Giulio Paolini

Galleria Notizie, Torino
Ivi acquistato dall'attuale proprietario

Giulio Paolini, Idem, Torino 1975, p. 81, illustrato
Maddalena Disch, Giulio Paolini. Catalogo ragionato 1960-1999, Milano 2008, n. 254, p. 266, illustrato
Elena Volpato, "L’Ile enchantée. La visione è cieca", in Giulio Paolini. Vedo e non vedo, “In tema” n. 1, Fondazione Giulio e Anna Paolini, Torino, Mantova 2014, pp. 66, 75 (italiano), p. 60, 72 (inglese), p. 67, illustrato
Barbara Cinelli, "Il grande gioco dell’arte", in Teatro di Mnemosine. Giulio Paolini d’après
Watteau, catalogo della mostra, Lugano, Spazio -1 Collezione Giancarlo e Danna
Lugano, Bellinzona 2015, p. 70 (italiano), p. 69, 73 (inglese), illustrato a p. 71

This work appears to be in generally good overall condition. There are few pin-pointed traces of dirt by the lower right edge and, to the central canvas, lower left and towards the center of the right edge. There are handling marks along the edges, especially along the lower and upper ones. The white tonality of the central canvas is warmer compared to the catalogue illustration and has traces of soiling along the corners. No traces of retouching appear to be visible under UV 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."

Una tela preparata, che reca un testo dell’artista scritto a matita, è montata al centro di una tela più grande, in modo da nascondere il presunto disegno del quale restano
visibili solo i segni marginali, tracciati a mano libera. Lo scritto, che mette in questione
l’esistenza di un’immagine, la sua ragione di porsi come tale, recita: “Una, sublime e perciò inarrivabile è l’arte di Antoine Watteau: tale da coprire di sospetto qualsiasi
affermazione che le sia anche soltanto dedicata. Ma è pur vero che François Couperin
avrebbe composto Le Carillon de Cythère come partitura sonora di Embarquement
pour Cythère. Perché allora non poter presumere che quel quadro possa ammettere,
attraverso la sua stessa immagine musicale, almeno una domanda sulla sua ‘reale’
apparenza?”. “Citando la partitura musicale Le Carillon de Cythère, metto in causa l’assolutezza
dell’immagine dipinta da Watteau, poiché condivide con quel brano musicale la
medesima idea e visione. Né la partitura musicale che cito, né il quadro che nomino
possono avere l’assoluto diritto di cittadinanza in merito al tema trattato. La ragione del riferimento al dipinto di Watteau, che ho ritenuto per molto tempo il quadro più bello della storia dell’arte, non era altro che un’indicazione intellettuale dell’idea stessa di rappresentazione (come ho fatto altrove richiamandomi alle Meninas di Velàzquez). I margini del disegno sottostante segnalano visivamente ciò che esprimo a parole, ovvero che un’immagine non può dirsi assoluta in quanto suscettibile di essere vista e pensata in altro modo. Alludo quindi a un’immagine che si lascia intravedere troppo poco per consentire di identificarla, ma comunque abbastanza per ipotizzarne l’esistenza” (G. Paolini in conversazione con I. Bernardi, 16 gennaio 2013).

Il medesimo tema è stato formulato anche in una variante più complessa, realizzata nello stesso anno (GPO-0256).

Maddalena Disch

A prepared canvas, bearing the artist’s hand-written text in pencil, is installed in the middle of a larger canvas, so as to hide the supposed drawing, of which only the peripheral signs are visible, drawn in free hand. The text, which questions the existence of an image, or its reason for positing itself as such, reads: “Antoine Watteau’s art is one, sublime and -therefore- unfathomable: as such, it involves in suspicion any statement even only dedicated to it. It is nevertheless true that François Couperin seems to have composed ‘Le Carillon de Cythère’ as the musical score for ‘Embarquement pour Cythère’. Why not surmise, therefore, that the painting may allow -through its musical image- at least a question regarding its ‘real appearance’?

“By quoting the musical score from ‘Le Carillon de Cythère’, I question the absoluteness of the image painted by Watteau, because it shares the same idea and vision as the musical composition. Neither the musical score I reference, or the painting I mention may lay an absolute claim to citizenship with regard to the topic in question. The reason for referencing Watteau’s painting, which I long regarded as the most beautiful painting in all of art history, was but an intellectual indication of the very idea of representation (as I previously expressed in referencing Velàzquez’s ‘Meninas’). The margins of the underlying drawing visually express that which I convey with words- i.e. that an image may not be held as absolute in as much as it is subject to being otherwise seen and interpreted. I therefore allude to an image which lets itself be seen not quite to the extent of identification, but enough to allow its existence to be surmised”.

The same topic has been addressed in a more complex work, from the same year (GPO-0256). 

Maddalena Disch