. Executed on cream wove paper, not laid down. The sheet is hinged to the mount at two points along the upper edge. Remnants of old framers tape are visible on verso. The left edge is deckled and the right edge is slightly irregular. The sheet is lightly time-darkened and slightly wavy. There is a small flattened crease in the figure's upper right arm. There are two artist's pinholes towards the lower edge which are not visible when 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 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 most iconic motif in Balthus's oeuvre is the reclining adolescent girl. These pictures explore the sensuous geometry of the body and exploit the tantalizing potential of a bent knee or an exposed thigh. Balthus depicted his models in variations of this salacious pose numerous times, resulting in the most definitive images of his art. The present work belongs to a series of studies for the painting Le Lever (see fig. 1).
In his memoirs, the artist wrote the following about his drawings of young women: "There is no more exacting discipline than capturing these variations in faces and poses of my daydreaming young girls. The drawing's caress seeks to rediscover a childlike grace that vanishes so quickly, leaving us with an inconsolable memory. The challenge is to track down the sweetness so that graphite on paper can re-create the fresh oval of a face, a shape close to angels' faces" (Balthus, Vanished Splendors, A Memoir, New York, 2002, p. 65).