Francis Bacon

en laine, à décor de composition cubiste dans des tons marrons, verts, gris, noirs et blancs

Francis Bacon, Londres
Gladys MacDermot, Londres
Par descendance au propriétaire actuel

Londres, Hayward Gallery, Thirties, British art and design before the war, 25 octobre 1979-13 janvier 1980, n. 4.51

Bon état général. Très légère salissure de surface, due au temps et à l'usage. Quelques petits fils tirés. Une tâche de peinture blanche au revers le long du bord gauche, à la partie supérieure, à peine visible lorsque le tapis est posé. Good overall condition. Very light dirtiness over the surface, consistent with age and normal use. A few fiber pulled out. One stain of white painting to the reverse along the upper left edge, hardly visible when the carpet is on the wall.
"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."

Tapis probablement exécuté par la Wilton Royal Carpet Factory, près de Salisbury

Vers 1929, Francis Bacon crée environ huit tapis, réalisés par Wilton. Quatre de ces tapis sont illustrés dans un article du magazine The Studio, 'The 1930 Look in British Decoration', paru en août 1930. En novembre de la même année, Bacon expose avec Roy de Maistre et Jean Shepeard dans son atelier de Queensberry Mews West. Roy De Maistre présente Francis Bacon à Gladys MacDermot. Cette dernière lui confie la décoration de son appartement de Bloomsbury, à Londres, probablement fin 1932, début 1933. Le présent lot fait partie de cette vaste commande. Son motif géométrique témoigne de l’esprit d’avant-garde des tapis modernistes produits en Angleterre par McKnight Kauffer et Marion Dorn et révèle aussi l’influence de Picasso, Eileen Gray et Jean Lurçat. Un second tapis au même motif, aux dimensions quasiment identiques, est connu et actuellement en prêt à la Tate Britain (collection privée, réf. L02869).

In circa 1929 Francis Bacon designed about eight rugs that were produced by Wilton. Four of these were illustrated in an article in The Studio magazine in August 1930, 'The 1930 Look in British Decoration'. That November Bacon held an exhibition at his Queensberry Mews West studio, along with Roy de Maistre and Jean Shepeard. De Maistre introduced Bacon to Gladys MacDermot who commissioned him to decorate her Bloomsbury apartment, probably in late 1932/early 1933. This rug formed part of that extensive commission. The geometric design captures the zeitgeist of progressive modernist rugs produced in England by McKnight Kauffer and Marion Dorn and are also influenced by Picasso, Eileen Gray and Jean Lurçat. A second rug of the same design, with almost identical measurements, is also extant and on loan at the Tate Britain.

Dr Rebecca Daniels, Art Historical Researcher on the forthcoming 'Francis Bacon: The Catalogue Raisonne'