Willem de Kooning

Mr. and Mrs. Morton L. Ostrow, New York
Gift of the above to the present owner in 1979

New York, The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Collection: Art in America after World War II, January - February 1979
East Hampton, Guild Hall Museum, Willem de Kooning: The Reflection of Light, May - July 1981
Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Art, 20th Century Painting and Modern Sculpture: Modern Painting in the West, October - December 1983, no. 87, p. 126, illustrated in color
Bilbao, The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Las Vanguardias Artisticas y el Expressionism, November 1998 - February 1999
Bilbao, The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Modern Painting and Sculpture, May 1999 - May 2000
New York, The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, The Global Guggenheim: Selections from the Extended Collection, February - April 2001
Modena, Foro Boario, Action Painting: Dal Disegno all'Opera, Arte Americana 1940-1970, November 2004 - February 2005, n.p., illustrated in color
New York, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Art Informel and Abstract Expressionism in the Guggenheim Collections, March - November 2005

This work is in good condition overall. There is evidence of light wear and handling along the edges and in the beige painted area. There is evidence of slight discoloration along the lower left edge. The faint black marks in the upper right corner appear inherent to the artist's working method. There are some pinpoint spot accretions scattered throughout, visible upon close inspection. Under very close inspection, some small air bubbles are visible in the upper right quadrant. Under Ultraviolet light inspection, there are several spots in the upper right quadrant and along the edges that fluoresce darkly and appear to have benefitted from restoration. Framed under Plexiglas.
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.

"When I came here [to East Hampton] I made the color of sand—a big pot of paint that was the color of sand. As if I picked up sand and mixed it. And the grey-green grass, the beach grass, and the ocean was all kind of steely grey most of the time. When the light hits the ocean there is kind of a grey light on the water."
Willem de Kooning