Albert Gleizes

Galerie Der Sturm (Herwarth Walden), Berlin
Private Collection, Los Angeles (acquired from the above circa 1924)
Thence by descent

Berlin, Galerie Der Sturm, Einblick in Kunst, 1924

The canvas is not lined. UV examination reveals a few spots of retouching in places to the left of the upper edge. Some fine and stable lines of craquelure predominantly to the left of the canvas and to the upper right corner. Surface is slightly dirty, otherwise fine. 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.

The power and dynamism of New York—a city defined by its noise, speed and scale—proved a source of profound inspiration for Gleizes upon his arrival to Manhattan on September 11, 1915. Indeed, he was joyfully overwhelmed by the overbearing skyscrapers and frantic way of life. Broadway performance was one of the most popular and vibrant forms of entertainment during Gleize’s American residency. The flashing lights and billboards on the streets were complemented by the enthusiastic movements of the dancers, singers and actors in the theaters. In his art of the period, Gleizes translated this vast source of subject matter toward the edge of geometric abstraction, the diversity of shapes and patterns with textual overlay evoking the zany energy of the urban center, an area charged with light, color and adrenaline. As Peter Brooke and Christian Briend write, “In the animated neighbourhood around Broadway, it was the neon illuminated advertisements that caught the attention of Gleizes and inspired him to a very liberal extension of Cubist practice. The transparency effects and dynamic superimposing seem to recall the syncopated jazz rhythms of the music that Gleizes had also discovered upon his arrival in New York” (Peter Brooke & Christian Briend, Albert Gleizes, Le Cubisme en majesté (exhibition catalogue), Musée des Beaux-Arts, Lyon & Musée Picasso, Paris, 2001, p. 82).