Joan Miró

Private Collection, Switzerland (since 1927)
Private Collection, Switzerland (by descent from the above; sale: Christie's, London, 4th February 2002, lot 66)
Purchased at the above sale by the late owner

Erfurt, Galerie am Fischmarkt, Joan Miró, Die Welt des Theaters, 1977
Barcelona, Fundació Joan Miró, Miró en escena, 1994-95, no. 2, illustrated in colour in the catalogue
Paris, Musée Jacquemart-André, La Passion du Dessin. Collection Jan et Marie-Anne Krugier-Poniatowski, 2002, no. 17, illustrated in colour in the catalogue
Vienna, Albertina Museum, Goya bis Picasso. Meisterwerke der Sammlung Jan Krugier und Marie-Anne Krugier Poniatowski, 2005, no. 146, illustrated in colour in the catalogue
Munich, Kunsthalle der Hypo-Kulturstiftung, Das Ewige Auge - Von Rembrandt bis Picasso. Meisterwerke aus der Sammlung Jan Krugier und Marie-Anne Krugier-Poniatowski, 2007, no. 212, illustrated in colour in the catalogue

Executed on brown wove paper, laid down on board, the extreme edges are concealed by the overmount. There are artist's pinholes to the upper left and lower right corners and one to the centre of the upper edge. There is also an artist's pinhole to each of the collage elements. There are small paint losses to the white gouache areas and also to the pale blue element. The collage elements are secure. This 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. 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."

In 1926, Serge Diaghilev endeavoured to put Surrealism, a nascent avant-garde movement which would have a major impact on visual and literary traditions, on the stage: he put on a production of the ballet Romeo and Juliet in full surrealist splendour. Surrealism pervaded the production from the design to the choreography – ending with Romeo adorned as a pilot and fleeing with his resurrected Juliet in an aeroplane. Diaghilev enlisted the assistance of artists Joan Miró and Max Ernst to create the stage and costume design for his show; the present work is one of Miró’s such designs. The production was set backstage during a fictional rehearsal for the play, with some performers in practice outfits rather than finished costumes. This deliberately experimental recontextualisation of this classic Shakespeare play afforded Miró the perfect opportunity to showcase his irreverent and playful imagery, for which he was already gaining acclaim. The design is imbued with the whimsical sensibility that was so typical of his 1920s works, the palette and visual vocabulary is also amongst his most iconic, featuring the clouds, dotted lines and blue stars that would become the linchpins of his celebrated dream paintings of the late 1920s. As well as being a striking piece of imagery in itself, the present work is testament to the exciting spirit of interdisciplinary experimentation and collaboration that existed in Paris during this period.