Tamara de Lempicka

Brockstedt Gallery, Germany, 1975 
Private Collection, Buenos Aires, 1980
Sale: Sotheby's London, July 1, 1992, lot 235
Acquired at the above sale by the present owner

Paris, Salon des Indépendants, 1923
Paris, Galerie du Luxembourg, Tamara de Lempicka de 1925 à 1935, 1972, no. 2
Paris, Musée des Arts Décoratifs, La Famille des portraits, 1979-80, no. 154
Rome, Accademia di Francia (Villa Medici), Tamara de Lempicka, Tra eleganza e trasgressione, 1994, no. 6, illustrated in color in the catalogue
Munich, Kunsthalle der Hypo-kulturstiftung, Der kühle Blick, Realismus der Zwanzigerjahre in Europa und Amerika, 2001, illustrated in color p. 220
London, The Royal Academy & Vienna, Kunstforum Wien, Tamara de Lempicka, Art Deco Icon, 2004-05, no. 7, illustrated in color in the catalogue
Milan, Palazzo Reale, Tamara de Lempicka, 2006-07, no. 8, illustrated in color in the catalogue

Giancarlo Marmori, Tamara de Lempicka, Milan, 1977, illustrated p. 157
Giancarlo Marmori, The Major Works of Tamara de Lempicka 1925-1935, Milan, 1978, illustrated in color p. 24 
Germain Bazin & Hiroyuki Itsuki, Tamara de Lempicka, Tokyo, 1980, no. 3, illustrated in color n.p.
Gilles Néret, Tamara de Lempicka, 1898-1980, Cologne, 1991, illustrated in color p. 12
Ellen Thormann, Tamara de Lempicka, Kunstkritik und Künstlerinnen in Paris, Berlin, 1993, no. 2, catalogued p. 206
Gioia Mori, Tamara de Lempicka, Paris 1920-1938, Florence, 1994
Alain Blondel, Tamara de Lempicka, Catalogue raisonné, 1921-1979, Lausanne, 1999, no. B.31, illustrated in color p. 107 
Tamara de Lempicka, Art Deco Icon (exhibition catalogue), London, The Royal Academy,  2004-05, photograph of the present work in the artist's studio 

Work is in good condition. Original canvas. 5-10 minor, pin-dot sized brown stains near right edge and one nail-head sized brown stain to right of figure's left shoulder. Three tiny specks of loss above and below figure's left elbow. There is a five inch repaired vertical tear in the skirt approximately six inches below the figure's right hand. Under UV light: several strokes of inpainting in the skirt to address the repaired tear. Some pigments in the figure's face fluoresce but seem to be original.
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.

The present work can be considered one of the most important early examples of De Lempicka's portraits in her mature style. Ingried Brugger discusses this painting: "In 1923 she began to manifest an unmistakable personal style in paintings such as Woman in a Black Dress which could be described as the first of her paintings to bear her true signature: the figure fills a tall, narrow picture plane. The doleful subject wears a black dress and clutches a small red book to her chest" (Ingried Brugger, Tamara de Lempicka, Art Deco Icon (exhibition catalogue), London, The Royal Academy, 2004, p. 18).

The sitter for this painting was probably De Lempicka's close friend Ira Perrot. Lempicka started painting her in 1922 and completed several portraits of her until 1930 when it appears the friendship broke down. "Ira Perrot had been De Lempicka's closest friend and favourite model for years and had in all likelihood been one of her first female lovers" (Ingried Brugger, ibid, p. 42).

"The life - or inner fire - that De Lempicka breathes into her figures is apparent in the finer points: in subtle adjustments to the positions of limbs and fingers, in a minimal twist of the head or in the uncomfortable angle of the upper body, and above all in her gaze, which can range from dark melancholy through chilly cynicism to supreme elation. But the gaze is never optimistic, and practically never makes direct contact with the viewer. Cooly considering, focused on themselves or on a vision that we can only guess at. De Lempicka's figures look out onto a world that is closed to the viewer" (Ingried Brugger, ibid, p. 38). 

The present work in the artist's studio, circa 1924, photograph by Constantin Stiffter