- 196
Alexandra Exter
Estimate
30,000 - 50,000 GBP
bidding is closed
Description
- Alexandra Exter
- Costume Design for Seven Against Thebes
- signed in Latin l.r.; further inscribed 56 and bearing Czech label on reverse
- gouache over pencil on paper
- image size: 48.5 by 31cm, 19 by 12 1/4 in.
Provenance
The collection of George Reynolds Freedley, New York
Skinner's, Mass., 12 May 1983, Sale 898, lot 120
Skinner's, Mass., 12 May 1983, Sale 898, lot 120
Exhibited
Prague, Musée des Arts et Metiers, Alexandra Exter, Theatre: Maquettes, Decors, Costumes, 1937
Condition
The sheet is sound. Foxing appears throught the sheet, otherwise the work is in good condition. Held in a simple black frame.The sheet appears to have moved underneath the frame. Unexamined out of frame.
"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."
"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."
Catalogue Note
George Reynolds Freedley (1904-1967) was the theatre critic for the New York Morning Telegraph and curator of the Theatre Research Collection of the New York Public Library at the Lincoln Center. He lectured and wrote extensively on theatre history.
Aeschylus' play Seven Against Thebes is the third part of a trilogy first performed in 467 BC. The tragedy concerns the two sons of Oedipus, Eteocles and Polynices, who were cursed to divide their father's kingdom between them. In order to avoid bloodshed, the brothers agreed to rule Thebes in alternate years. After the first year however, Eteocles refused to pass the throne on to his brother, prompting Polynices to raise an army led by seven captains and take Thebes by force. After Aechylus' death, the ending of the play was rewritten to include Antigone, who may be the subject of the present work.
Aeschylus' play Seven Against Thebes is the third part of a trilogy first performed in 467 BC. The tragedy concerns the two sons of Oedipus, Eteocles and Polynices, who were cursed to divide their father's kingdom between them. In order to avoid bloodshed, the brothers agreed to rule Thebes in alternate years. After the first year however, Eteocles refused to pass the throne on to his brother, prompting Polynices to raise an army led by seven captains and take Thebes by force. After Aechylus' death, the ending of the play was rewritten to include Antigone, who may be the subject of the present work.
While living in Paris, Exter designed marionettes, sets and costumes for ballet and film between 1925 and 1937 and was a key designer for the Théâtre des Nouveautés. Her other known designs for Seven Against Thebes also depict figures with arms distended, and are filled with a similar air of anxiety. The present work is a fine example of Exter's sense of line: the curves flow uninterrupted from the subject's outstretched hands to the ground, while the black robe appears wall-like, a symbol of the tragedy for which she mourns. Exter is known to have illustrated in a similar Art Deco style the borders of a 16 page manuscript of Sept contre Thebes with a calligraphy script by Manuel Pelaez.