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Click here to subscribeAndy WarholCologne Cathedral1985Farbserigrafie auf Lenox Museumskarton; gerahmt 100 x 80 cmSigniert rechts unten: Andy WarholStempel verso: © Andy Warhol 1985 Publisher: Hermann Wunsche Bonn - New YorkUnikatGalerie Rudolf Budja, Graz; Privatbesitz, SteiermarkVgl. Frayda Feldman und Jörg Schellmann (Hg.), Andy Warhol Prints. A Catalogue Raisonné 1962-1987, New York 2003, S. 201, Abb. IIB. 361-364.
Andy WarholMao1972Farbsiebdruck; gerahmt91,5 x 91,5 cmRückseitig handschriftlich signiert links unten: Andy WarholRückseitig rechts unten gestempelte Nummerierung und Copyright-Angabe: PP Copyright © Andy Warhol 1972 Printed at Styria Studios Inc.Printer: Styria Studio, Inc., New York,Publisher: Castelli Graphics and Multiples, Inc., New York.Galerie Rudolf Budja, Graz;Privatbesitz, Graz
nach Andy WarholMercedes 300 SL Gullwing2007Serigraphie auf Papier; gerahmt85,2 x 68,8 cmStempel der Andy Warhol Foundation / DaimlerChrysler AG mit Nummerierung rechts unten: 102 / 500Prägung links: Andy Warhol Schriftzug / Andy Warhol KonterfeiRückseitige Klebeetikette der Burkhard Eikelmann Galerie.Auflage: 500 Stück nach Andy WarholPrivatbesitz, Wien
A bottle of Château Mouton Rothschild, vintage 2006. Label illustrated by Lucian Freud. Premier Cru Classé. Category: red wine. Pauillac, Bordeaux. Level: A. Considered one of the best wines in the world, Château Mouton Rothschild is produced at the wine estate of the same name, located in the village of Pauillac and owned by Baroness Philippine de Rothschild, only daughter of the legendary Baron Philippe. The Official Bordeaux Wine Classification of 1855 did not include this vineyard among the first crosses, probably because it had recently been acquired by an Englishman and was therefore no longer French-owned. In 1973, however, Mouton was finally elevated to Premier Cru status. The idea of having each year's label designed by a famous artist of the time came from Baron Philippe de Rothschild, and in 1946 this became a permanent and significant aspect of Mouton's image, with labels created by some of the world's greatest painters and sculptors: Jean Cocteau, Georges Braque, Pablo Picasso, Antoni Tàpies, Henry Moore, Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Salvador Dalí or Francis Bacon, among others.
A bottle of Château Mouton Rothschild, 2003 vintage. 1er Grand Cru Classé. Category: red wine. Pauillac, Bordeaux. Level: A. Considered one of the best wines in the world, Château Mouton Rothschild is produced at the wine estate of the same name, located in the village of Pauillac and owned by Baroness Philippine de Rothschild, only daughter of the legendary Baron Philippe. The Official Bordeaux Wine Classification of 1855 did not include this vineyard among the first crosses, probably because it had recently been acquired by an Englishman and was therefore no longer French-owned. In 1973, however, Mouton was finally elevated to Premier Cru status. The idea of having each year's label designed by a famous artist of the time came from Baron Philippe de Rothschild, and in 1946 this became a permanent and significant aspect of Mouton's image, with labels created by some of the world's greatest painters and sculptors: Jean Cocteau, Georges Braque, Pablo Picasso, Antoni Tàpies, Henry Moore, Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Salvador Dalí or Francis Bacon, among others.
