Luis de Caralt, Barcelona
Private Collection

Executed on thick cream wove paper, not laid down. There are four artist's pinholes along the top edge, and a single pinhole to lower right edge. There is a light crease running from the centre of the right edge towards the centre of the work. Apart from some studio dirt and some light handling marks, this work is in good condition. Colours: Overall accurate in the catalogue illustration.
"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."

This work is an illustration for 50 Secrets of Magic Craftmanship, which was published in America in 1948, and replicates the architectural structure that formed part of one of Dali's most accomplished paintings, Ma Femme Nue Regardant son proper corps devenir marches, trois vertibres d'une colonne, ciel et architecture. In that work, this fantastical architectural pastiche is a structural counterpoint to the nude back of Dali's wife Gala, and its classical forms provide a morphological echo of the structure of the human body. This finely draw study of the structure displays the precision of architectural drawing, yet the insertion of fluid, biomorphic elements disrupt the geometry of the classical forms, giving the building its fantastical, dreamlike air.       

COMP: 428D07009_COMP
Fig 1. Salvador Dali, Ma femme nue regardant son propre corps devenir marches, trois vertebres d'une colonne, ciel et architecture, 1945, oil on panel, sold Sotheby's, London, 4th December 2000, lot 8