Baltasar Lobo

Galería Freites, Caracas
Acquired from the above

Patrice de La Perrière, "Baltasar Lobo" in Arts Actualités Magazine, March 1991, illustration of another cast p. 33
Philippe Gurdjian, Femmes chefs-d'oeuvre, Paris, 1991, illustration of another cast p. 218
Laurence Pythoud, "Susse Frères Fondeur, L'Art et la Manière" in L'Oeil, April 1992, no. 440, illustration of another cast p. 61
Baltasar Lobo: La Perennidad de la Escultura: Problema Primordial (exhibition catalogue), Galería Freites, Caracas, 2005, illustration of another cast p. 20
Archives Malingue S.A., no. 8905

This work is in very good condition. Varied greenish brown patina. Some accretions in deepest crevices and in the figure's ponytail. There is a 1 inch line of indentation on figure's proper left thumb, 2 small surface abrasions on the figure's proper left thumb and another on the proper right finger. There are some sports of verdegris where the figure meets the base. Surface dust and dirt in the deepest crevices. Small nick to the patina at the figure's left thigh. Otherwise, fine.
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.

Jeune fille assise de face exemplifies Lobo’s lifelong fascination with the feminine form. Born in the small Zamora village of Cerecinos de Campos in 1910, he fled his home country following the Spanish Civil War in 1939. Moving to Montparnasse, he soon formed close friendships with not only Pablo Picasso, but also fellow sculptors Jacques Lipchitz and Henri Laurens. Lobo became particularly close with Laurens, who offered him a job working in his studio and provided him with his own work space. Working alongside Laurens and his reclining nudes, Lobo further discovered his affinity for the female figure, an interest also inspired by the Iberian and Cycladic sculpture that he first encountered on a visit to the Archaeological Museum in Madrid. Lobo parted from Laurens in the 1950s and transitioned toward his signature, elegantly refined style inspired by the work of Constantin Brancusi and Jean Arp. The present work, with its soft curves, abstracted minimal form and extraordinary patina, exemplifies the most desirable qualities of twentieth-century sculpture.