A bottle of Château Mouton Rothschild, 2003 vintage. 1er Grand Cru Classé. Category: red wine. Pauillac, Bordeaux. Level: A. Considered one of the best wines in the world, Château Mouton Rothschild is produced at the wine estate of the same name, located in the village of Pauillac and owned by Baroness Philippine de Rothschild, only daughter of the legendary Baron Philippe. The Official Bordeaux Wine Classification of 1855 did not include this vineyard among the first crosses, probably because it had recently been acquired by an Englishman and was therefore no longer French-owned. In 1973, however, Mouton was finally elevated to Premier Cru status. The idea of having each year's label designed by a famous artist of the time came from Baron Philippe de Rothschild, and in 1946 this became a permanent and significant aspect of Mouton's image, with labels created by some of the world's greatest painters and sculptors: Jean Cocteau, Georges Braque, Pablo Picasso, Antoni Tàpies, Henry Moore, Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Salvador Dalí or Francis Bacon, among others.
A bottle of Château Mouton Rothschild, 1999 vintage. Label illustrated by Raymond Savignac. Premier Cru Classé. Category: red wine. Pauillac, Bordeaux. Level: A. Considered one of the finest wines in the world, Château Mouton Rothschild is produced at the wine estate of the same name, located in the village of Pauillac and owned by Baroness Philippine de Rothschild, only daughter of the legendary Baron Philippe. The Official Bordeaux Wine Classification of 1855 did not include this vineyard among the first crosses, probably because it had recently been acquired by an Englishman and was therefore no longer French-owned. In 1973, however, Mouton was finally elevated to Premier Cru status. The idea of having each year's label designed by a famous artist of the time came from Baron Philippe de Rothschild, and in 1946 this became a permanent and significant aspect of Mouton's image, with labels created by some of the world's greatest painters and sculptors: Jean Cocteau, Georges Braque, Pablo Picasso, Antoni Tàpies, Henry Moore, Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Salvador Dalí or Francis Bacon, among others.
Andy WARHOL (1928-1987) et Jean-Michel BASQUIAT (1960-1988) (d’après) Warhol * Basquiat Paintings – 1985Affiche en impression offset sur papier .Editeurs Galeries Bischofberger, Zurich et Shafrazi, New YorkPhotographies centrales Michael Halsband, New York47,8 × 30,2 cm Cette affiche a été réalisée pour l’exposition collective « Paintings » à la Tony Shafrazi Gallery de New York en 1985 qui confrontait les oeuvres des deux artistes
Andy Warhol 1928 Pittsburgh - 1987 New York Zwei Grafiken: ''Liz'' und ''Bighorn ram''. Farbserigrafie auf Arches Bütten (Wasserzeichen mit Unendlichkeitszeichen) und Trockenstempel ''GEORGES ISRAEL EDITOR''). Signiert rechts unten in der Platte, mit BLeistift nummeriert ''5/100'' und 28/100'' links unten. Verso u.a. Stempel ''Leo Castelli New York''. 57,5 x 38 cm (Blattmaß). Ungerahmt.
Andy Warhol (1928-1987) and Keith Haring (1958-1990)20th Montreux Jazz Festival Screenprint in colours, 1986, on heavy wove, printed by Albin Uldry, Bern, the full sheet printed to the edges, 1000 x 700mm (39 3/8 x 27 1/2in)(SH)(unframed)For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
λ Cecil Beaton (British 1904-1980) Lady Caroline Duff holding her son Charles David Duff (b.1950) Gelatin silver print Stamped with studio stamp and inscribed (verso) 20.6 x 19.6cm (8 x 7½ in.) Unframed Together with another photograph by Cecil Beaton, Sir Michael Duff (1907-1980), Raimund von Hofmannsthal (1906-1974), Duff Cooper (1890-1954), Lady Caroline Duff, née Paget (1913-1973) Lady Elizabeth von Hofmannsthal, née Paget (1916-1980) with her two children, Sarah Arabella Marjorie von Hofmannsthal (b.1942) and Octavian von Hofmannsthal (b.1946) (sitters in order of left to right), Gelatin silver print, Inscribed (verso) 18.7 x 23.5cm (7 3/8 x 9 1/4in.) Unframed (2) Provenance: Private collection, a local lady who was employed at Plas Newydd By direct descent to her daughter The photographer, Cecil Beaton (1904-1980) was a British fashion, portrait and war photographer. Beaton is renowned for having a distinguished style characterized by taking advantage of the perfect shutter-release moment. This enabled him to produce striking, high-definition images that were ideal for fashion photography and high-society portraits. He