Alexander Archipenko

Herbert Singer, New York (acquired from the artist in 1962)
Private Collection (by descent from the above and sold: Sotheby's, London, February 5, 2007, lot 35)
Acquired at the above sale by the present owner

Carola Giedion-Welcker, Contemporary Sculpture, An Evolution in Volume and Space, New York, 1960, illustration of another cast p. 84
Alexander Archipenko et al., Archipenko: Fifty Creative Years, 1908-1958, New York, 1960, illustration of another cast pl. 182
Giovanni Sangiorgi, "La Pittura Scultorea di Archipenko," in Civiltà delle Macchine, vol. XI, no. 5, September-October 1963, illustration of another cast p. 38
Maurizio Calvesi, "Futurismo e Orfismo," in L'Arte Moderna, vol. V, no. 43, 1967, illustration of another cast p. 273
Donald H. Karshan (ed.), Archipenko: International Visionary, Washington, D. C., 1969, pl. 38, illustration of another cast p. 41
Andrei B. Nakov, Studio International, December 1973, vol. 186, mentioned
Donald H. Karshan, "Les Révolutions d'Alexandre Archipenko," in Plaisir de France, no. 421, July 1974, pl. 17, illustration of another cast p. 16
Albert E. Elsen, Origins of Modern Sculpture: Pioneers and Premises, New York, 1974, pl. 70, illustration of another cast p. 52
Donald H. Karshan, Archipenko. The Sculpture and Graphic Art, Tubingen, 1974, illustration of another cast p. 19
Donald H. Karshan, Archipenko. Sculpture, Drawings and Prints, 1908-1963, Indiana, 1985, no. 18, illustrations of another cast pp. 59-61
Anette Barth, Alexander Archipenkos plastisches Oeuvre, Frankfurt, 1997, no. 330, illustrations of another cast pp. 561 & 563

Attractive green and brown patina. Work is screwed to a black base at one point on the underside. Surface is clean, work is in excellent condition.
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.

Head: Construction with Crossing Planes was first conceived as a wooden sculpture in 1913, after which a bronze edition was cast during the artist's lifetime. Using the technique of constructing a sculpture out of geometric planes, this seminal work can be perceived as a predecessor to similar sculptures by other avant-garde artists including Picasso, González and Gabo. As Donald H. Karshan notes, "This work is the earliest known construction in modern sculpture comprised of open intersecting planes. Each plane is an abstracted template that establishes the parameters of spatial or dematerialized volumes that serve as 'negative mass'" (Donald H. Karshan, op. cit., 1985, p. 44).

Dating from the most productive and innovative period of Archipenko's career, when he was living in France, the present work combines the influences of Cubist and Constructivist art. It was during 1913 and 1914 that Archipenko produced his most daring and experimental work, developing two of his signature styles: polychrome sculptures or "sculpto-paintings" and constructions. According to Guy Habasque, the constructions "represent one of the most original contributions of Archipenko to the history of sculpture" (Guy Habasque, reprinted in Donald H. Karshan,ed., op. cit., 1969, pp. 17-18). Executed as a study for the monumental construction Femme à la toilette (see fig. 1), the present work is one of the most ground-breaking works not only in Archipenko's own art, but also in the history of early twentieth-century sculpture.