Carlos Schwabe Swiss, 1866-1926

Barry Friedman Ltd., New York

New York, Barry Friedman Ltd., Visions and Reveries: Symbolist Works on Paper, 1982

Jean-David Jumeau-Lafond, Carlos Schwabe, Symboliste et Visionnaire, Paris, 1994, pp. 134-135, illustrated

Executed on wove paper, the sheet is laid down onto paper which is in turn laid down onto a canvas. There is a small tear towards the centre of the upper edge of the sheet (visible on close inspection), otherwise the work is in good overall condition and the colours remain strong. Held under glass in simple carved wooden frame painted silver.
"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."

Born in Hamburg-Altona, Germany, Carlos Schwabe became a Swiss citizen in 1888, and studied at the Ecole des Arts Industriels in Geneva. He later moved to France, living in Paris and near Barbizon. From 1891, he exhibited at the Salons de la Société Nationale and with the Salon Rose + Croix. For the latter Salon he produced the poster for the Rose + Croix inaugural exhibition at the Durand-Ruel Galeries in 1892.

As a draughtsman, Schwabe had an affinity for stylized floral motifs, which he also incorporated in his major oil compositions. An illustrator of the works of Emile Zola's Le Rêve (published 1892), Baudelaire's Les Fleurs du mal (1900), Maeterlinck's Pelléas et Mélisande, Catulle Mendes's L'Evangile de l'enfance de notre Seigneur Jésus-Christ selon Saint Pierre (1900) and Albert Samain's Jardin de l'Infante (1908), Schwabe's minute technique and pure conceptions demonstrate the influence of Dürer, Botticelli and the Pre-Raphaelites.