was employed in the United States by Vogue and Vanity Fair, and photographed celebrities such as Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Coco Chanel and Katherine Hepburn, as well as the artists Francis Bacon, Andy Warhol and Georgia O'Keeffe. Upon returning to England in the late 1930s, he produced portraits of the Royal Family and the British high society, of which this set of photos is a part of. Beaton was also a friend of Rex Whislter, whom he photographed and was painted by. The two photographs show the members of the prominent families Paget, Duff and Hofmannsthal. The first photograph shows Sir Michael Duff and Raimund von Hofmannsthal standing next to Duff Cooper. Sitting on the armchair is Lady Caroline Duff, née Paget, and her younger sister Lady Elizabeth von Hofmannsthal with her two children, Sarah and Octavian. The second photograph depicts Lady Caroline Duff holding her son Charles, who was adopted after her marriage with Sir Michael Duff in 1939. Lady Caroline Duff, née Paget (1913-1973) was the first daughter of Charles Paget (1885-1947), 6th Marquess of Anglesey and his wife Lady Victoria Manners, and eldest sister to Charles Paget, 6th Marquess of Anglesey (1885-1947). She developed a relationship with painter Rex Whistler (1905-1944) after he was commissioned by the Marquess to paint a mural in the dining room of Plas Newydd, where it can still be admired. Whistler became a friend of the family and spent much time with the family during the 1930s, producing several paintings of the Marquess' eldest daughters. The numerous casual portraits of the eldest daughter, as well as the famous nude study from the Plas Newydd collection are a testimony to Whistler's fascination with Lady Caroline. Five years after Whistler's death in 1944 during the Second World War, Lady Caroline married Sir Michael Duff, 3rd Baronet (1907-1980), grandson of the fourth Earl of Lonsdale and godson of Queen Mary. Together, they adopted Charles David Duff (b.1950). Duff Cooper, 1st Viscount Norwich (1890-1954) was a military, diplomat and politician who served as Secretary of State of War and as Minister of Information. He was related to Sir Michael Duff on his mother's side, Lady Agnes Duff (1852-1925), daughter of James Duff, 5th Earl of Fife. Lady Elizabeth Hester Mary von Hofmannsthal, née Paget (1916-1980), was Lady Caroline's younger sister and the second child of the 6th Marquess of Anglesey. She was maid of honour at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, in 1937. She was also the subject of Rex Whistler's art, seem in a reclining portrait from 1938 that hangs at Plas Newydd. Lady Elizabeth was married in 1939 to Raimund von Hofmannsthal (1906-1974), the son of Gertrud Schlesinger and Austrian dramatist Hugo von Hofmannsthal (a friend of composers Richard Strauss and Jean Sibelius, and producer Max Reinhardt). They had a daughter, Sarah Arabella Marjorie von Hofmannsthal (b.1942) and a son, Octavian von Hofmannsthal (b.1946). Condition Report: Lady Caroline Duff and her son - The edges and corners with scuffs and abrasions. Crease to the upper right corner. Staining and scratch to the right edge. A small vertical tear to the centre of the upper edge. A small vertical tear to the lower edge. Edges curling slightly. Sir Michael Duff and family - Creases to the four corners. Staining to the upper edge at the left hand side. A faint diagonal crease to the upper right quadrant. Condition Report Disclaimer
Rupert Jasen Smith, 1953 – 1989Einzelabzug, Fotografie, Andy Warhol und Rupert Jasen Smith zwischen 1972-1986. ANDY WARHOL MIT FARRAH FAWCETT Silbergelatineabzug. 20.3 × 25.4 cm. Verso mit rotem Copyright Stempel: „ANDY WARHOL“. In schlichtem schwarzem Rahmen.Gutachten, Dezember 2015, USA, die Provenienz bestätigend.Provenienz: Andy Warhol. Rupert Jasen Smith, von diesem zuletzt erworben. Privatsammlung, Österreich. Anmerkung: Die original 35-mm-Negative und Kontaktabzüge befinden sich im Besitz der Galerie Rudolf Budja. (1290612) (13)Rupert Jasen Smith,1953 - 1989Single copy, photograph, Andy Warhol and Rupert Jasen Smith from 1972-1986.ANDY WARHOL WITH FARRAH FAWCETTGelatin silver print.20.3 × 25.4 cm.Red copyright stamp on reverse “ANDY WARHOL“.A report, dated December 2015, USA, confirming the provenance.Provenance: Andy Warhol. Rupert Jasen Smith, last acquired from him. Private collection, Austria. Notes: The original 35-mm-negatives and contact prints are held by Galerie Rudolf Budja.
