JEAN PAUL RIOPELLE | Joute

Galerie Jacques Dubourg, Paris
Arthur Tooth & Sons, Ltd., London
Private Collection, United Kingdom (acquired from the above in 1957)
Thence by descent to the present owner

Yseult Riopelle, Ed., Jean Paul Riopelle: Catalogue Raisonné, Tome 2, 1954 - 1959, Montreal 2004, p. 229, no. 1956.054H.1956, illustrated in colour

Colour: The colour in the printed catalogue is fairly accurate, although the greens and reds are slightly lighter and brighter in the original. Condition: This work is in good condition. Close inspection reveals a fine pattern of craquelure, most notably to the areas of thicker impasto, with some spots of associated loss and lifting in places, some of which have been in painted and consolidated, most notably in the area of green pigment in the upper right hand corner. Further close inspection reveals some paint flaking and losses to the extreme edges of the work and some tiny losses to some of the impasto peaks.
"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."

“There is no painting less obscure than Riopelle’s, and no painting that so truly captures the spirit of natural plentitude. Because he understands that the body is what sees, that there can be no seeing without motion, he is able to carry himself across the greatest distances – and come to a place of nearness and intimacy, where each thing has been set free to be what it is” (Paul Auster cited in: Exh. Cat., New York, Pierre Matisse Gallery, Jean-Paul Riopelle: Paintings from 1974 and Pastels from 1975, New York 1975, p. 5).