Henri Michaux

32 by 24cm.
Executed in 1955-58.

Galleria d'Arte del Naviglio, Milan
Galerie de France, Paris
Acquired by the present owner from the above

This work is in very good condition overall. There is evidence of light wear to the edges and corners of the sheet, which has yellowed slightly with time. The sheet is sandwiched between two sheets of glass and is mounted to panel. This work has not been examined out of its frame. Please note the auction begins at 9:00 am on November 12th.
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.

"One might consider Michaux's mescaline drawings as merely the symptom or trace of drug-induced psychosis, a twitching, frenetic scribble, a kind of mad writing, with incomprehensible sentences trailing off the page, mounds and skeins of lines, hideous juddering spinal columns, squid-shapes, worm-like crayon patterns and spumes of ink. Yet they are as intensely beautiful as anything Michaux produced. They have a fascinating complexity. Sometimes, looking at the mescaline drawings, it is like looking at a ruined Paris from the air, the bridges on the Seine on fire, the quartiers turning into monsters, the boulevards writhing." - Adrian Searle, The Guardian, February 22, 1999