Ateliers Boesiger & Indermaur (Hans Ulrich Gasser), Zürich
Curt & Erna Burgauer, Küsnacht (acquired in 1946)
Bequeathed by the above to the present owner in 2003

Valencia, IVAM Centre Julio González, Dalí verdadero, Grabado falso. La obra impresa 1930-1934, 1992, no. 77, illustrated in the catalogue

 

Executed on a thick sheet of slightly fibrous wove paper, not laid down, hinged to the overmount at the upper two corners. There are two squares of residual staining in the upper two corners away from the image itself, not visible when framed and due to previous mounting. The sheet is slightly timestained and there is some further minor staining in places, most prominently to the extreme right edge. There is a horizontal crease running across the sheet, 2cm in from the extreme lower edge. This extreme lower edge has various small nicks, tears and paper losses from when it was previously folded back on itself and none of this is visible when framed. There are two pinholes to the upper two corners and some scattered foxing in places. Otherwise this work is in overall good condition. Colours: overall fairly accurate in the printed catalogue, though the paper tone is slightly warmer and less red in the original.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The present work is a study for Les Chants de Maldoror, a text rediscovered by the Surrealists, and written in 1869 by the Comte de Lautréamont, the pseudonym of Isidore Ducasse. This work was one of the studies executed for the Albert Skira edition of the novel, published in 1934.