拍品 58
  • 58

PRINCE PAUL TROUBETZKOY | Portrait of a seated woman

估價
50,000 - 70,000 GBP
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招標截止

描述

  • Portrait of a seated woman
  • signed and dated: Paul Troubetzkoy / Paris 1906, stamped: CIRE PERDUE A.A. HEBRARD and with a label to the underside inscribed: PRIMA ESPOSIZIONE INTERNAZIONALE D'ARTE / DELLA "SECESSIONE" / ROMA 1913 / 452
  • bronze, dark brown patina
  • 47 by 49 by 49cm., 18½ by 19¼ by 19¼in. 

Condition

Overall the condition of the bronze is very good with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. Some words, including ‘EGATA JO…’, have been very faintly etched into the patina above the signature - these are only really noticeable under torchlight. Slight wear to the patina at some high points such as the nose.
"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."

拍品資料及來源

Prince Paul Troubetzkoy was uniquely placed to capture the glittering world of the international elite at the turn of the nineteenth to twentieth centuries. His father was an aristocratic Russian diplomat, his mother an American opera singer. He was born at Lake Maggiore in Italy and he spent his professional life between Moscow, Paris and New York. His social status and artistic accomplishment made him a celebrity in his own right and he was very much part of the world he depicted. The society portrait was his especial preserve, with a particular emphasis on the seated figure. The pose was an awkward proposition in three dimensions and in the relatively small dimensions of a statuette, but Troubetzkoy mastered it with aplomb and it became a trademark of his work. The present bronze is a fine example and can be compared to the well-known After the Ball, a portrait of Adelaide Aurnheimer, which the sitter won as a prize for the best costume at a ball in 1897. In these seated portraits the ease and informality of the pose allows the artist to capture the evanescent charm of a privileged age.

Instead of modelling in clay, Troubetzkoy prepared his figures using a non-drying compound of clay and wax called plastilene. It gave his finished works a great impression of immediacy. The present bronze is no exception. Troubetzkoy’s fluid modelling technique can be seen here in the swift and confident manipulation of the material, leaving clear thumb prints to be seen in the folds of drapery around the base.

The label on the underside of the present bronze indicates that the cast is from before 1913, when the first Secessione di Roma took place. The Secessione Romana was initiated by a group of artists who wanted to break free from the reigning aesthetic in the art world, and looked towards modernism and futurism. At the 1913 Secessione, Troubetzkoy had a room dedicated to him, which included 88 of his works. 

Another version of the present model was sold in these rooms on 16 December 2015 as lot 130 (£87,500).

RELATED LITERATURE
G. Piantoni et al., Paolo Troubetzkoy 1866-1938, exh. cat., Museo del Paesaggio, Verbania Pallanza, 1990, p. 223; O. Wooton, Prince Paul Troubetzkoy: The Belle Epoque Captured in Bronze, exh. cat. Sladmore Gallery, London, 2008, pp. 6-15, no. 5