Leon Kossoff

LA Louver Inc, Venice, California
Anthony d'Offay Gallery, London, where acquired by the previous owner in July 1995
Their sale, Christie's London, 9th June 2006, lot 38, where acquired by the present owner

Paul Moorhouse, Leon Kossoff, Tate Publishing, London 1996, p.35, fig.49.

The sheet is sound with deckled edges. The sheet is undulating slightly and has apparently been adhered to the backing in a few places. There is a 1cm long horizontal tear along the centre of the left edge and a slight diagonal crease in the lower left corner. There are artist's pinholes near the centre of all edges, and a few others dotted in places across the surface. The work is in good overall condition with strong colours throughout. Held under glass in a stained wood box frame with a cream backing; unexamined out of frame. Please telephone the department on 020 7293 6424 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 London of my memory is not the real city I live in today. Sometimes now it seems like a monster that draws you into its complicated inside. Yet, though changing all the time, its particular location - the river, the hills, the proximity to the sea - seems always present, and the millions of people who have spent their lives passing through its streets and travelling along its underground veins make London, like my studio, a place of chaos, providing an opportunity for continual involvement and activity.' (Leon Kossoff, quoted in Leon Kossoff: Recent Paintings, XLVI Venice Biennale, Amsterdam, 1995, p.10)