Baltasar Lobo

Galería Freites, Caracas
Acquired from the above in 1994

Baltasar Lobo (exhibition catalogue), Galería Freites, Caracas, 1993, illustraton of another cast p. 48
Baltasar Lobo (exhibition catalogue), Galería Freites, Caracas, 1999, illustrations of another cast on the cover & p. 109
Gaston Diehl & Federica Palomero, Baltasar Lobo, Caracas, 2005, illustration of another cast p. 39
Baltasar Lobo. Esculturas Monumentales (exhibition catalogue), Paseo del Prado, Madrid (and traveling), 2007-10, illustration of another cast n.p.
Baltasar Lobo (exhibition catalogue), Instituto Valenciano de Arte Moderno, Valencia, 2011, illustration of another cast n.p. 

This work is in very good condition. The bronze is sound and has a very attractive mottled dark brown patina. A ½" long horizontal nick in the bronze can be seen on the face while two small indentations in the bronze were noted on the proper left shoulder. Porosity in the metal in the form of tiny pinholes were observed scattered throughout the surface, which is an inherent feature in the cast. The sculpture is clean and waxed.
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.

Femme assise, grande taille exemplifies Lobo’s lifelong fascination with the feminine form. Born in the small Zamora village of Cerecinos de Campos in 1910, he fled his home country following the Spanish Civil War in 1939. Moving to Montparnasse, he soon formed close friendships with not only Pablo Picasso, but also fellow sculptors Jacques Lipchitz and Henri Laurens. Lobo became particularly close with Laurens, who offered him a job working in his studio and provided him with his own workspace. Working alongside Laurens and his reclining nudes, Lobo further discovered his affinity for the female figure, an interest further inspired by Iberian and Cycladic sculpture he first encountered on a visit to the Archaeological Museum in Madrid. Lobo parted from Laurens in the 1950s and transitioned toward his signature, elegantly refined style inspired by the work of Constantin Brancusi and Jean Arp. The present work, with its soft curves, abstracted minimal form and extraordinary patina, exemplifies the most desirable qualities of twentieth-century sculpture.