Fritz Glarner

Anne Blankart, Zurich (by 1976)
Private Collection, Zurich
Sale: Galerie Kornfeld, Bern, June 20, 2003, lot 62
Acquired at the above sale

Neuchatel, Musée des Beaux-Arts, La peinture abstraite en Suisse, 1957, no. 42
Kunstmuseum Winterthur, Ungegenständliche Malerie in der Schweiz, 1958, no. 78
Bottrop, Moderne Galerie, Fritz Glarner, Bilder und Zeichnungen, 1978, no. 18 

Magrit Staber, Fritz Glarner, Zurich, 1976, illustrated p. 86

This painting is in lovely and what appears to be original condition. The canvas has never been lined or removed from its original stretcher and the frame work which surrounds the picture seems to also be original. The paint layer may be slightly dirty yet at the same time the image looks and feels very comfortable and very often the yellows, reds and whites in pictures of this type clean unevenly; the patina of this painting is attractive. There may be a thin coat of varnish on the surface which could possibly be removed. Some cracking has developed in the blue section in the upper left and in a white section in the centre right. These cracks are not indicative of instability, they merely develop when the paint layer dries. A couple of tiny retouches to the framework might improve the picture slightly yet other than this we recommend that the painting be hung as is. This condition report has been kindly provided by Simon Parkes Art Conservation.
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.

Born of a Swiss father and Italian mother, Fritz Glarner was raised in Italy and France and settled in Paris in 1923 at the age of 24 after attending art school in Naples.  During his Paris years, where he lived until 1935, Glarner was quickly accepted in the intellectual circles of the avant garde.  Theoretical discussions with other painters including Robert and Sonia Delaunay, Theo van Doesburg, Georges Vantongerloo, Jean Arp, Alexander Calder amongst others were incredibly influential.  However, it was his dialogue with Piet Mondrian that had the greatest impact on his oeuvre.

During the 1930s as the threat of war darkened the skies over Europe, Glarner emigrated to New York along with his wife Lucie.  After initial struggles making ends meet and working as a photographer to provide additional income, Glarner's painting was included in a group exhibition, along with Josef Albers and Moholy-Nagy, in Abstract American Artists.  A number of artists who came to the United States before the outbreak of World War II, arrived to a more welcoming atmosphere, especially since some artists working in Germany had been classified as "degenerate." 

After arriving in New York in Ocotber of 1940, Piet Mondrian and Fritz Glarner established regular contact.  "In the three years and four months that Mondrian spent in New York until his death, he was a regular guest once a week at the Glarner's though the two painters generally met at Mondrian's apartment... Fritz Glarner had already been living in New York for four years when Piet Mondrian moved there from London.  This fact is important to understand the relationship between the two painters.  In his loyal attitude, Glarner always referred to the Dutch master of Neo-Plasticism, who was 29 years his senior, as a friend and teacher who provided him with stimulation.  It would seem, however, in Mondrian's last creative phase, which coincided with Glarner's first independent period, that they stimulated each other to the same degree" (Margit Staber, Fritz Glarner, Zurich, 1976, p. 17).

Fig. 1 Fritz Glarner, New York, circa 1950s