- 27
William Copley
Estimate
25,000 - 35,000 GBP
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Description
- William Copley
- They Laughed when I Sat Down to Play
- signed and dated 70
- acrylic on canvas
- 115 by 147cm., 45 3/8 by 57 7/8 in.
Exhibited
New York, Iolas Gallery, CPLY: Mail Order, 1972, n.p., pl. 16, illustrated in colour
Condition
Colour:
The colours in the catalogue illustration are fairly accurate although the blues and the greens are deeper and richer in the original.
Condition:
Unexamined out of its frame, this work is on very good condition. There is some light wear to the edges, with some light rubbing towards the upper two and lower left corner tips. Extremely close inspection reveals a tiny speck of loss to the piano, towards the centre of the upper right quadrant, and another minute and unobtrusive speck above the piano keys, towards the centre of the lower left quadrant. The canvas is slightly slack and there is some minor canvas draw to the upper and lower left corners. No restoration is apparent when examined under ultraviolet light.
"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 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."
Catalogue Note
“There’s very little planning, no sketches. I put everything on canvas immediately and directly. It’s really an attempt at non-drawing which turns into another kind of drawing the more you try to eliminate it, the more you change its nature. It has a lot to do with seeing, though. If you think too long, you miss seeing.”
William Copley interviewed in 1971 in: The Art Gallery Magazine. Quoted in William N. Copley, p. 174.