Karel Appel

Galerie Beyeler, Basel
Marisa del Re Gallery, New York

Neuchatel, Musée des Beaux Arts, March - April 1959
Basel, Galerie Beyeler, Karel Appel, March - June 1988, no.4

One minor retouch in the upper left corner, some minor paint shrinkage due to the used technique by the artist and some white surface paint hairlines as intended by the artist, otherwise this work is in very good condition.
"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."

Animals became very important elements in Karel Appel's works of the early fifties. Their apparent simplicity makes us regard them as clichés, representing the emptiness of the violence in which the stereotype of primitivism becomes clear.
In Oiseau Tête the treatment of the material is rougher than in the works of the preceding years, the touch is self-reliant, and one can observe how soon the whirling touches change into a pattern before our eyes, their interrelation releases an image, which is analogous to the stationary play of just this moment. The work is set up in fast and sure strokes, in strong colours and radiates powerful action.