Jean Dubuffet

Estate of the Artist
Knud V. Jensen, Humlebæk
Private Collection, Denmark (acquired from the above in 1985)
Sotheby's, London, June 26, 2003, lot 181
Private Collection, Southport
Leo Koenig, Inc., New York
Acquired by the present owner from the above

Max Loreau, ed., Catalogue des travaux de Jean Dubuffet, Fascicule XXXIII: Sites aux Figurines, Partitions, Lausanne, 1982, cat. no. 232, p. 96, illustrated

This work is in very good condition overall. The surface is bright, fresh and clean. There is evidence of light wear and handling to the edges where the frame is over the canvas. Under Ultraviolet light inspection there is no evidence of restoration. Framed. *Please note the auction begins at 9:30 am on November 14th.*
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.

Jean Dubuffet rejected artistic traditions. He strove to create a unique visual language with which to portray the everyday world. One of the most important early theorists and collectors of "Art Brut," Dubuffet was a major force in the recognition and appreciation of outsider art. Naive and unconventional visions of reality influenced the development of his own singularly personal style and imagery.

Radieux Matin, a jovial and visually sumptuous example of the artist's later oeuvre, serves almost as a culmination of Dubuffet's aim to create art that somehow embodies nature, rather than just represents it. Through the unrestrained and adventurous interaction with his materials, the picture buzzes with life and movement – simultaneously strange and familiar. The boisterous figures create a series of stirring vignettes. The bright reds and blues complement each other in value and tone while appear to contrast one another in texture and thickness.

Made during the last ten years of his life and career, Radieux Matin shows Dubuffet revisiting techniques and aesthetics from earlier periods in his career, such as the Paris Circus, Conjectures, Memorations, and Situations series. Dubuffet has synthesized these previous series into Radieux Matin, which buzzes with the energy of figures, enmeshed in a network of furiously scrawled lines in attractive, vivid hues. The title of the work, Radieux Matin, or Radiant Morning, which Dubuffet perfectly captures in this bright and dynamic composition, which has the warm glow and energy of a busy Parisian morning.