Pierre Matisse Galery
Private Collection

J. Dopagne, Miró, Munich, 1976, no. 82
Alain Jouffrey & Joan Teixidor, Miró sculptures, Paris, 1974, no. 160, illustration of another cast p. 114
Fundació Joan Miró, Obra de Joan Miró, Barcelona, 1988, no. 1589, p. 434
Pere Gimferrer, The Roots of Miró, Barcelona, 1993, no. 1233, p. 405
Joan Miró (exhibition catalogue), The Museum of Modern Art, New York, 1994, app. 22, illustration in color p. 305
Emilio Fernández Miro & Pilar Ortega Chapel, Joan Miró, Sculptures. Catalogue raisonné, 1928-1982, Paris, 2006, no. 196, illustration of another cast p. 197 

This work is in very good condition. The work has a natural undulating shape which makes it slightly tippy. The work has some minor nicks and scratches. Some minor rubbing to the patina and a few dry, chalky areas. Otherwise, the work is fine.
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.

This assemblage of incongruous objects is typical of the playful and imaginative sculptures of Miro's late career. These works have their roots in the ideas surrounding automatic association and creativity espoused by Surrealist artists like Duchamp in the 1920's, and Miro continued to experiment with these techniques throughout his career. According to Duncan Macmillan, "From these transformed objects, Miró produces personnages, women, birds, and combinations of all three. These new creations are invested with the mysterious animation of the artist's touch and yet retain an unbreakable link with the ordinary. They become a metaphor for the infinite variety and absolute peculiarity of human individuality" ("Miró's Public Art," Miró in America,(exhibition catalogue), The Museum of Fine Aꦺrts, Houston, p. 11✅1). 

 

The present work illustrates Miró's capacity to break with convention and create a truly unique composition. The incongruous combination of rustic, anthropomorphic bronze elements attached to a thin metal rod create an unusual and amusing vision. Femme is more than merely a final product of artistic vision; it is imbued with a character belonging to the realm somewhere between conception and execution.  Like much of the artist's work, the composition departs from representation and reality in an attempt to stimulate the imagina🃏tion.