Lot 50
  • 50

Paul Guiragossian

Estimate
50,000 - 70,000 GBP
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Description

  • Paul Guiragossian
  • Sculpturale
  • signed Paul G.; signed on the reverse 
  • oil on canvas 
  • 69.5 by 100cm.; 27 3/8 by 39 1/2 in.
  • Executed in 1968.

Provenance

Gallery L'Amateur, Beirut
Acquired directly from the above by the present owner's father in 1968
Thence by Descent 

Exhibited

Beirut, Galerie L'Amateur, Guiragossian, May 1968

Condition

Condition: This work is in a very good condition. A slight horizontal undulation to the canvas across the central axis, inherent to the artist's choice of medium, creative process and application heavy impasto. No signs of restoration under the UV light. Colour: The colour in the catalogue illustration is accurate, with the overall tonality being less yellow and stronger paints.
"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."

Catalogue Note

Born in Jerusalem in 1925 to Armenian parents, both survivors of the Armenian Genocide, Paul Guiragossian experienced exile from a very young age. Around 1948, the Guiragossians were evacuated from Palestine by the British and sent to Lebanon, which was to become the artist’s home and source of inspiration from which his career would spring, a career which soon gained international prominence as an artist. Guiragossian’s paintings and drawings expose the variations of the human condition with brilliant intricacy. Through his application of colour, form, and careful abstraction, his works reveal raw memories of his Palestinian exile, mutual struggle, lineage and explorations into maternity. His line drawings reveal a skilled portrayal of expression through his flowing studies of clothed figures, whereas his paintings embody the human form through his thick and lengthy brush strokes.

Sculpturale dating from 1968, depicts five maternal figures huddled around a single child. When the current owner of the work met with the artist at the exhibition opening in Galerie L'Amateur in Beirut, Guiragossian revealed that the figures represent five refugee women (possibly of Palestinian, Armenian, Lebanese or Syrian descent) gathered together in an almost futile attempt to conserve just a fraction of their previous lives. By leaving the nationality of the refugee women unidentified, the figures form a universal bond with their audience. They are able to relate through a reflection of their own experiences, some of which will conjure up memories of past affairs, whilst others will view the work in the context of the present turmoil in the Middle East.

It is no surprise that the maternal figure reappears again and again in this artist’s extensive portfolio of works. With Sculpturale, Guiragossian draws on this theme from his own experience, being the son of a single mother, to produce a vivid scope of tones and expression, exposing his admiration for the nurturing role of women which exist at the heart of every society. On this subject, the artist explains, “The woman is constantly present in my paintings, my drawings, because she is Love, Childhood, Suffering and Peace. She is the one who is against sending her son and husband to wars.”

Guiragossian's paintings reveal a fondness towards Abstract Expressionist art, perhaps closest to Matisse, Cezanne, Picasso and others, the lively expressionism of his oeuvre is unique and cannot be likened to any other. Figures dominate the canvases throughout his oeuvre, before melding into a pure and new abstraction that would permeate his works from the mid-1980s until his demise in November 1993.