Harry Bertoia

Colorado National Bank, Denver, commissioned directly from the artist by architect Minoru Yamasaki
Private Collection, acquired directly from the above, circa 2006
Wright, Chicago, May 22, 2007, lot 824
Acquired from the above by the present owner

Nancy N. Schiffer and Val O. Bertoia, The World of Bertoia, Atglen, 2003, pp. 186, 188 (for an illustration of another sonambient in the Colorado National Bank commission)
Celia Bertoia, The Life and Work of Harry Bertoia, Atglen, 2015, p. 141 (for an illustration of a related monumental sonambient public commission at Bowling Green University, Bowling Green, OH)

Overall in very good condition. The work presents with a truly monumental scale when viewed first hand. The surfaces with some lift surface scratches, minor abrasions and wear to the patina in some areas, consistent with age and gentle handling. The base with a few surface soiling and minor discoloration throughout. The perimeter of the base with a few minor dents along the upper base.
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.

“The monumental sound sculptures, and the one commissioned by the Colorado National Bank [lot 28] in particular, o! er such grandeur, presence and sheer impact. Its tone is richly resonant, thunderously deep, and utterly profound. While my father was perhaps best known for his sonambient sculptures, there were only a handful placed in public view in his lifetime, making it rather rare and certainly special.” —CELIA BERTOIA

Bertoia spent the last nearly twenty years of his life and career focusing on what would become his most iconic and critically acclaimed body of work: his sound sculptures. Enchanted, even transcended by the beautiful tones produced when metal collides with metal, Bertoia sought to synthesize form and sound, creating sculptures that are as much (if not more so) experiential as they are visual and audible. His “sonambients,” as he called them, were the culmination of his life’s work, and are perhaps the most comprehensive and refined realization of the diverse inspirations that shaped his entire oeuvre—material, form, sound and, most of all, nature.

During the 1970s, Bertoia executed several important public sonambient commissions, such as for the Standard Oil Plaza in Chicago, Illinois (1974), Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio (1976), and the Federal Reserve Bank in Richmond, VA (1978). The present lot was commissioned for the Colorado National Bank in Denver in 1976 by renowned architect, Minoru Yamasaki, who was best known for designing the World Trade Center in New York. It was exhibited inside the bank, and was complemented by a related largescale sonambient produced by Bertoia for the building’s
exterior (see image left). This lot is distinguished not just by its storied provenance, but by its monumental scale and corresponding impressive measure of sound. It embodies the artist’s full and thorough investigation of the form, and is among the largest sonambients he ever produced.