- 216
Georges Rouault
Estimate
150,000 - 250,000 USD
bidding is closed
Description
- Georges Rouault
- Acrobate XIV (Lutteur)
- Signed G. Rouault and dated 1913 (upper right)
- Oil and gouache on paper mounted on canvas
- 41 by 28 3/4 in.
- 104.1 by 73 cm
Provenance
Pierre Matisse Gallery, New York
Private Collection, New York (and sold: Christie's, New York, November 7, 2002, lot 291)
Acquired at the above sale
Private Collection, New York (and sold: Christie's, New York, November 7, 2002, lot 291)
Acquired at the above sale
Literature
Bernard Dorival & Isabelle Rouault, Rouault, L'Oeuvre peint, vol. I, Monaco, 1988, no. 533, illustrated p. 156
Condition
Executed on paper mounted on canvas. The outermost edges of the sheet and canvas have been taped. There are a few consolidated repairs to the work, including a 3-inch area of repair to the sheet running along the right edge of the figure’s left heel. Another 2-inch repaired tear runs horizontally along the figure’s left wrist. A 1-inch repaired tear extends horizontally from the upper right edge. A faint 4-inch horizontal scuff is visible toward the uppermost edge. Under UV light: a small area of possible inpainting is associated with the repair near the figure’s left heal. The work is in overall 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.
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.
Catalogue Note
Rouault’s apprenticeship as a medieval stained glass artisan is evident in his beautiful rendering Acrobate XIV (Lutteur). He articulates his acrobat with bold, black lines—reminiscent of the soldered cement conjoining glass panes—and in keeping with his works of this period, uses swaths of expressionistic brushstrokes and voluminous colors for the acrobat. With buckled knees and hunched shoulders, the acrobat occupies the full margins of the canvas, giving him a larger than life expansiveness. Rouault strategically uses the light that shines upon the acrobat to accentuate the immense musculature of the performer, underscoring the artist’s admiration for the rigorous athleticism of aerobatics, while distinguishing the figure from the obscure, dark surroundings that harken to a more medieval sensibility of the artist's earlier career.
Rouault’s interest in the world of the circus was based on his own childhood memories, which he spoke about fondly: "Acrobats and horsewomen, sparkling or passive clowns, tightrope walkers and freaks, and my friends, color and harmony, since my earliest childhood I have been in love with you" (quoted in op.cit., p. 153).