Frank Auerbach

Marlborough Fine Art, London
Private Collection, Italy
Sale: Sotheby's, London, Contemporary Art, 28 June 2001, Lot 180
Acquired directly from the above by the present owner

William Feaver, Frank Auerbach, New York 2009, p. 271, no. 292, illustrated in colour

Colour: The colours in the catalogue illustration are fairly accurate, although the overall tonality is slightly warmer, with more light blue tones throughout in the original. Condition: This work is in very good condition. There are artist's pin holes in all four corners and at the centre of all four edges. There is a small media accretion towards the centre of the top right quadrant, and a further smaller accretion to the right of this, visible in the catalogue illustration. No restoration is apparent when examined under ultra-violet light.
"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 stunning and early work on paper, Portrait of Laurie Owen reveals Auerbach's expressive approach to draughtsmanship. Executed in 1971, the drawing is a striking meditation in bold chiaroscuro, with heavily etched strokes of black and grey pigment creating the jagged contours of the sitter's head. Angled at a three-quarter degree view, the head's position on the page is anchored by Auerbach's repeated building of loose strokes which compose the shadowy background against which the sitter's form emerges. The features and contours of the subject are repeatedly built up and scraped back, Auerbach employing the same technique of constructing and reducing multiple layers of oil to his drawings as he does with his paintings. The repeated drawing in and rubbing out creates a pigment armature, where rich flashes of black oil and thick loaded strokes of grey seem to set the head in relief.

By 1971, Auerbach has exhibited regularly in one-man shows at the Beaux Arts and Marlborough galleries in London, and was beginning to perfect his approach to image-making. The act of drawing was of extreme importance for the development of his mature style, allowing Auerbach to experiment with the lightness and immediacy afforded by the medium. William Feaver notes how 'Auerbach's drawings are as demanding as any paintings, and they take no less time to do... They involve rubbing and scouring the whiteness of the paper through countless false tries until the image could be secured within a space and an atmosphere created by the grey traces of the obliterations' (William Feaver, Frank Auerbach, New York 2009, p. 19). In Portrait of Laurie Owen, each mark of the brush seems to communicate the artist's though process from start to finish, resulting in an eternal record of the palpable understanding between artist and muse, preserving all the impulsive freedom of a sketch while condensing days of work into a single lasting image.