Adolph Gottlieb

Estate of the Artist
Sarah Blaffer Foundation, Houston, TX
Vivian Horan Fine Art, New York 
Avanti Galleries Inc., New York 
Private Collection, Chicago
Private Collection, New York
Sotheby's, New York, November 15, 2007, lot 139
Acquired by the present owner from the above sale

New York, Marlborough-Gerson Gallery, Adolph Gottlieb: Twelve Paintings, February - March 1966, p. 3, illustrated
Cambridge, Hayden Gallery, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Adolph Gottlieb, May - June 1966, fig. 4, illustrated
London, Marlborough Fine Art; Zurich, Marlborough Galerie, Adolph Gottlieb: Paintings 1959-1971, November 1971- March 1972 , p. 21, illustrated in color

Jean-Luc Daval, "Lettre De Suisse," Art International, vol. 16, April 20, 1972, p. 65, illustrated

This painting is in very good condition overall. There are a few areas of hairline cracking, some with slightly cupped edges, which are located as follows: • 1 in. diagonal linear crack located 27 ½ to 29 in. from the right and 28 1/8 to 28 ¾ in. from the bottom • Meandering 8 in. long crack located 23 ½ to 27 ½ inches from the right and 22 to 28 7/8 inches from the bottom • Network of linear cracks located 27 ¾ to 31 ¼ in. from the left and 39 ¼ to 42 in. from the top • Linear vertical crack extending from the red circle into the black, located 31 to 39 ½ in. from the top and 28 ¼ to 28 ½ in. from the left. Under ultraviolet light inspection, there is no evidence of restoration. Framed.
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.

A red hot sun suspended over an inky liquid expanse that quakes with potential. Over a burst of black energy, a crimson talisman gazes outward from a mystical realm. Roman Three No. 2 from his Burst series represents Adolph Gottlieb’s ideal that painting must be “an adventure into an unknown world, which can be explored only by those willing to take the risks.” (New York Times, June 13, 1943)  Heavily influenced by Jungian philosophy, its concept of dualism, and rejecting the constraints of European modernism, Gottlieb turned to primitive and archaic symbols in order to invoke the collective unconscious.

Gottlieb disavowed the notion that his works were depictions of nature and asserted that “the subconscious has been my guiding factor in all my work.” (John Grun, The Party’s Over Now: Reminiscences of the Fifties, 1967, p. 258) Nevertheless, Gottlieb, an avid sailor, noted in 1962 that “it’s inconceivable to me that I could experience things and not have them enter my painting.” The simple arrangement in Roman Three No. 2 of the red sphere high along the vertical axis of the black canvas triggers numerous symbolic interpretations in the viewer. Gottlieb’s denial about specific naturalistic intent has the effect of enabling a multitude of subjective responses. By limiting himself to a handful of primal forms, Gottlieb enhances the monumentality and universality of Roman Three No. 2.

Gottlieb arrived at his Burst paintings late in his career after having established himself with his Pictographs series.  In the 1957 catalog for the first exhibition of Burst paintings, Clement Greenberg wrote “[w]hat makes such a picture difficult – difficult in the best sense – is its monumental simplicity, which seems more than the conventions of easel painting can tolerate.” (Exh. Cat., New York, The Jewish Museum, Adolph Gottlieb, 1957, p. 7). Gottlieb’s intent was for the observer to view the painting as a single totality and, indeed, the spare iconography of Roman Three No. 2 allows for immediate engagement. However, one of Gottlieb’s many conceptual innovations was to situate the viewer as an active participant who was invested in the aesthetic experience and sensitive to the nuisances in color and texture. This is particularly true here where the archetypal black eruption is set against a field of black paint. The subtleties and elements of the image are only revealed to the thoughtful viewer as light reflects on the radiating brushstrokes of the burst. Color was a fundamental component for Gottlieb and he believed that black, white and red had a special “charge.”  Roman Three No. 2 finds Gottlieb utilizing all three and, as a counterpoint to the circle and burst as well as a motif used throughout the series, three daubs of paint like a chromatic barcode.