Private collection, New York
Noah Goldowsky Gallery, New York
Timothy Baum, New York
Private collection, New York
Sale: Christie's, London, October 19, 1990, lot 160
Acquired at the above sale by Dr. Arthur Brandt

Santa Monica, Track 16 Gallery & Robert Berman Gallery, Man Ray: Paris-LA, 1996-97, p. 39, illustrated in colour in the catalogue
London, The Mayor Gallery, A Man Ray Miscellany: works in all media 1914-1974, 1999, n.n.

Executed on cream wove paper, not laid down, hinged to the mount in two points along the upper edge. The sheet is time-stained. There are two pinholes to the centre of the upper edge, a few tiny spots of foxing along the upper edge, tiny spots of glue residue towards the upper left and lower left corner, away from the composition. This 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. 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."

Mime (lot 125) and Decanter (lot 126) are part of Man Ray's groundbreaking series of works known under the general title Revolving Doors. The series (lot 127) was originally conceived as ten collages in New York in 1916-17, each composition created solely from shapes cut out from sheets of brightly-coloured "spectrum" paper of the type used for technical drawings. The shapes were pasted on a pure white background, and, with the addition of a few lines or curves in ink, formed striking compositions – at once figurative and abstract – to which he later gave poetic titles accompanied by a short text. These collages provided Man Ray with the means to overcome one of principal concerns of the period. Rather than resist the inherent two-dimensionality of the picture surface by rendering a three-dimensional object in an illusionistic manner, Man Ray exploited the flatness of the pasted papers to create a sense of depth through the use of secondary tones where the forms in primary colours would appear to overlap.

 

"Two manners of creating a flame-like effect: first by a radiation of bands of the spectrum starting from a common centre and contained within a sector; the other by concentric bands of the same spectrum. The center, identical for both, creates a personal interest. Armbands carry the interest to the surrounding space. The interpreted mood may be characterized as a laughing one".
Man Ray