Paul Feiler

The artist's family, and thence by descent to the present owner

The canvas is unlined and undulates slightly across the surface, particularly in the upper and lower right quadrants. There are scattered areas of craquelure and paint separation in the upper and lower right quadrants. There is no sign of retouching under ultra-violet light. Held in a gilded and painted composition frame which has sustained numerous losses and abrasions. Please telephone the department on 020 7293 5381 if you have any questions regarding the present work.
"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."

The present work is a rare early example of the artist's style before he developed the bold abstract handling that has become a trademark of his work from the 1950s.  Executed in 1949, Still life with Fruit demonstrates, in particular, his knowledge and understanding of Paul Cézanne's focus on underlying geometric form and of his oft quoted dictim, 'treat nature by the cylinder, the sphere, the cone' (1904, Cézanne to Emile Bernard) and is strongly reminiscent of Cézanne's own Still life with apples (c.1877, Coll. Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge).