MAX KLINGER | Young Woman on a Divan

Sale: Villa Grisebach, Berlin, 27 November 2013, lot 211
Purchased at the above sale by the present owner

Munich, Museum Villa Stuck; Hanover, Wilhelm Busch Museum - German Museum of Caricature and Drawings, Heinrich Kley 1863 – 1945. A Master of Ink Drawing in the Context of his Time, 2011, no. 54, illustrated in the catalogue

The artist's sheet has been hinged to the mount in the upper right and upper left corners, on the reverse. The sheet is somewhat sunned along its extreme edges. There is a circa 3cm old tear which has been restored in the lower left corner, and some very fine creases are visible in the upper left and upper right corners. Otherwise, this work appears to be in good condition and ready to hang. Presented glazed, in white mount and in dark wooden frame.
"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."

Born into an upper-middle-class family in Leipzig, Max Klinger was possibly one of the most well-read and cultured artists of his time. His knowledge spread from literature to philosophy, from music to any form of visual arts. Although his artistic genius manifested both in sculpture and painting, it was with his engravings and etchings that he accomplished his greatest masterworks. Executed circa 1880-85, the present work portrays a young woman, likely to be a prostitute, lying semi-naked on a divan. Self-confident in her nakedness, she stares at the viewer daring him to stare back, exposing the most intimate part of her body. Klinger’s interest in social issues of debauchery that characterized modern life had translated into A Life, a collection of fifteen etchings about a young woman forced into prostitution and refused by society, published in 1884. Young Woman on a Divan might indeed have originated from this body of work.

Whilst Klinger did not dislike the use of oil paint, he strongly believed painting could have no other purpose except the representation of nature. On the other hand, he thought drawing allowed the artist more freedom and more precision. It was drawing, therefore, that he chose as the most appropriate medium to represent the world of symbols, the realm of imagination.

 



The authenticity of this work has been confirmed by Dr Richard Huttel.