Mr. Davezac, Houston
Sale: Christie's, New York, February 17, 1982, lot 56
Acquired at the above sale by the present owner

Oil on thin panel; panel is stable but very gently warped. There is scattered frame abrasion along all four edges of the panel. A thick layer of varnish (with some minor imperfections) is mostly likely original to the work. There are two horizontal surface scuffs at the right of the composition just below center. Overall the work is in very 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 present work belongs to a group of paintings known as transparences that Picabia executed in the 1920s and 1930s, deriving their name from multiple layers of overlapping imagery. In the present work, the image is composed of two female heads, one seen en face and the other turning away from the viewer. These images, simultaneously transparent and opaque, are manipulated by Picabia in scale and orientation in such a way as to create a seemingly impenetrable allegory with characteristics of a dream or a mystic vision.

Picabia's transparences frequently draw their inspiration from Romanesque frescoes, Renaissance painting and Catalan art. In addition, the artist often treated surfaces of his compositions in such a way as to give them an aged feel. Rich in cultural references, in this case images of the Madonna, these paintings combine their varied images into compositions of great beauty and harmony. Following his experimentation with Dada and abstraction, in the 1920s Picabia turned away from the aesthetic of shock towards a kind of "renaissance," creating figurative images of mysterious, contemplative beauty. The mystical meanings of the transparences remain deliberately obscure and ambiguous, and their power lies in their evocative be🦄auty and elegance of execution.