Georges Braque

Alfred Poyet, Paris (acquired from the artist)
Marlborough Fine Art, Ltd., London
Wilbur D. May, Reno, Nevada
St. Louis Museum of Art, St. Louis (a gift from the above in 1956 and sold: Christie’s, New York, November 7, 2007, lot 478)
Acquired at the above sale by the present owner 

Galerie Maeght, ed., Catalogue de l'oeuvre de Georges Braque, Peintures 1942-1947, Paris, 1960, illustrated p. 15

Executed on cream wove paper laid down on canvas. Thee is a layer of varnish on the surface. Under UV light there are small repaired tears near upper left corner, at center of bottom edge and across extreme upper right corner. There is also a small area of repaired tears near the tail of the fish towards lower right corner. A few other pindot retouches are visible mostly along the extreme edges. Work is in generally 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.

Throughout his career Braque favored the still life as his chief subject in his explorations of the spatial relationships of objects. In La Toilette dans la cuisine, he extends the composition to include decorative details such as tiled flooring and patterned wall paper. A jug, wash basin and teapot, simplified to their purist forms, appear almost flat on the picture plane. Staged against a dark background, the painting evokes a seemingly infinite depth. White lines around the wash basin, as well as similar accents throughout, create strong focal points that define the viewer's experience of the image.

The present work was painted in 1942 in Paris during the German occupation. Braque always denied symbolic meaning in his still lifes, yet the muted and somber palette, not to mention the very limited domestic objects and items of food, can be seen as a reflection of austerity during World War II. La Toilette dans la cuisine is meanwhile an excellent example of the artist’s mature oeuvre, showcasing the his ability to manipulate a complex composition and convey a wonderfully tactile quality with minimal means.