- 127
Verner Thomé
Estimate
30,000 - 50,000 USD
Log in to view results
bidding is closed
Description
- Verner Thomé
- Playing Children
- Signed V. Thomé and dated 1913 (lower right)
- Oil on canvas
- 55 by 90 1/2 in.
- 140 by 230 cm
Provenance
Ivar Hörhammer, Helsinki (acquired directly from the artist in 1913)
Hörhammer Collection, Sweden (by descent from the above)
Peter Nahum at the Leicester Galleries, London (acquired from the above in 2004)
Acquired from the above
Hörhammer Collection, Sweden (by descent from the above)
Peter Nahum at the Leicester Galleries, London (acquired from the above in 2004)
Acquired from the above
Exhibited
Oslo, Munch Museum, Livskraft, Vitalismen som kunstnerisk impuls 1900-1930, 2006, no. 154, illustrated in the catalogue
Condition
The canvas has not been lined. The impasto is very strong and lively. The pigments are fresh and strong. There is stable radial craquelure in the top right quadrant of the composition. Some minor frame rubbing and paint thinning to the periphery of the canvas. There are stretcher marks parallel to the top and bottom edges. There is a minor horizontal line of craquelure to the back of the figure second from the right in the middle ground. When examined under UV there is some cosmetic retouching to the top right quadrant and further cosmetic to the lower left corner. The painting is in overall very good 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.
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
Thome’s Playing Children is an essential contribution to the Vitalist movement of the early twentieth century, and a crucial painting in the artist’s oeuvre, executed at the peak of his artistic development. Vitalism was a German-Scandinavian movement which incorporated Nietzsche's philosophy of the “eternal lust for life” and the biological theories of Hans Driesch and Ernst Haeckel. Artists were encouraged to explore the theme of human perfection in relation to nature. Vitalism portrayed a positivistic view of life based on the Nietzschean model. Deriving from the great tradition of figure painting, the male nude became a symbol of power, juxtaposed with the outdoor landscape and the forces of nature.
The subject of Playing Children was first commissioned by the Swedish Primary School in Helsinki, where a similar interpretation, dated 1912, exists as a mural. A second version was commissioned by the Central Railway Station in Helsinki in 1913, which most likely is the present painting. It was acquired by the artist’s patron, Ivar Hörhammer, directly from the artist, soon after completion. The painting remained in the Hörhammer family until it was acquired by the present owner in 2004.
The subject of Playing Children was first commissioned by the Swedish Primary School in Helsinki, where a similar interpretation, dated 1912, exists as a mural. A second version was commissioned by the Central Railway Station in Helsinki in 1913, which most likely is the present painting. It was acquired by the artist’s patron, Ivar Hörhammer, directly from the artist, soon after completion. The painting remained in the Hörhammer family until it was acquired by the present owner in 2004.