Hans Arp

François Arp, Paris

Ruth Tillard-Arp (by descent from the above)

Sale: Etude Calmels Cohen, Paris, Vente Arp, June 12, 2003, lot 52

Acquired at the above sale

Michel Seuphor, Arp. Sculpture, Paris, 1964, illustrated pl. 2

Giuseppe Marchiori, Arp: cinquante ans d'activité; Avec deux poèmes de Arp, Milan, 1964, no. 65, illustrated p. 86

Slovenské pohl'ady, 1966, no. 9, illustrated p. 52

"Hommage à Hans Jean Arp" in Saisons d'Alsace, Strasbourg, 1967, no. 22, illustrated p. 207

Bernd Rau, Hans Arp. Die Reliefs, Oeuvre-Katalog, Stuttgart, 1981, no. 48, illustrated p. 30

Very good condition. The board bears some abrasion/indentations along the left edge at the top and bottom, and the bottom-right corner is slightly worn. The white pigment on the board evidences some tiny spots of foxing. The wood relief elements that the artist mounted to the board appear stable and intact. There is one tiny area of wear to the bottom edge of the nose at the left, and some specks of slighly discolored paint to the moustache.
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.

Tête au nez rouge is a remarkable example of Arp’s unique language which originated during his Dada period in the early 1920s. Arp developed a rich repertoire of abstract shapes and symbols derived from nature and his everyday environment. Common motifs included the moustache, mask, leaf, cloud, star, bottle and the navel among many more.

During this time Arp produced shallow reliefs which typically consisted of two layers and were mounted on a rectangular wooden support. Eric Robertson noted that “much of the visual interest in these works arises from the ambiguity of their different layers which are all uncompromisingly flat: the ambiguity results from a tension among the literal flatness of their surfaces, the modest differences in depth in the relation of figure to ground, and the illusionistic depth that can be read into the relief forms, which can be interpreted as flattened iconic representations of three-dimensional objects” (E. Robertson, Arp. Painter, Poet, Sculptor, 2006, New Haven, p. 142). Indeed, the present composition possesses a beautiful sculptural dimensionality which heightens the interplay between color and form.