Five posters: an original 1996 exhibition poster for a Warhol retrospective in Berlin (33 x 36", some losses, tears etc), a modern print of a 1971 work by sci-fi illustrator Mike Hinge (23 x 28.5"), two reproduction posters for events at Copenhagen's Christiania, a limited edition poster, also relating to Christiania.
SEVEN BOXES AND LOOSE CERAMICS AND GLASSWARES, to include a Caithness paperweight marked CIIC to base, a smaller Alum Bay Glass Isle of Wight paperweight, two Lilliput Lane cottages, a pair of Beswick bookends in the form of terriers (sd), The Beatles and The Wizard of Oz Matryoshka dolls, ceramic animal and bird figures to include a Poole Pottery mouse, two Cow Parade cows (sd) and a collection of chickens, a James Kent Ltd Old Foley chintz coffee pot (broken lid included), sugar bowl and cream jug, nine character jugs to include a Royal Doulton Robin Hood D6541 and Beswick Pickwick 1119 and Micawber 674, a Rosenthal glass Andy Warhol New York pyramid paperweight (boxed), a Johnson Bros Home for Historic America Thanksgiving meat plate, assorted dinnerware, cut crystal and other glassware etc (sd) (7 BOXES + LOOSE)
Andy Warhol (Pittsburgh 1928 – 1987 New York). „Mao“. 1974Farbserigrafie auf Tapetenpapier. 101,7 × 75,5 cm (40 × 29 ¾ in.). Signiert.Feldman/Schellmann/Defendi II.125A.–Einer von ca. 100 signierten Abzügen aus einer unlimitierten Auflage. New York, Factory Additions. [3190] Gerahmt. Provenienz: Privatsammlung, BerlinWir berechnen auf den Hammerpreis 32% Aufgeld.
Andy Warhol (Pittsburgh 1928 – 1987 New York). „Goethe“. 1982Farbserigrafie auf Karton. 96,5 × 96,5 cm (38 × 38 in.). Signiert.Feldman/Schellmann/Defendi II.270.–Einer von 100 nummerierten Abzügen. Blatt 1 (von 4) der Folge: Goethe. Edition Schellmann/Klüser, München/New York, und Denise René/Hans Mayer, Düsseldorf 1982 (mit dem rückseitigen Stempel). [3178] Gerahmt. Provenienz: Unternehmenssammlung, DeutschlandWir berechnen auf den Hammerpreis 25% Aufgeld und auf Hammerpreis und Aufgeld die zum Auktionszeitpunkt geltende Umsatzsteuer.
ANDY WARHOL(Pittsburgh 1928–1987 New York)Aus: Mick Jagger. 1975.Farbserigrafie. 176/250. Unten rechts mit Filzstift signiert: Andy Warhol, sowie unten links ebenfalls mit Filzstift signiert: Mick Jagger. Blattmass 111 × 73,7 cm auf festem Arches Aquarell Papier. Erschienen bei Seabird Editions, London (verso mit dem Stempel). Gedruckt bei Alexander Henrici, New York (mit dem Blindstempel). Aus dem 10-teiligen Portfolio.Werkverzeichnis: Feldman/Schellmann, Nr. II.146.
