Sylvain Lecombre, Ossip Zadkine, L'oeuvre sculpté, Paris, 1994, no. 378, illustration of another cast p. 413

This work in very good condition. Greenish-black patina. Some surface dirt and minor nicks and scratches. There is a white residue in the deepest crevices of the work on the underside of left arm and near the left ankle, inherent to the casting process.
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.

Zadkine's sculpture oeuvre is marked by a preoccupation with the pagan times of the Classical period. His innate fascination with these early examples of sculpture often led him to explore mythical subject matter. Statue pour jardin is inspired by a sculpture from Hadrian's Villa in Rome which was of particular interest to Zadkine (see fig. 1). This spectrum of Neo-Classical interpretations is often referred to as the artist's "mythological cycle." Ionel Jianou writes of the significance of this theme to the artist, "The mythological cycle is a long one; it includes a great number of sculptures scattered over more than a half-century, and it is highlighted by more than a few masterpieces. Originally, myths reflected a certain way of conceiving of the world, in which the time element appeared to be reversible. The return to origins achieved by mythical rituals enabled man to capture the meaning of the genesis, and this knowledge conferred upon him a kind of mastery over things" (Ionel Jianou, Zadkine, Paris, 1964, p. 57). 

Fig. 1 Classical sculpture at Hadrian's vill🥂a, Rome