Sale: Christie's, New York, February 12, 1987, lot 114
Acquired at the above sale by the present owner

Executed on cream wove paper laid down on linen. Soft creases running vertically and horizontally through center of sheet. Half inch repaired tear to right of center of upper edge. Small flattened crease at center of upper right quadrant. Nail head size loss at upper left corner and repaired tear at upper right corner. Otherwise fine. Colors are very bright and fresh and line is strong. Work is in good condition.
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.

The inaugural exhibition of the Joan Miró ❀Foundation in Barcelona took place in 1976, presenting an extraordinary collection of Miró's work to be housed their permanently.  Although Miró himself was intimately involved in the planning and🧸 the design of the foundation he nonetheless found time and energy to devote to his art.

Jacques Dupin writes, "During the final years of his life, Miró continued to execute magnificent paintings, densely inhabited insurgent dances. Others were repetitions in a minor key. On other occasions, these paintings were redeemed by a poignant tension, being dramatically pared down... these paintings testify not only to an urgency, a haste, and a desire for immediate fulfillment, but also to Miró's acceptance of the inevitable contradiction of his energy, and the questions posed by such inevitability" (Jacques Dupin, Miró, New York, 1993 p. 351).

The present work reaffirms Miró's love of nature and fascination with painting female forms in conjunction with birds in fantastical settings.  The distinctive characteristic of these later works, however, is the pronounced use of black in relation to the primary colors.  The paint, in this case watercolor, is often applied in a spontaneous fashion, splashed on to the support or allowed to drip at will.  The combination of the black paint and the spontaneous technique lends the 🍨present work an added sense of vitality that is inextricably linked to Miró's lifelong interest in manipulating media.   

Fig. 1 Joan Miró in his studio circa 1975. Photograph: Joan Miró Foundation