Tomás Hiepes

With José Antonio Torres, Barcelona;
Acquired from the above by the father of the present owner in 1952 for 9m pesetas.

The colours are brighter and more colourful than the illustration suggests. The canvas has recently been relined and restretched. The painting has recently been cleaned and restored and is in moderate overall condition. The paint surface has been rather pressed by the lining. Inspection under ultra violet light reveals extensive restoration to the great majority of the picture surface, in particular all of the background, tabletop, and much of the blue and white bowl. The fruit, with the exception of the leaves is generally better preserved, especially in the finer and more subtle glass parts, but here too, the restoration and strengthening are fairly liberal. The varnish is shiny and even. This lot is offered with a modern carved, stained and parcel gilt wood frame in reasonable 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. 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."

An obsession with symmetry, a remarkable delicacy in the handling of his brush, and the choice of rare and unusual vessels are the characteristics that govern each and every one of Tomás Hiepes’ tabletop still lifes. The deep blue and white Delft porcelain bowl was a favourite prop for such works and it features in a large number of them, almost without exception as their centrepiece. Its cool tones and smooth surface provided the perfect counterpoint to the richly coloured and textured manzanas and peras that are stacked high within it. The bowl, or one very similar, can be seen again, for example, in the slightly larger composition in the Naseiro collection, Madrid.¹  In the Naseiro picture the bowl is flanked on either side by a pair of ceramic urns, whereas here Hiepes has chosen two different examples of elaborate glassware and he has indeed been so bold as to paint a small fish circling the waters of the one of them. It is in the juxtaposition of these delicately painted vessels, constructed with little more than a thin line of white paint, with the solidity of the fruit and bowl where this composition is at its most successful and unique.

We are grateful to Dr. William B. Jordan for endorsing the attribution to Hiepes on the basis of photographs.

 

1. P. Cherry, Arte y Naturaleza, Madrid 1999, reproduced plate XCIX.