Details

Provenance

Private Collection, USA Galerie Brockstedt, Hamburg Sale: Villa Grisebach, Berlin, 21st May 1991, lot 55a Purchased at the above sale by the late owner

Literature

Peter Beye & Felicitas Baumeister, Willi Baumeister: Werkkatalog der Gemälde II , Ostfildern-Ruit, 2002, no. 1520, illustrated p. 596 Condition Executed on paper, laid down on board. There are artist's pin-holes in all four corners. There is a nick in the paper towards the top right edge and a few very small areas of paint loss at the extreme lower edge, due to frame rubbing. Apart from a line of retouching above the centre left edge and an area of retouching in the centre of the lower edge, visible under ultra-violet light, this work is in good condition.<br><br>Colours: The background is less warm and the purple tones are more pronounced in the original and not as pink as they appear in the catalogue illustration. "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 'The name Baumeister occupies an extremely important place in modern German art… Baumeister represents a German art of international essence. His development remained always in strong contact with the art of all times – from Assyria to Paul Klee, to Kandinsky…' (Fernand Léger quoted in Willi Baumeister 1889-1955 (exhibition catalogue), Leonard Hutton Galleries, New York, 1978, p. 3) A work of poetic beauty and harmony, Sabiha is a masterful painting from Willi Baumeister’s mature period. By the early 1950s Baumeister had become internationally lauded for his distinctive artistic language that combined seemingly abstract forms with representative elements, in a style brilliantly encapsulated by Sabiha . Within the current lot, a selection of exquisitely delineated organic forms seem to float across the picture plane, suggestive of animalistic or natural features. In an interest shared by other major 20th Century painters, Baumeister had been fascinated by so called ‘primitive’ forms of art since the beginning of his career, and had formed a large collection of his own examples that provided frequent inspiration for his painting: ancient art appeared to offer a more realistic expression of human nature and pure form untroubled by artifice. The amorphous shapes and negation of traditional perspective within Sabiha appear reminiscent of early cave painting, whilst the exotic title evokes archaic myths and legends. Ultimately, Sabiha can be viewed as a work by an artist at the pinnacle of his career: a vivid expression of Baumeister’s remarkable interpretation of naturalistic forms in a wholly innovative manner.

Catalog summary

Willi Baumeister Sabiha signed Willi Baumeister , titled and dated 1951 (upper left) oil on card laid down on board 36.5 by 50.5cm. 14 3/8 by 19 7/8 in. Painted in 1951. Provenance Private Collection, USA Galerie Brockstedt, Hamburg Sale: Villa Grisebach, Berlin, 21st May 1991, lot 55a Purchased at the above sale by the late owner Literature Peter Beye & Felicitas Baumeister, Willi Baumeister: Werkkatalog der Gemälde II , Ostfildern-Ruit, 2002, no. 1520, illustrated p. 596 Condition Executed on paper, laid down on board. There are artist's pin-holes in all four corners. There is a nick in the paper towards the top right edge and a few very small areas of paint loss at the extreme lower edge, due to frame rubbing. Apart from a line of retouching above the centre left edge and an area of retouching in the centre of the lower edge, visible under ultra-violet light, this work is in good condition.<br><br>Colours: The background is less warm and the purple tones are more pronounced in the original and not as pink as they appear in the catalogue illustration. "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 'The name Baumeister occupies an extremely important place in modern German art… Baumeister represents a German art of international essence. His development remained always in strong contact with the art of all times – from Assyria to Paul Klee, to Kandinsky…' (Fernand Léger quoted in Willi Baumeister 1889-1955 (exhibition catalogue), Leonard Hutton Galleries, New York, 1978, p. 3) A work of poetic beauty and harmony, Sabiha is a masterful painting from Willi Baumeister’s mature period. By the early 1950s Baumeister had become internationally lauded for his distinctive artistic language that combined seemingly abstract forms with representative elements, in a style brilliantly encapsulated by Sabiha . Within the current lot, a selection of exquisitely delineated organic forms seem to float across the picture plane, suggestive of animalistic or natural features. In an interest shared by other major 20th Century painters, Baumeister had been fascinated by so called ‘primitive’ forms of art since the beginning of his career, and had formed a large collection of his own examples that provided frequent inspiration for his painting: ancient art appeared to offer a more realistic expression of human nature and pure form untroubled by artifice. The amorphous shapes and negation of traditional perspective within Sabiha appear reminiscent of early cave painting, whilst the exotic title evokes archaic myths and legends. Ultimately, Sabiha can be viewed as a work by an artist at the pinnacle of his career: a vivid expression of Baumeister’s remarkable interpretation of naturalistic forms in a wholly innovative manner.