Henri Matisse

Pierre Matisse Gallery, New York
Private Collection, USA (acquired from the above in 1959)
Sale: Deutscher and Hackett, Sydney, 17th April 2008, lot 64
Purchased at the above sale by the present owner

Pierre Schneider, Matisse, London, 2002, illustrated p.586

Executed on cream wove paper, not laid down, taped to the mount at the top two corners and at the centre of the lower edge, floating in the mount. There are artist's pinholes and minor handling evidence at all four corners, as well as very light creases to the centre of the lower edge. Otherwise, this work appears to be in good original condition. Colours: The sheet in brighter and less grey in the original compared to the illustration in the printed catalogue.
"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."

'There is nothing provisional about his drawings: they are complete, finished works, resulting from an extended process of identification. The line which encircles the objects supplied a final, conclusive definition. Through the connection between the line and the artist's emotions, his inner life, the drawing becomes an act of assimilation, taking possession of nature'
(Ernst Gerhard Güse, Matisse, Drawings and Sculpture, Munich, 1991, p. 10)