ANDY WARHOL(Pittsburgh 1928–1987 New York)Aus: Electric Chair. 1971.Farbserigrafie. 233/250. Verso unten links mit Kugelschreiber signiert und datiert: Andy Warhol '71. Zudem verso unten rechts mit dem Copyright-Stempel und der Nummerierung: © Copyright Factory Additions 233/250. Blattmass 90,1 × 121,7 cm auf festem Vélin. Erschienen bei Bruno Bischofberger, Edition Bischofberger, Zürich. Gedruckt bei Silkprint Kettner, Zürich.Aus dem 10-teiligen Portfolio.Provenienz:- Galerie Bruno Bischofberger, Zürich. - Vom heutigen Besitzer bei obiger Galerie in den frühen 1970ern erworben, seitdem Privatsammlung Schweiz. Werkverzeichnis: Feldman/Schellmann, Nr. II.76.
ANDY WARHOL(Pittsburgh 1928–1987 New York)Lincoln Center Ticket. 1967.Farbserigrafie. Aus der unsignierten Auflage von 500. Blattmass 114,3 × 61 cm auf Vélin. Erschienen bei List Art Posters for Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (am Unterrand mit dem Copyright). Gedruckt bei Chiron Press, New York.Werkverzeichnis: Feldman/Schellmann, Nr. II.19.
ANDY WARHOL(Pittsburgh 1928–1987 New York)Committee 2000. 1982.Farbserigrafie. 1750/2000. Unten rechts mit Bleistift signiert: Andy Warhol, sowie verso mit dem Copyright-Stempel: © ANDY WARHOL 1982. Darstellung 51 × 50,5 cm auf Lenox Museum Board 76,3 × 50,5 cm. Erschienen bei Committee 2000, München. Gedruckt bei Rupert Jasen Smith, New York (mit dem Blindstempel).Werkverzeichnis: Feldman/Schellmann, Nr. II.289.
Warhol (Andy) Exposure, first English edition, signed presentation inscription from the author/ artist with doodle below to half-title, additionally signed on upper panel of jacket, illustrations, ink gift inscription to head of title, original cloth, dust-jacket, price-clipped, chip to head of upper joint, toning and rubbing to head, 4to, 1979.
WARHOL ANDY: (1928-1987) American Pop Artist. Signed postcard photograph by the controversial artist, the Constantin/Vogelmann image showing a close-up portrait pose. Signed in bold black ink to the lower white border of the image. Accompanied by the original printed stationery envelope of the Andy Warhol Enterprises, Inc., Broadway, New York. VG
BEARD PETER: (1938-2020) American Artist, Photographer and Writer. Beard lived in Kenya, his photographs of Africa, and of animals together with his journals have been widely shown and published. He collaborated with artists such as Francis Bacon, Andy Warhol, Truman Capote and Salvador Dali. An excellent and unique customized exhibition poster, 20 x 28 (50cm x 72 cm), being for The End of the Game, which is also the title of his first book (1965), held at the Greenberg Gallery at St Louis, 1988. The artist has worked on the original poster exhibition, adding collages, writings and drawings, using many different elements such as inks, blood, dried snake skins, birds feathers, paper, finger prints, etc…. Signed and inscribed `For “L.L.” With all the best wishes & heartfelt Salaams from Hog Ranch (Karen-Langata), St. Louis, mzuri and pointa beyond, on your birthday XXX Most sincerely, Peter Beard´, to a clear area of the poster. Beard also adds above `Many happy returns of the day´ and beneath draws an amusing and attractive sketch being about thirty very small persons in different poses. Framed in wood to an overall size of 22.5 x 31 (57,5 cm x 79 cm). The poster has been affixed to a cardboard. VG
