Details

Provenance

Erica Brausen, London (acquired from the artist) Jean-Yves Mock, London (acquired from the above. Sale: Sotheby's, London, 8th February 2005, lot 62) Purchased at the above sale by the present owner

Exhibited

London, Hanover Gallery, Man Ray , 1969, illustration in colour of an artist's proof from the edition Rotterdam, Museum Boymans-van Beuningen; Paris, Musée National d'Art Moderne & Humlebæk, Louisiana Museum, Man Ray , 1971-72, no. 211 (no. 196 in Humlebæk), illustrated in colour in the catalogue

Literature

Janus, Man Ray , Milan, 1973, no. 136, colour illustration of an example from the edition Roland Penrose, Man Ray , London, 1975, illustrated in colour on the cover; pl. XIX, colour illustration of an example from the edition p. 184 Arturo Schwarz, Man Ray. The Rigour of Imagination , London, 1977, no. 323, illustrated in colour p. 184 Jean-Hubert Martin, Rosalind Krauss & Brigitte Hermann, Man Ray. Objets de mon affection. Sculptures et objects, catalogue raisonné , Paris, 1983, no. 170, catalogued p. 157; colour illustration of the 1970 variant on the dust jacket Janus, Man Ray. Œuvres 1909-1972 , Milan, 1990, no. 83, colour illustration of an example from the edition Man Ray (exhibition catalogue), Sezon Museum of Art, Tokyo, 1990-91, no. O-46, colour illustration of the 1970 variant p. 32 Sotheby's, London, Man Ray, Paintings, Objects, Photographs , 22nd & 23rd March 1995, the artist's proof illustrated on the cover Condition The cotton wool has slightly yellowed with time. Apart from a 4cm. surface scratch to the right hand side of the box and a few other scattered surface scratches, possibly inherent to the artist's process, this work is in good condition.<br><br>Colours: the blue is slightly lighter and the cotton slightly yellower in the original. "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." Catalogue Note Pêchage is one of Man Ray's most striking works made in the later years of his life. In 1970 Man Ray made a variant which served as the maquette for the edition published in 1972 by Galleria Il Fauno, Turin in collaboration with Lucien Treillard. In a manner reminiscent of Joseph Cornell, Man Ray used a wooden box to present a Surrealist landscape, dominated by three giant peaches. By placing these oversized peaches instead of the trees, the artist transformed the fruit, usually associated with the traditional genre of still-life, into something inexplicable and unknown. The title Pêchage is a double pun: pêche-âge (peach age) and péché-âge (age of sin), hinting at the mythical connotation of the forbidden fruit, as well as a word play combining the word pêche with the word paysage , i.e. a landscape of peaches. Discussing the symbolic and iconographic significance of the peach, Arturo Schwarz wrote: 'The symbolic value of the peach in the Far East takes us back to a familiar ambivalent pattern. The forbidden fruit is not only a symbol of the Fall, it is also a symbol of regeneration, resurrection and immortality [...] When Man Ray transforms three peaches into a mythical fruit, he implies that the Forbidden Fruit is not the apple, associated with sin in Western religious tradition, but the peach, associated with immortality in Eastern esoteric tradition. Thus eating the peach - satisfying our desires - will help us to understand ourselves, and give us the awareness which is the prerequisite of immortality. Pêchage thus announces the Golden Age foreseen by all utopian thinkers; it is not the age of sin but the age of gratified desire' (A. Schwarz, op. cit ., p. 200).

Catalog summary

Man Ray PÊCHAGE signed Man Ray , titled and dated 69 on the inside of the box; signed Man Ray , titled and dated 1969 on the inside of the lid; inscribed Top and Haut twice on the outside of the box plastic peaches, cotton wool and oil in a wooden box with a lid 33 by 22 by 10cm., 13 by 8 5/8 by 3 7/8 in. Provenance Erica Brausen, London (acquired from the artist) Jean-Yves Mock, London (acquired from the above. Sale: Sotheby's, London, 8th February 2005, lot 62) Purchased at the above sale by the present owner Exhibited London, Hanover Gallery, Man Ray , 1969, illustration in colour of an artist's proof from the edition Rotterdam, Museum Boymans-van Beuningen; Paris, Musée National d'Art Moderne & Humlebæk, Louisiana Museum, Man Ray , 1971-72, no. 211 (no. 196 in Humlebæk), illustrated in colour in the catalogue Literature Janus, Man Ray , Milan, 1973, no. 136, colour illustration of an example from the edition Roland Penrose, Man Ray , London, 1975, illustrated in colour on the cover; pl. XIX, colour illustration of an example from the edition p. 184 Arturo Schwarz, Man Ray. The Rigour of Imagination , London, 1977, no. 323, illustrated in colour p. 184 Jean-Hubert Martin, Rosalind Krauss & Brigitte Hermann, Man Ray. Objets de mon affection. Sculptures et objects, catalogue raisonné , Paris, 1983, no. 170, catalogued p. 157; colour illustration of the 1970 variant on the dust jacket Janus, Man Ray. Œuvres 1909-1972 , Milan, 1990, no. 83, colour illustration of an example from the edition Man Ray (exhibition catalogue), Sezon Museum of Art, Tokyo, 1990-91, no. O-46, colour illustration of the 1970 variant p. 32 Sotheby's, London, Man Ray, Paintings, Objects, Photographs , 22nd & 23rd March 1995, the artist's proof illustrated on the cover Condition The cotton wool has slightly yellowed with time. Apart from a 4cm. surface scratch to the right hand side of the box and a few other scattered surface scratches, possibly inherent to the artist's process, this work is in good condition.<br><br>Colours: the blue is slightly lighter and the cotton slightly yellower in the original. "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." Catalogue Note Pêchage is one of Man Ray's most striking works made in the later years of his life. In 1970 Man Ray made a variant which served as the maquette for the edition published in 1972 by Galleria Il Fauno, Turin in collaboration with Lucien Treillard. In a manner reminiscent of Joseph Cornell, Man Ray used a wooden box to present a Surrealist landscape, dominated by three giant peaches. By placing these oversized peaches instead of the trees, the artist transformed the fruit, usually associated with the traditional genre of still-life, into something inexplicable and unknown. The title Pêchage is a double pun: pêche-âge (peach age) and péché-âge (age of sin), hinting at the mythical connotation of the forbidden fruit, as well as a word play combining the word pêche with the word paysage , i.e. a landscape of peaches. Discussing the symbolic and iconographic significance of the peach, Arturo Schwarz wrote: 'The symbolic value of the peach in the Far East takes us back to a familiar ambivalent pattern. The forbidden fruit is not only a symbol of the Fall, it is also a symbol of regeneration, resurrection and immortality [...] When Man Ray transforms three peaches into a mythical fruit, he implies that the Forbidden Fruit is not the apple, associated with sin in Western religious tradition, but the peach, associated with immortality in Eastern esoteric tradition. Thus eating the peach - satisfying our desires - will help us to understand ourselves, and give us the awareness which is the prerequisite of immortality. Pêchage thus announces the Golden Age foreseen by all utopian thinkers; it is not the age of sin but the age of gratified desire' (A. Schwarz, op. cit ., p. 200).