- 170
Edgar Degas
Estimate
200,000 - 300,000 USD
bidding is closed
Description
- Edgar Degas
- Le Duo
- Signed Degas (upper right)
- Pastel over monotype on paper
- Image: 4 5/8 by 6 3/8 in.; 11.9 by 16.2 cm
- Sheet: 5 1/8 by 6 7/8 in.; 13.2 by 17.3 cm
Provenance
Henri Gallice (probably acquired before 1917 and sold: Galerie Charpentier, Paris, May 25, 1934, lot 81)
Georges Berheim, Paris (acquired at the above sale)
Private Collection, Paris (by descent from the above)
Sale: Audap & Mirabaud, Paris, December 7, 2011, lot 21
Acquired at the above sale by the present owner
Georges Berheim, Paris (acquired at the above sale)
Private Collection, Paris (by descent from the above)
Sale: Audap & Mirabaud, Paris, December 7, 2011, lot 21
Acquired at the above sale by the present owner
Condition
Pastel over monotype on buff colored wove paper. The perimeter of the sheet is backed with Japan paper which, in turn, is affixed to a window mat. Edges are unevenly cut. A few tiny nicks to the extreme perimeter of the sheet and one spot of skinning to the center of the top edge, all outside of the image area. The sheet undulates slightly and is slightly time darkened. The pastel medium is strong and remarkably well preserved. 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.
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
Rich in textural detail, the present work is the result of Degas' direct application of pastel and his use of a unique transfer process known as monotype. On a metal or glass plate Degas drew the outline of a composition in ink, then pressed a sheet of paper against the inked plate to create a mirror image. He then drew directly onto the printed image with pastels, adding color, dimension and detail in the negative spaces left on the paper.
Degas completed this work in the mid-1870s, when his talents and powers of observation were at their most refined. Voyeurism was central to Degas' artistic objectives and to the intrigue of his compositions. In his scenes of dancers waiting in the wings, a bather emerging from her tub or, as in the present work, a pair of café singers lit by the harsh fluorescent light so new to Paris's late night haunts, the viewer encounters Degas' models in private moments, lost in their own worlds.
Degas' experimentation with monotypes was unrivaled by his contemporaries. Pablo Picasso owned a number of Degas monotypes and he compared the power of these works to the drawings of Rembrandt.
Degas completed this work in the mid-1870s, when his talents and powers of observation were at their most refined. Voyeurism was central to Degas' artistic objectives and to the intrigue of his compositions. In his scenes of dancers waiting in the wings, a bather emerging from her tub or, as in the present work, a pair of café singers lit by the harsh fluorescent light so new to Paris's late night haunts, the viewer encounters Degas' models in private moments, lost in their own worlds.
Degas' experimentation with monotypes was unrivaled by his contemporaries. Pablo Picasso owned a number of Degas monotypes and he compared the power of these works to the drawings of Rembrandt.