RICHARD HAMBLETON (1952 - 2017) | Untitled, 'circa' 1985-88

ink on homemade wood fiber

Acquired directly from the artist by the present owner 'circa' 1992

This work is in very good condition overall. The sheet is window matted and hinged at the reverse upper edge and in the center of the lower edge to the backing board. The lower edge of the sheet is uneven. There are artist's pinholes to the lower two corners. There is an undulation to the sheet, inherent to the artist's chosen medium. The sheet appears to have been folded once vertically and several times horizontally. There are scattered soft creases, predominantly to the upper right quadrant. There is time staining to the sheet. There is an accretion to the lower right right quadrant. Framed under glass.
The lot is sold in the condition it is in at the time of sale. The condition report is provided to assist you with assessing the condition of the lot and is for guidance only. Any reference to condition in the condition report for the lot does not amount to a full description of condition. The images of the lot form part of the condition report for the lot provided by Sotheby's. Certain images of the lot provided online may not accurately reflect the actual condition of the lot. In particular, the online images may represent colours and shades which are different to the lot's actual colour and shades. The condition report for the lot may make reference to particular imperfections of the lot but you should note that the lot may have other faults not expressly referred to in the condition report for the lot or shown in the online images of the lot. The condition report may not refer to all faults, restoration, alteration or adaptation because Sotheby's is not a professional conservator or restorer but rather the condition report is a statement of opinion genuinely held by Sotheby's. For that reason, Sotheby's condition report is not an alternative to taking your own professional advice regarding the condition of the lot.

Canadian artist Richard Hambleton began his career at the Vancouver School of Art before starting his 'Image Mass Murder' series in 1976. This street art series - which mimicked the look of chalk outlines used during police crime scene investigations – gained the artist immediate attention upon moving to New York. He then moved to his 'Shadowman' series, in which figures, like the one depicted in the current lot, were painted on the sides of buildings throughout downtown New York. The artist concurrently began painting Shadowmen on a variety of surfaces traditionally associated with fine art such as canvas and various papers.