Galerie Simon, Paris
Wildenstein & Co., London (acquired by early 1936)
Mayor Gallery, London
Private Collection

London, Wildenstein & Co., Exhibition of Works by André Masson, 1936

Guite Masson, Martin Masson & Catherine Loewer, André Masson, Catalogue raisonné de l'oeuvre peint 1919-1941, vol. II, Vaumarcus, 2010, no. 19345.2, illustrated p. 210

The work is in excellent condition and the canvas has not been lined. The surface is a little dirty. Under UV light: no signs of inpainting are apparent.
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.

An extraordinarily agile artist, Masson created a diverse body of work that spans several artistic movements, including Cubism, Surrealism and Abstract Expressionism. He is perhaps best remembered for his Surrealist-inspir💛ed imagery, including the fantastical insect series he painted while liviꦯng in Spain in the mid-1930s. The works from this period feature insect-like figures scattered about an explosive kaleidoscope of colors. The complex linear forms of the creatures' bodies convey a sensation of imminent violence, one that may well evoke the palpable tension in Spain during the years leading up to the Civil War.

William Rubin has written of the significance of this series: "Though hallucinatory in character, the Insect pictures began from very close direct observation. Masson, who can spend hours 'interrogating' a square foot of earth, wanted to express in these pictures what he calls the 'magnetic aspect' of the Spanish landscape. The insects are the best works Masson produced during his stay in Spain from 1934 through 1936, perhaps because they were prompted by an immediate and personal kind of motif" (William Rubin & Carolyn Lanchner, André Masson and Twentieth-Century Painting, 1976, New York, p. 40). In 1936 Wildenstein and Company launched a seminal exhibition on Masson that highlighted the most successful of these works, including all four works offered in this sale (see also lots  316, 377 & 406) as well Le Jardin saccagé offered in Sotheby's complementary Impressionist & Modern Art Eveꦺning Sale (see lot 44 in that catalogue).