Salvador Dalí

Jacques Carpentier, Switzerland
Silver State Fine Art, Los Angeles
Private Collection (acquired from the above in 2000)
Del Mintz Collection (by descent from the above; sale: Christie's, New York, 7th November 2008, lot 612)
Purchased at the above sale by the present owner

Watercolour, felt-tip pen and oil on joined paper laid down on canvas. Examination under UV light reveals some areas of fluorescence to the places where the sheets of paper are joined, which appear to correspond with the glue used to unite the sheets. The sheet is slightly time-stained and there is some fading to the felt-tip, particularly to the orange pigment. There are some flattened creases in places, the most prominent of which is towards the centre of the top edge, and there are some tiny possible repaired tears in places. There are some small accretions corresponding to the artist's working process.There is a spot of foxing to the fetus at the right side of the composition. This work is in overall 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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Imbued with a multiplicity of iconic Dalinien symbols, La Pietà was originally conceived as a design for a stained-glass ceiling in the Teatro-Museo Dalí in Figueras. As the focal point of the composition Dalí has included an exquisitely delineated rendering of the Pietà – the Madonna mourning the figure of Jesus – in an almost identical pose to Michelangelo’s celebrated marble realisation of the scene. As a devout Catholic the subject of the Pietà was of paramount importance for Dalí, recurring as a theme of great significance in his work throughout his life.

Amidst the brilliantly coloured background of the present work, the masculine face at the centre of the image represents the Serenity of Faith and acts as the nucleus of the various forms which radiate off it, all with highly symbolic associations.  At either side of the circle the Hermaphrodite and the Sleeping Fetus face each other, whilst Heterosexual Anguish, Without Time and Hallucinogenic Embrace hover at the upper centre. Further layers of allusion are referenced by the inclusion of a self-portrait within each of these apparitions – suggestive, perhaps, of the artist’s multifaceted and complex emotional state. Angelic forms hover at the edges, representative of Mystical Exaltation, Divine Word and Transfiguration. In 1974 the original owner of this work, Swiss publisher Jacques Carpentier, published a suite of fourteen lithographs depicting scenes taken from La Pietà.