GIACOMO BALLA | Ritratto di Donna (Portrait of a Woman)

Vanarelli Collection, Rome (acquired by 1970)
Galleria La Barcaccia, Rome
Private Collection, Italy (acquired in 1973)
Thence by descent to the present owner

Maurizio Fagiolo dell'Arco, Futur Balla, Rome, 1970, no. 26, illustrated pl. V
Giovanni Lista, Balla, Modena, 1982, no. 64, illustrated p. 118

The canvas is not lined. Inspection under UV light reveals a layer of thick, discoloured varnish preventing the light from fully penetrating. However, there are retouchings along all four edges, with more extensive retouchings along the lower edge. There are a number of spots and lines of retouching to the sitter's pink dress, as well as a line of retouching running horizontally below the sitter's chin. 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."

Giacomo Balla, born in Turin in 1871, is most known for his role as a key signatory of the Futurist manifesto, yet the young Italian artist was greatly influenced by French Impressionism due to a sojourn he made in Paris in 1900, which spurred the production of numerous portraits in his early career. The present work is a portrait of a lady in a bourgeois interior, elegantly dressed in the fashion of the time, which suggests her social status. The portrait hints at Balla’s lifelong interest in rendering light and its effects. The light that comes in from the left is the pictorial element that enlivens the whole composition; the radiating light beam that catches the woman’s right cheekbone and blouse could be from a natural source, but the concerted play of light and shade also suggests the set-up of lights present in a photography studio. The son of a photographer, it is Balla’s execution and fascination of light effects that make his portraits so intriguing.