- 28
Vittorio Matteo Corcos
Description
- Vittorio Matteo Corcos
- Neapolitan Beauties
- signed V. Corcos and dated 85 (lower right)
- oil on canvas
- 44 7/8 by 23 7/8 in.
- 114 by 60.6 cm
Provenance
Private Collection, United Kingdom
Sale: Sotheby’s, New York, November 4, 2011, lot 22, illustrated
Acquired at the above sale
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.
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
Painted in Paris, Neapolitan Beauties features an Italian subject set against a striking backdrop of the Gulf of Naples, which harkens back to the artist’s roots. The Beauties depicted here are effortlessly chic, almost doll-like, as they pose by the seaside, with a spouting Mount Vesuvius adding drama to the horizon. Their exquisite dresses serve as a showcase for Corcos' expert and swift paint handling, and he includes a sophisticated poodle as their companion. Curly-haired poodles, or Barbets, were extremely popular in Europe in the nineteenth century. They were prized as hunters and as intelligent companions with human characteristics. They have been included in works by many artists, from Albrecht Dürer to Henri Toulouse-Lautrec to Louis de Schryver; in Faust, Goethe has Mephistopheles come back to earth as a black poodle. The poodle shown here is distinguished by her neatly clipped coat and is as stylish and refined as the elegant women who care for her.