Galerie Simon, Paris
Private Collection
Private Collection (by descent from the above and sold: Sloans & Kenyon, Chevy Chase, Maryland, October 31, 1999, lot 1412)
Acquired at the above sale

The work is in very good condition. It is accompanied by a custom wooden base. The surface is slightly dirty with a few scattered nicks and scuffs mostly along the base. Otherwise, fine.
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.

In the 1920s Laurens began a series of female figures in terracotta in which he displayed a graceful and ornamental Cubist style rather than the angular shapes of preceding years. Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler recalled: "The appearance of rectilinear forms in Laurens' work in no way signaled a renunciation of Cubism but was part of a normal evolution towards a new orientation. It may be that the economic situation affected the artist's work, but Laurens' artistic integrity made it impossible for him to accept a commission that did not accord with his own intentions. Why did he make so many terracottas in a certain period? Because clay is cheaper than bronze. Neither Laurens nor I had the means to pay for casting, so Laurens had to confine himself to terracotta" (quoted in Werner Hofmann, "Recollections of Henri Laurens" in The Sculpture of Henri Laurens, New York, 1970, p. 50).