- 16
Joaquín Mir
Estimate
120,000 - 180,000 GBP
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Description
- Joaquín Mir
- Jardin de la casa del artista (The Artist's Garden)
- signed J MIR lower right
- oil on canvas
- 105.5 by 123cm., 41½ by 48½in.
Provenance
Balclis, Barcelona
Purchased from the above by the present owner in 1978
Purchased from the above by the present owner in 1978
Exhibited
Palma de Mallorca, Fundació La Caixa, Joaquín Mir, Itinerari Vital, 1997-98, no. 98, illustrated in the catalogue
Vilanova i la Geltrú, Biblioteca Museu Victor Balaguer, Joaquim Mir a Vilanova, 2006, no. 92, illustrated in the catalogue
Barcelona, CaixaForum, Joaquim Mir. Antológica (1873-1940), 2009, no. 71, illustrated in the catalogue
Vilanova i la Geltrú, Biblioteca Museu Victor Balaguer, Joaquim Mir a Vilanova, 2006, no. 92, illustrated in the catalogue
Barcelona, CaixaForum, Joaquim Mir. Antológica (1873-1940), 2009, no. 71, illustrated in the catalogue
Condition
This painting is in very good, unlined, original condition, and its appearance could be further enhanced with a light surface clean.
"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."
"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."
Catalogue Note
Suffused with light and teeming with colour, the present work is the most important depiction of the garden of the artist’s villa in Vilanova near Tarragona, the substantial property that Mir had acquired in 1922. The house became a meeting-place for painters and intellectuals, while the lush vegetation of the gardens became a sanctuary, open air studio, and repeated source of inspiration for the artist.
Mir had abandoned himself to colour whilst exploring the landscapes of Mallorca twenty years earlier. His experiments led to extravagant compositions verging on the abstract, but were cut short by a climbing accident on the coast and his ensuing mental breakdown. In Vilanova, where his wife had grown up, Mir settled into a reassuring daily rhythm. The house served as a gallery for his collection of paintings and ceramics, the grounds as a park, menagerie, and kitchen garden, giving the artist a much-needed sense of place and peace of mind through which to rediscover painting.
Explorations of colour through nature continued to define Mir’s oeuvre, and the vigorous palette in the present work reflects the artist’s renewed self-confidence. Inspired by painting trips to Alforja, Miravet, and the countryside around Barcelona, Mir's vibrant palette now became tempered by an increased sense of realism, balanced composition, and bold contrasts between light and dark.
Mir had abandoned himself to colour whilst exploring the landscapes of Mallorca twenty years earlier. His experiments led to extravagant compositions verging on the abstract, but were cut short by a climbing accident on the coast and his ensuing mental breakdown. In Vilanova, where his wife had grown up, Mir settled into a reassuring daily rhythm. The house served as a gallery for his collection of paintings and ceramics, the grounds as a park, menagerie, and kitchen garden, giving the artist a much-needed sense of place and peace of mind through which to rediscover painting.
Explorations of colour through nature continued to define Mir’s oeuvre, and the vigorous palette in the present work reflects the artist’s renewed self-confidence. Inspired by painting trips to Alforja, Miravet, and the countryside around Barcelona, Mir's vibrant palette now became tempered by an increased sense of realism, balanced composition, and bold contrasts between light and dark.