FRANK AUERBACH | Reclining Nude

Presented to Ben Uri Gallery and Museum by members of the Ben Uri Art Society circa the 1950s

London, Ben Uri Art Gallery, Fiftieth Anniversary Special Exhibition, 1st - 29th March 1966;
London, Ben Uri Art Gallery, Prints and Drawings from the Permanent Collection, 25th October - 9th November 1989, cat no.2;
London, Somerset House, Out of Chaos: Ben Uri - 100 Years in London, 2nd July - 13th December 2015;
London, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany (Department of Culture and Education), Finchleystrasse: German artists in exile in Great Britain, 1933-1945, 27th February - 28th September 2018.

The sheet is attached to the mount with one strip of adhesive tape running the length of the upper edge. There is creasing to the upper left corner with one or two possible more minor creases elsewhere. There is also an area of staining to the upper left corner. There are light handling marks to the edges of the sheet and staining to the extreme edges of the sheet, possibly in line with the previous mount and not visible in the current presentation. There is light surface dirt and studio detritus. This excepting, the work appears in very good overall condition. The work is window mounted and held behind glass in a wooden frame. Please telephone the department on +44 (0) 207 293 6424 if you have any questions regarding the present work.
"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."

‘What I’m not hoping to paint is another picture because there are enough pictures in the world. I’m hoping to make a new thing for the world that remains in the mind like a new species of living things.’ (Frank Auerbach, quoted in Catherine Lampert, ‘ A Conversation with Frank Auerbach,’ Frank Auerbach, exh. cat., Hayward Gallery, London, 1978, p.10)