JOHN GRAHAM (1881 - 1961) | Untitled (Erotic Drawings) [Two Works], 'circa' 1941

i, ii. ink on paper

Miller Dunbar Books, London
Acquired from the above by the present owner

New York, Allan Stone Gallery, 'John Graham: Sum Qui Sum,' October - December 2005, pp. 133-134, illustrated 
New York, Allan Stone Projects, 'John Graham: Artist Sweating Blood,' September - October 2017

i: This work is in very good condition overall. The sheet is hinged along the reverse of the upper edge to the backing board. There is a slight undulation to the sheet, visible upon close inspection There are scattered surface irregularities, inherent to the nature of the sheet. There is adhesive residue along the left vertical edge, presumably from being torn from a drawing pad. There are soft creases to the lower left and upper right corners. Framed under Plexiglas. ii: This work is in very good condition overall. The sheet is hinged along the reverse of the upper edge to the backing board. There is a slight undulation to the sheet, visible upon close inspection. There are scattered surface irregularities, inherent to the nature of the sheet. There is adhesive residue along the left vertical edge, presumably from being torn from a drawing pad. There is a soft crease to the lower right corner. Framed under Plexiglas.
The lot is sold in the condition it is in at the time of sale. The condition report is provided to assist you with assessing the condition of the lot and is for guidance only. Any reference to condition in the condition report for the lot does not amount to a full description of condition. The images of the lot form part of the condition report for the lot provided by Sotheby's. Certain images of the lot provided online may not accurately reflect the actual condition of the lot. In particular, the online images may represent colours and shades which are different to the lot's actual colour and shades. The condition report for the lot may make reference to particular imperfections of the lot but you should note that the lot may have other faults not expressly referred to in the condition report for the lot or shown in the online images of the lot. The condition report may not refer to all faults, restoration, alteration or adaptation because Sotheby's is not a professional conservator or restorer but rather the condition report is a statement of opinion genuinely held by Sotheby's. For that reason, Sotheby's condition report is not an alternative to taking your own professional advice regarding the condition of the lot.

After serving in World War I, Graham came to New York, where he studied at the Art Student’s League, befriending the likes of Adolf Gottlieb, Barnett Newman and Alexander Calder. Like Jackson Pollock, Graham was interested in Mysticism, as well as Freudian and Jungian psychology, which reveals itself in the current work. His work can be found in many permanent collections, including the Art Institute of Chicago, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Whitney Museum of American Art.