Sam Szafran

Private Collection, Paris

The colours are fairly accurate in the catalogue illustration. The work was inspected framed. The work is composed of two silk sheets, and their junction is visible in the catalogue illustration. The surface presents some unevenness, linked to the artist's technique and materials used. This work is in excellent 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."

"In the early 2000s, the emblematic Escalier du 54, rue de Seine – the very staircase that Szafran regenerated, reinvented, and sublimated over several decades -, gradually opened out onto the exterior, through veritable urban contemporary routes. The most mundane and modern urban characteristics, its roofs, cars, contrast with the fascinating study of the reflections and shadows, particularly those depicted in white pastel; and the blank areas, which have become increasingly present in his work, have enabled him to give these daring views a new spatiality. The ensemble, which is both highly detailed and monumental, evolves, is juxtaposed, and interwoven in a very rhythmical way [...] In the Paysages Urbains, the viewer's gaze is never able to settle on one area. Within a contracting and dilating space, which distracts the eye with competing visions, there is an impression of movement that alternately slows down and speeds up."
Alexandra Marini