MATTA | Untitled

Private Collection, Miami

This work is in good condition overall. The canvas is unlined and well-stretched, and the media layer appears stable. Two horizontal accretions measuring 2 ½ inches in length are present in the upper left quadrant, near the grey triangular form. A few additional minor accretions are visible under raking light concentrated in the center and upper right quadrant of the composition; these do not interfere with the overall effect of the work. A light layer of soiling is present. Under ultraviolet examination, fluorescing occurs which is inherent to the media selected by the artist.
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.

"Around 1950 I had become more illustrative. These characters increasingly resembled human beings. And then it all evolved again...It was then that I threw myself into something that I called 'The space of species,' and I established several locations that could be compared to non-Euclidean geometries. This period took place from 1958 to 1963. And finally, lately, in the blots, this hallucinatory memory appeared [in 1985-1986]. You have to turn the idea on its head. It is the hallucinatory reading that changes. The blots remain blots. But the subject changes as it does for children who see lions or buses in doodles. When they are older, they will probably see flowers, etc. These stories of hallucinations are very interesting. I wrote a short text for Max Ernst's book, on that subject in 1940-1944 about his own painting." 

Matta