- 133
Isamu Noguchi
Estimate
250,000 - 350,000 USD
Log in to view results
bidding is closed
Description
- Isamu Noguchi
- Untitled (Face)
- granite
- 34 by 16 by 5 in. 86.4 by 40.6 by 12.7 cm.
- Executed circa 1961.
Provenance
Private Collection, New York (acquired directly from the artist in the 1970s)
By descent to the present owner from the above
By descent to the present owner from the above
Literature
Nancy Grove and Diane Botnick, eds., The Sculpture of Isamu Noguchi, 1924 - 1979: A Catalogue, New York, 1980, cat. no. 513, p. 92, illustrated
Condition
This work is in very good and sound condition overall. There is some light and subtle discoloration to the stone along the extreme edges. The top and bottom edges exhibit some light wear.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE 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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
Catalogue Note
Isamu Noguchi’s Untitled (Face) from 1961 is a whimsical sculpture subtly depicting a face cut in granite. Beginning in the 1960s, Noguchi began experimenting with granite, which later became his preferred medium for its inherent surface irregularities and tactility. The artist’s granite works from the 1960s through 1980s vary in composition and subject matter, perpetually toeing the line of figuration and abstraction.
Noguchi first began carving during his youth in Japan, and later went on to apprentice for Modern master, Constantin Brancusi in Paris. Noguchi admired the way Brancusi highlighted his natural materials and reduced his subjects to the point of abstraction, and Noguchi later adopted these qualities into his own practice. Indeed, Untitled (Face) bears a similar primal, simplified character to Brancusi’s revered masterpiece, The Kiss from 1916, from which Noguchi no doubt drew inspiration. In the present work, Noguchi gives us a playful amalgamation of figuration and abstraction, while simultaneously accentuating the work’s natural granite texture.
Noguchi first began carving during his youth in Japan, and later went on to apprentice for Modern master, Constantin Brancusi in Paris. Noguchi admired the way Brancusi highlighted his natural materials and reduced his subjects to the point of abstraction, and Noguchi later adopted these qualities into his own practice. Indeed, Untitled (Face) bears a similar primal, simplified character to Brancusi’s revered masterpiece, The Kiss from 1916, from which Noguchi no doubt drew inspiration. In the present work, Noguchi gives us a playful amalgamation of figuration and abstraction, while simultaneously accentuating the work’s natural granite texture.