Dora Maar

André Gomès, Paris (acquired directly from the artist)
Patrice Trigano, Paris (acquired from the above in 1990 and sold: Christie’s, Paris, 5 July 2005, lot 235)
Acquired at the above sale by the present owner

Bancaixa, Centre Cultural, Dora Maar Fotografa, 1995, no. 87 (titled Sans titre)
Munich, Haus der Kunst ; Marseilles, Musée de la Vieille Charité & Barcelona, Centre Cultural Tecla Sala (travelling exhibition), Dora Maar, 2001-2002, no. 193

The canvas is not lined. The colours are fresh and bright with thick layers of pigment. Close inspection reveals isolated areas of hairline craquelure, inherent to the artists use of thick impasto, notably on the figure's nose and eye, with some resulting minuscule flaking paint in the yellow background (upper left quadrant). There is no evidence of retouching under UV light and this work is in overall very good 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."

It was in 1936 that Dora Maar met Picasso and became his muse and model until 1944. The already famous painter and the photographer, a figure of the Surrealist movement who had notably been celebrated by Georges Bataille and Louis Aragon, began a passionate and tumultuous relationship. They were bound by their Spanish roots, political convictions and passion for their art. Their liaison would give rise to a fruitful dialogue between the two committed artists: when Dora Maar immortalised Picasso at work on his iconic Guernica, she tought him the techniques of photography, which would have an influence on many of his works (notably the photo-gravures and clichés-films he created in 1937). While Picasso painted many portraits of the muse who would become his “weeping woman”, after meeting him Dora Maar too began to paint, in a style and technique strongly influenced by her lover. The work of the young woman was long unknown until it was rediscovered in the 1990s.

In the present picture, painted in 1938, two years after they met, Dora Maar depicts Picasso in flamboyant tones with a strikingly graphical modernity. She subjects his face to the same distortions that he himself had inflicted upon her in countless portraits: the lines of his face are exaggerated, the volumes deconstructed, the nostrils and eyes stylised. The piercing gaze and features of the maestro nevertheless remain recognisable. Moving beyond a strict imitation of her lover’s art, here Dora Maar creates a portrait whose personality and style are all her own, offering proof of her exceptional visual innovation.