Alex Katz

Donated by the artist

This work is in very good condition overall. There is evidence of light wear and handling along the side and lateral sides of the canvas There are no signs of restoration under ultraviolet light inspection. Unframed.
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.

Alba (1990) is a dramatically cropped portrait of the actress Alba Clemente, wife of painter Francesco Clemente, presented in a format that approaches the grandeur of a CinemaScope screen in its long, narrow sweep of more than 10 feet. Katz’s preoccupation with light is everywhere present in the painting, and keys to the subject’s emotional state are to be found more in this aspect of the work than in the neutral demeanor typical of Katz’s subjects. Here, the vivid, flat color fields that provided the background to earlier portraits have been exchanged for an abstract landscape, banded with swaths of sunlight and filled with delicate foliage.