HENRY TAYLOR | Larry Dunn and Your Life Expectancy

Daniel Reich Gallery, New York
Acquired from the above by the present owner in February 2005

This work is in very good condition overall. The varying surface textures are consistent with the artist's working method, and the horizontal line approximately halfway down the work is inherent to the way the canvas was originally stretched. The right edge of the canvas is slanted unevenly, inherent to the way the stretcher bars were assembled at the time of execution. There is scattered dust throughout. Under Ultraviolet light inspection, there is no evidence of restoration. Unframed, in two parts.
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.

“Henry Taylor’s portraits are sincere but brash. Bright but also muted. They wink at you but can feel weighted down with a mood that is grim. Their lines are both vague and specific, but what unites them is his treatment of the subject. With every face he paints, there is a sense that Taylor is moving to capture the ineffable, to strip away both the mask and the persona, to retrieve the way someone is wonderful with their lip twisted jaunty just so before the moment is over and whatever secret truth he saw in their face that made it worthy of capturing has vanished.”  Rachel K. Gansah, Henry Taylor, New York 2018, p. 134