Max Ernst

Sale: Sotheby's, London, 6th December 1961, lot 45
Richard Feigen Gallery, Chicago
Acquired from the above by the family of the present owner

Honolulu, 1952

Werner Spies, Max Ernst, Oeuvre-Katalog, Werke 1939-1953, Cologne, 1987, vol. IV, no. 2971, illustrated p. 336

The board is stable. There is a nailhead-sized spot of paint loss with associated retouching on the upper edge towards the right corner, visible under UV light. There are three small areas of fluorescence visible under UV light in the bird's tail, probably due to degradation of the varnish. Apart from some small intermittent nicks with associated paint loss to the extreme edges, though mainly to the upper edge, and one nailhead-sized spot of paint loss in the lower left corner, this work is in 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."

'Ability presupposes a capacity for vital experience. To an artist, the most mundane and the most uncommon things can be an experience - a harmony of colours, an interweaving of lines.'
Max Ernst