Galerie Claude Bernard, Paris

(possibly) E. V. Thaw, New York 

Acquired by the present owner in the 1970s

Paris, Galerie Claude Bernard, Balthus: dessins et aquarelles, 1971, no. 63

Xiaoshen Xing, Balthus, Shanghai, 1995, n.p.

Virginie Monnier & Jean Clair, Balthus, Catalogue raisonné of the Complete Works, Paris & New York, 1999, no. D🐷 1149, illustraಌted p. 339

The drawing is in excellent condition. The sheet of elephant-skin paper (a marblized paper with a smooth finish) is hinged to the mat. Along the extreme top, right and lower edges there is some slight discoloration, caused by a previous mounting. Aside from a small area of abrasion to the lower-right corner, the charcoal composition is fresh and in excellent 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 most famous motif in Balthus's oeuvre is the reclining adolescent girl.  These pictures explore the sensuous geometry of the body and exploit the tantalizing potential of a bent knee or an exposed thigh.  Balthus insisted on depicting his models in variations of this sa🦂lacious pose numerous times, resulting in the most definitive images of his art.   The present drawing belongs to a series that Balthus rendered in 1969-70 (D1146-1151), and is the most complete and detailed of the group. 

In his memoirs, the artist wrote the following about his drawings of young women: "There is no more exacting discipline than capturing these variations in faces and poses of my daydreaming young girls.  The drawing's caress seeks to rediscover a childlike grace that vanishes so quickly, leaving us with an inconsolable memory.  The challenge is to track down the sweetness so that graphite on paper can re-create the fresh oval of a face, a shape close to angels' faces" (Balthus, Vanished Splendors, A Memoir, New York, 2002, p. 65).