Jean-Michel Basquiat Ausstellungskatalog Galerie Bischofberger. Zürich, Edition Gallery Bruno Bischofberger 1985. Von Jean-Michel Basquiat signiertes Exemplar. 1 von 1000 numerierten Exemplaren. Begleitband zur Ausstellung der Galerie Bischofberger im Januar-Februar 1985. Einband: Orig.-Leinenband mit Schutzumschlag. 30 : 26,5 cm. - ILLUSTRATION: Mit fotogr. Porträt des Künstlers von Jeannette Montgomery und 12 (1 auf 3 Seiten) Farbtafeln. Dabei: Collaborations. Jean-Michel Basquiat. Francesco Clemente. Andy Warhol. Ebd. 1984. Orig.-Leinenband mit Schutzumschlag. 30,5 : 22 cm. - Titel verso signiert von Francesco Clemente. Catalog of an exhibition at Galerie Bischofberger, 1 of 1000 numbered copies, signed by Jean-Michel Basquiat. With photograph portrait of the artist by Jeannette Montgomery and 12 (1 on 3 pages) color plates. Orig. cloth with protective wrapper. 30 : 26.5 cm. - First white leaf with mounted newpaper clipping, front cover and wrapper with small pressure point at the lower edge, otherwise fine copy. - 1 addition, title verso signed by F. Clemente. Dieses Objekt wird regel- oder differenzbesteuert angeboten.
Domberger Kalender 1969 New York, Multiples Inc. und Stuttgart, Domberger 1968. Schöne Grafikfolge zur Pop-Art. Die Siebdrucke jeweils im Format 39,5 : 38 cm, rückseitig mit dem Copyright-Vermerk der New Yorker Multiples Incorporation. Einband: Orig.-Kartonumschlag mit Spiralbindung. 40 : 53 cm. - ILLUSTRATION: Mit 6 Orig.-Serigrafien von T. Wesselmann, R. Lichtenstein, N. Krushenick, R. Indiana, A. Warhol und J. Dine. Set of 6 orig. silkscreens by T. Wesselmann, R. Lichtenstein, N. Krushenick, R. Indiana, A. Warhol and J. Dine. Orig. cardboard wrappers with spiral binding. Dieses Objekt wird regelbesteuert angeboten (R).
SEAMAN SCHEPPS, A ROCK CRYSTAL, DIAMOND, EMERALD AND SAPPHIRE FROG BROOCHthe leaping polished rock crystal frog with cabochon emerald eyes, studded with oval cabochon sapphires and brilliant cut diamonds, approximately 0.84 carats total, with a double pin brooch fitting, signed Seaman Schepps © 750SIZE/DIMENSIONS: 10.8cm longGROSS WEIGHT: 91 gramsSeaman Schepps led the way in American jewellery design in the 1940s, 50s and 60s, becoming renowned as 'America's Court Jeweller' in the post Second World War period. This was due to his extensive clientele list included members of American high society from President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and the Duchess of Windsor, to members of the Du Pont, Mellon and Rockefeller families, as well as the world of the arts with celebrities such as Katherine Hepburn, Coco Chanel and Andy Warhol. Seaman Schepps innovative bold designs made use of coloured gemstones, chosen for their texture and bright colours, in whimsical forms and often using more unorthodox materials such as seashells. His designs included sculptural hand-carved rock crystal brooches depicting sea life and animals, embellished with a variety of coloured gemstones to bring them to life.Condition Report: No major chips or cracks to the frog, all gemstones present and correct, the pin hinge has been put back into the hinge and so the fitting is in good working order. The sapphires have a slight chatoyancy, the diamonds are bright and lively Condition Report Disclaimer
MONTBLANC, GREAT CHARACTERS, ANDY WARHOL A SPECIAL EDITION BALLPOINT PEN, MBLF6Z2S2, CIRCA 2015Cap and Barrel: navy blue resin with a broad stainless steel band with Campbell's Tomato Soup detail, facsimile signature, with block chromed clip Accessories: original Montblanc Andy Warhol box, Andy Warhol Great Characters booklet, outer card box and card sleeve
