MIGUEL COVARRUBIAS | Mujer en el río (Balinesa)

Galería de Arte Moderno Central Misrachi, Mexico City
Acquired from the above in 1974

This work is in very good condition overall. The thin board on which it is painted is flat and unbroken. The paint layer is stable. It is possibly slightly dirty, and it has a soft varnish. Some marks read darkly under ultraviolet light, including one in the left side of the thigh on the left that may correspond to a retouching. There may be a few spots of retouching in the lower sky on the left, and a few dots around her knees. The work should be hung in its current state. (This condition report has been provided courtesy of Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc.)
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.

"Covarrubias' stay in Bali profoundly transformed his creative aspirations. A lover of beauty 'at first sight,' Miguel fell deeply in love with the lush exuberance of the island, with its women, its dances, its music, and its theater; and with the beauty of its inhabitants...In his studies, drawings, notes, and research, he attempted to capture the essence of the beauty of Balinese culture...Miguel made Bali his own as no one else had ever done, the Bali of an aesthete obsessed with taking possession of beauty itself."  -Selva Hernández, "A Marco Polo in New York," Miguel Covarrubias: 4 Miradas / 4 Visions, Mexico City, 2005, p. 75