Allan D. & Kate Emil, New York (acquired by 1963)
Thence by descent

New York, American Federation of Arts, A Personal Diverse Collection, Sculpture: Cycladic to Chadwick, 1963, n.n.

Alan G. Wilkinson, The Sculpture of Jacques Lipchitz, A Catalogue Raisonné, The Paris Years, 1910-1940, vol. I, New York, 1996, no. 136, illustration of another cast p. 61

Variegated green and black patina. There is some surface dust in the deeper crevices. There is a pindot hole located in the figures head. There are some minor surface scratches and pitting as well as some wear to the extreme edges of the bronze. 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.

By 1922, when he executed the model for Pierrot assis, Lipchitz had developed an attuned sense of spatial composition influenced largely by his study of the Cubist works of Picasso, Braque and Gris. The artist was now able to effectively translate his two-dimensional conceptions into a three-dimensional form. Lipchitz utilized themes from the Commedia dell'arte that had become common currency in the work of Picasso, Gris and many of their contemporaries. He referred to this interest in his autobiography: “One of the first sculptures made in 1919 was the Arlequin à l'accordéon. It reflects my interest in eighteenth century paintings, particularly that of Watteau... The Pierrots and harlequins were part of our general vocabulary, characters taken from the Commedia dell'arte, particularly popular in the eighteenth century. We may have been attracted to them originally because of their gay traditional costumes, involving many different colored areas” (Jacques Lipchitz, My Life in Sculpture, New York, 1972, p. 58).