Jean Arp

Brook Street Gallery, London (acquired directly from the artist)
Sale: Christie's, London, 22nd June 2005, lot 253
Purchased at the above sale by the present owner

Édouard Trier, Jean Arp. Sculptures 1957-1966, Teufen, 1968, no. 276a, illutstrated p. 118

There is a 1cm. sq. spot of resin infill to the upper half of the form and some very light scratches to the bottom half which can be seen as a slight lightening to the marble surface. There are other very minor scratches at points throughout the surface. Apart from a light diagonal line of conservation to the base, barely visible, and three small wax infills to small chips on the top of the base, 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."

A unique marble carving executed in 1962, Le Jumeau Edouard is a beautiful example of Jean Arp's mature oeuvre. Executed as one  of a twin, Edouard's 'brother' Pierre is the same composition but with the horizontal arm-like form on the other side of the main body of the marble. Arp's late work is stunning a summation of his career - all of the artist's late marbles have an elegance not seen since the founder of abstract sculpture: Constantin Brancusi.

Guided by chance and intuition, Arp often created organic, irregular shapes evocative of natural forms and parts of the human anatomy. Although he developed a highly abstract visual vocabulary in his sculptures, Arp always established a connection between these biomorphic forms and elements of the natural world in such a way as to unveil the mysterious and poetic elements hidden in everyday forms. The amalgamation of all of Arp's ideas and ideals into one object is what he called Concretion, of which the present work is an excellent example.

'Concretion designates solidification, the mass of the stone, the plant, the animal, the man. Concretion is something that has grown. I wanted my works to find its humble place in the woods, the mountains, in nature' (Herbert Read, Arp, 1968, p. 93).

Arp in his studio at Meudon, circa 1953