Georges Braque

Galerie Niveau, Paris
Sam Kootz Gallery, New York
Hans Hoffman, New York
Talma Galleries Fine Art, Inc., New York
Private Collection, Australia (acquired from the above)
Thence by descent

Galerie Maeght, ed., Catalogue de l'oeuvre de Georges Braque, peintures 1928-1935, Paris, 1962, illustrated pl. 70

Work is in excellent condition. The canvas is not lined. The surface is clean and beautifully preserved. Under UV light, there is a small restoration in the brown table top above the signature. There is an apparent hole in the canvas, which has been filled with paint, seemingly by the artist in order to represent the navel of the lemon. A large quantity of white paint is visible on the reverse, corresponding to this spot.
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.

Painted in 1931, Verre, pipe et fruits epitomizes the "transparent" aesthetic that defined Braque's work from the late 1920s onward. Elements of the composition overlap with varying degrees of transparency, creating an illusion of recession and depth. The dimensionality of the picture is further enhanced by Braque's choice of color. He limits his palette in a manner that focuses the eye on the glass, fruit and pipe at the center of the composition. Still lifes feature prominently in Braque's and Picasso's early Synthetic works and were a link with high Baroque still lifes, such as those painted by Caravaggio (see fig. 2). Braque's historical appropriations and experiments with formal transparency would have a profound effect on the work of his fellow painters, most notably in Picasso's still lifes painted in the 1930s.