ANGELO SAVELLI (1911 - 1995) | Untitled (from the Diagonal Rope Series), 'circa' 1972-73

acrylic and twine on canvas

Acquired directly from the artist by the present owner

This work is in very good and sound condition overall. All elements are present and stable. There are scattered handling marks to the turning edges, visible upon close inspection. There is scattered pinpoint loss to the turning edges, with the most predominant loss to the right vertical edge, approximately 10 inches from the lower edge, visible upon close inspection. There are areas of extremely minor stable hairline cracking, primarily to the recessed, central rectangle, and also concentrated in a circular formation at the lower edge, visible upon close inspection. There are a few faint accretions which do not detract from the vivid color of the painting, primarily to the lower edge, all of which are visible upon close inspection, some of which fluoresce under Ultraviolet light inspection. Under Ultraviolet light inspection there is no evidence of restoration. Unframed.
The lot is sold in the condition it is in at the time of sale. The condition report is provided to assist you with assessing the condition of the lot and is for guidance only. Any reference to condition in the condition report for the lot does not amount to a full description of condition. The images of the lot form part of the condition report for the lot provided by Sotheby's. Certain images of the lot provided online may not accurately reflect the actual condition of the lot. In particular, the online images may represent colours and shades which are different to the lot's actual colour and shades. The condition report for the lot may make reference to particular imperfections of the lot but you should note that the lot may have other faults not expressly referred to in the condition report for the lot or shown in the online images of the lot. The condition report may not refer to all faults, restoration, alteration or adaptation because Sotheby's is not a professional conservator or restorer but rather the condition report is a statement of opinion genuinely held by Sotheby's. For that reason, Sotheby's condition report is not an alternative to taking your own professional advice regarding the condition of the lot.

Angelo Savelli, a native of Italy, began using a monochromatic white palette in 1957, a few years after he moved to New York and was inspired by the minimal palette and line work of artists such as Ad Reinhardt and Barnett Newman. Savelli had contact with these and other artists of the Abstract Expressionist generation through the artists Phillip Pavia and Jack Tworkov. In 1958, Leo Castelli exhibited Savelli’s work in his legendary gallery, where artists like Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenberg showed. Like Johns and Rauschenberg, Savelli began to incorporate found objects from the outside world in to his artwork, specifically rope, which referred to the fishing industry of his hometown and can be seen in the present work.