Frank Auerbach

Marlborough Fine Art, London
Sale, Christie's London, 30th November 1989, lot 780
Sale, Christie's New York, 1st May 1991, lot 29
Marlborough Fine Art, New York
Private Collection, New York
Sale, Sotheby's London, 26^th June 2003, lot 229, where acquired by the present owner

William Feaver, Frank Auerbach, Rizzoli, New York 2009, cat. no.299, illustrated p.271.

The board is sound. There is a tiny drying crack in the red pigment by the centre of the right edge; otherwise work appears in excellent overall condition with strong passages of impasto throughout. Under ultraviolet light there appear to be no signs of retouching. Held under glass in a silver coloured wood box frame; unexamined out of frame. Please telephone the department on 0207 293 6424 if you have any questions about 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.
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Gerda Boehm, Auerbach's cousin, sat for him a number of times between 1961 to 1982. Auerbach felt that 'familiarity with the subject and with the person is a sort of short-cut' (Catherine Lampert, Conversation with Frank Auerbach, Arts Council Exhibition catalogue, 1978, p.12). By continually returning to the same subjects in his portraiture, Auerbach hoped to allow the painting itself to develop independently, with only some guidance from the author.

These portraits of Gerda provide considerable insight into Auerbach's variety of working techniques and styles and striking in the present work is the bold, flash of red paint. Auerbach's paintings of Gerda from the 60s largely employ a monochromatic palette of greys and blacks that leaves a more subdued impression. The vivid red here, combined with the strong, angular brushwork results in one of Auerbach's most powerful and psychologically intriguing representations of Gerda.

In typical fashion, Auerbach builds up the paint surface in sculptural layers of impasto and uses thick black marks to delineate the sitter's features, which is notable of the period. The heavily worked surface and distinct use of colour evokes the character of the sitter in a manner, independent and complex, that reveals Auerbach's significant and dynamic achievements in portraiture.