- 53
Seif Wanly
Estimate
10,000 - 15,000 GBP
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Description
- Seif Wanly
- Still Life with Fish
- signed Seif lower right
- oil on board
- 39 by 49.5cm., 15¼ by 19½in.
Condition
The board is flat, even and ensuring a stable support. There are a couple of tiny scattered pinhead-sized spots of paint flaking, notably one in the grey pigment in the lower left quadrant (visible in the catalogue illustration), and one barely visible in the black pigment below centre. Ultra-violet light reveals some uneven signs of fluorescence which certainly appear to relate to the artist's pigments, and not retouching. This work is in good original condition.
Presented in a decorative gilt and black-painted frame. The catalogue illustration is reasonably accurate, however the colours are somewhat cleaner and more luminous in reality.
"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
Painted circa 1960.
Born in Alexandria to an aristocratic Egyptian family, Wanly studied at the studio of the Italian artist Ottorino Becchi before opening an atelier in Alexandria with his brother in 1934. In the 1950s the pair made several visits to Europe, sketching scenes of ballet, theatre and opera as well as assimilating avant-garde techniques.
Born in Alexandria to an aristocratic Egyptian family, Wanly studied at the studio of the Italian artist Ottorino Becchi before opening an atelier in Alexandria with his brother in 1934. In the 1950s the pair made several visits to Europe, sketching scenes of ballet, theatre and opera as well as assimilating avant-garde techniques.
Still Life with Fish embodies this cultivation, containing elements of bold, Fauvist colour as well as the compositional freedom and geometry of Cubism and Futurism. It therefore marks a radical break with the folklorist style of his contemporaries, and it is with such works that Wanly introduced modern pictorial trends to Egypt.