pencil on paper

Private Collection, Caracas
Acquired from the above by the present owner

Alfredo Boulton, Reverón, Caracas, Ediciones Macanao, 1979, p. 92, illustrated

Although the paper has had previous restoration to mend tears, overall it is in good condition. The pigment is stable. (This condition report has been provided courtesy of Mary Kearns Paper Conservation)
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.

In Desnudo (1948) a female model relaxes on pillows exuding erotic overtones. Reverón took extreme care in balancing this composition that strikes us with its lightness and its ethereal-like quality. As Juan Calzadilla would note in an essay on the artist, "The technique that he uses is the result of a combination of charcoal stick, pencil and chalk applied in his usual tactile manner—drawing here and there, erasing and rubbing in other parts ."¹ By constantly reworking the edges of the body and by adding a few shadows and highlights, Reverón sugge൩sts a powerful and almost defiant torso whose🐽 volumes are barely visible. Again, like in most of his oeuvre, the main character of this composition is light.

 

1 Juan Calzadilla, Armando Reverón, Armitano Ed., Caracas, 1979, p. 42