Adolph Gottlieb

Private Collection
Acquired by the present owner from the above

New York, Sidney Janis Gallery, Adolph Gottlieb, October 1962
Minneapolis, Walker Art Center, Adolph Gottlieb, March - June 1963, n.p., illustrated
São Paulo, VII Bienal do Arte Moderna, Adolph Gottlieb: Estados Unidos da America, September - December 1963, n.p., illustrated
Pittsburgh, Carnegie Institute, Pittsburgh International 1964, October 1964 - January 1965, n.p., illustrated
Cambridge, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Hayden Gallery, Adolph Gottlieb, May - June 1966

Geraldo Vierira, "Artes Plasticas: Adolph Gottlieb," Fohade S. Paulo, September 29, 1963, p. 5, illustrated
Brian O'Doherty, "Adolph Gottlieb: The Dualism of an Inner Life," The New York Times, February 23, 1964, illustrated
Emily Genauer, "Gottlieb and Lachaise-Universal Statements," New York Herald Tribune, March 1, 1964, illustrated

This work is in very good condition overall. The is evidence of wear and handling toward the edges, resulting in hairline craquelure at the pull margins, particularly at the bottom left corner, and there are some faint handling marks at the sides. 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.

In his trademark Bursts series, beginning in 1957, Adolph Gottlieb simplified his representation down to two disc-like shapes and winding sea-like masses. His paintings are variations with these elements arranged in different ways. This series, unlike the Imaginary Landscape series, suggests a basic landscape with a sun and a ground. On another level, the shapes are so rudimentary, they are not limited to one interpretation. The painting evokes a plethora of readings, from the conflict between heaven and hell to the eternal cycle of creation and destruction. In this case, Saturnaliamight refer to the ancient Roman festival of revelry and reflection. This work’s format, elemental yet profound, allowed Gottlieb to fully express his prodigious command of gesture and color. He is considered one of the first color field painters and is one of the forerunners of Lyrical Abstraction, as well as one of the most influential members of the New York School, a pioneer of Abstract Expressionism.

Two circular discs float next to each other: on the right a more traditional periwinkle burst, neighbored by an almost-perfect black circle surrounded by a pink halo. The elemental forms hover above a large red mass of thick paint near the canvas’ lower edge. The powerful brushwork evokes a strong emotion from the simple shapes, as the objects appear to orbit each other throbbing with energy. With these forms, Gottlieb generates an elemental tension between them that is virtually electric.

With Saturnalia, Gottlieb conveyed his prodigious command of gesture and color that he had honed over several decades of concentrated engagement with painting. Both elements of the composition radiate with an intensity that exceeds their physical boundaries - the upper discs pulse generating halos of both external and residual color, while the calligraphic surge of red paint below emits a sense of imminent movement and expansion. Like Rothko, the edges of Gottlieb’s color fields offer some of the most scintillating passages in his paintings, such as the halo of thinly applied pink paint brimming with energy and the lively trickles of paint dancing around the weighty red expanse.