Alberto Magnelli

Madame Magnelli

Galerie Bargera, Cologne (acquired by 1973)

Frankfurter Westend Galerie, Frankfurt

Galerie Editions Karl Flinker, Paris (acquired by 1979)

Private Collection

Acquired from the above by the late owner in 2005

Zurich, Kunsthaus Zurich, Alberto Magnelli, 1963, no. 16

Florence, Palazzo Strozzi, La Strozzina, Alberto Magnelli, 1963, no. 16

Paris, Musée National d'Art Moderne, Magnelli, 1968, no. 20

Paris, Centre National d'Art Contemporain, Exposition itinérante des peintures récentes d'Alberto Magnelli, 1970-1972, no. 2

Cologne, Galerie Bargera, Alberto Magnelli, 1973, no. 6

Paris, Galerie Karl Flinker, Magnelli, 1979

Milan, Galleria Gruppo Credito Valtellinese, Reflettorio delle Stelline, Alberto Magnelli Retrospettiva Opere 1913-1914, 2001-2002, no. 14, illustrated in the catalogue 

Anne Maisonnier, Alberto Magnelli, L'œuvre peint, Catalogue raisonné, Paris, 1975, no. 122, illustrated p. 69

The canvas is not lined. UV examination reveals two very small spots of retouching to the dark blue element at the upper centre and two small lines to the left of the signature. There is a very minor surface scratch to the upper part of the red vase (visible in the catalogue illustration) and a few tiny flecks of paint loss to the background in places, which are not at all distracting. This work is in overall very good condition. The artist's instructions on the verso 'do not varnish' have been respected and the work retains the matte surface that Magnelli intended.
"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."

La Jarre Rouge is an exceptionally striking image and an excellent example of Magnelli’s bold exploration of the still life genre. It was painted in 1914, only seven years after he had first started painting in 1907. Born in Florence, Magnelli did not have any formal artistic training but quickly succeeded in establishing a distinctly modern visual language for himself, and by 1909 his work was already being included in the Venice Biennale. The present work is one of twenty-seven still life paintings that Magnelli painted in Florence in 1914, an important series whose style signals an important transition in the artist’s work from his earlier more figurative representations towards the full abstraction that dominated his later work. The inspiration for this development in his art (where his aesthetic became increasingly spare and stripped back) can be traced to an important visit that Magnelli made to Paris in the Spring of 1914, when he became acquainted with many of the key figures of the vibrant avant-garde scene there, including Kahnweiler, Apollinaire, Picasso, Archipenko, and Matisse.

This visit to Matisse’s studio - where he was taken by Apollinaire - was to be extremely significant in shaping Magnelli’s future artistic direction and indeed the present work is clear evidence of this impact. La Jarre Rouge, with its flattened forms, thick black outlines and bold - yet deliberately limited - palette recalls the aesthetic of Matisse’s masterpiece La Musique of 1910 as well as Les Citrons (fig. 1) which was painted in the same year as the present work. The simple shapes of vases and jugs proved to be the prefect subject matter for Magnelli during this transitional period, as they allowed him to reduce form and colour to their most essential, raw states. The present work has a remarkable confidence to it, its deliberately matte surface heightening its primitive appeal, an aesthetic that the artist was clearly keen to preserve: his inscription on the verso of the canvas instructs future owners ‘ne pas vernir’ (do not varnish).