Balthus (Balthazar Klossowski de Rola)

Maurice Lefebvre-Foinet, Paris (acquired by 1967)
Private Collection (by descent from the above; sale: Christie's, Paris, 1st December 2009, lot 57)
Purchased at the above sale by the present owner

Saint-Paul-de-Vence, Fondation Maeght, Dix ans d'art vivant 1955-1965, 1967, no. 16, illustrated in the catalogue
Saint-Etienne, Musée d'Art et d'Industrie, Aspects de la Figuration depuis la guerre, 1968, no. 28
Paris, Musée National d'Art Moderne, Centre Georges Pompidou & New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Balthus, 1984, no. 135, illustrated in the catalogue (dated as 1954)

Jean Leymarie, Balthus, Geneva, 1990, p. 129 (dated as 1954)
Virginie Monnier & Jean Clair, Balthus, Catalogue raisonné de l 'Œuvre complet, Paris, 1999, no. P 226, illustrated p. 165, (as painted in 1954)
Camille Viéville, Balthus et le portrait, Paris, 2011, no. 86, illustrated in colour p. 106  (as painted in 1954)

The canvas is not lined and there is no evidence of retouching visible under UV light. This work is in overall very good original 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."

Balthus first met Léna Leclerq, a talented poetess and philanthropist, in 1947, when she was only seventeen. Several years later they met again and started a brief but passionate love affair. This portrait dates back to 1954 and was painted shortly after Léna moved in with Balthus and relocated from Paris to his Château de Chassy in the Morvan country. It is one of only two life-sized representations of Léna that Balthus ever painted and, in sharp contrast to his more suggestive and erotic depictions of young women, it strikes the viewer with its piercing modesty and austerity.

Léna is depicted wearing a plain blue dress with a white collar that fades into the dark brown background. Reflecting her role as housekeeper that she was assigned shortly after moving into Balthus’s Chateau, her clothes still allow her to exude a confidence and dignity. With her pale skin, sharp facial features, pulled back hair, and upright posture, she seems powerful and intelligent. Though Léna is buttoned up and composed, she is still alluring. Balthus skilfully captured her seductiveness that attracted him so much. With covered, but pointed breasts, and plump lips, she teases the viewer, a dynamic that is only heightened by the directness of her stare.  In his portrait, and as in his life, Léna is an enigmatic character, a complex riddle that can never be solved.