Edison (Thomas Alva, 1847-1931). A Million and One Nights. A History of the Motion Picture. [By] Terry Ramsaye. Volume I [only], 1st edition, deluxe issue, New York: Simon and Schuster, 1926. Large 8vo, original patterned boards, rebacked and refurbished, together with a copy of the second volume from the trade issue (original cloth, lacking at least the plate facing p. 404), and 5 other books signed by the authors (Andy Warhol,The Philosophy of Andy Warhol, 1st edition, later printing?, 1975, signed 'AW' on the half-title, with James Spence Authentication certificate of authenticity; Christine Keeler, The Truth at Last, 1st edition, 4th impression, 2001; Winston S. Churchill, First Journey, 1st edition, 1964, Alan W. Cooper, Beyond the Dams to the Tirpitz, 1st edition, 1983, signed by 8 members of 417 Squadron on limited edition slip issued by the Cambridge Stamp Centre, numbered 4 of 35; and Laddie Lucas, Flying Colours, The Epic Story of Douglas Bader, 1st edition, 3rd impression, 1981) (qty: 7)Footnote: A Million and One Nights, volume one: number 53 of 327 copies signed by Thomas Edison and Terry Ramsaye on the limitation leaf.
FRANCIS PICABIA (1879-1953)Tête de femme signed 'Francis Picabia' (lower right)oil and pencil on board45.9 x 38cm (18 1/16 x 14 15/16in).Painted circa 1942Footnotes:The authenticity of this work has been confirmed by the Comité Picabia. This work will be included in the forthcoming Francis Picabia catalogue raisonné, currently being prepared.ProvenanceThe Marble Arch Gallery, Florida (acquired before 1989).Anon. sale, Sotheby's, New York, 6 October 1989, lot 185.Private collection, Florida.Private collection, Osaka.Gallery Yamaguchi, Osaka.Michael Werner Gallery, London (acquired from the above in 2006).Private collection, Hong Kong (acquired from the above in 2018).Tête de femme issues from a highly influential series by Francis Picabia realised in the South of France during the 1940s. Now often described as the very first post-modern paintings, these works marked a return to figurative painting for the artist and a predilection for 'popular realism', with imagery drawn from the printed ephemera of the day, including nightclub advertisements, postcards and illustrated 'pin-up' magazines. Following their execution these wartime paintings faded into obscurity with many critics dismissing them as kitsch, however the series underwent a dramatic revaluation in the 1980s with commentators recognising the importance of Picabia's late work, and specifically the 1940s pin-up series, in challenging traditional modes of representation in a way that presaged the post-modern discourse of the day. Of particular influence in this critical reappraisal was a comprehensive survey of Picabia's work which travelled to three European museums as well as a 1983 show at the Mary Boone/Michael Werner Gallery, where the present work formerly resided. In this radical 1940s series, Picabia irreverently rejected modernist norms and refused to conform to prevailing aesthetic taste. It was to become highly influential for future artists, including, amongst others, Robert Rauschenberg, Gerhard Richter, David Salle and Erich Fischl; the latter aptly characterising Picabia as 'pre-postmodern'.Although it had long been suspected that Picabia's wartime work appropriated imagery directly from photographs, it was Sarah Cocrahan who correctly identified much of his source material - namely the popular photo illustrated soft-core porn magazines of the 1930s. Set against a dark background, the figure in Tête de femme looks seductively up to the viewer with a languorous gaze and sultry eyes. Her thinly pencilled brows, cupid bow lips and frozen pose are highly evocative of archival photographs depicting contemporary starlets. Indeed, Picabia was known to use photographs to reproduce portraits of 1930s actresses such as Greta Garbo, Marlene Dietrich and Madeleine Solange. In Tête de femme, Picabia even imitates the glare of a photographer's flash-bulb on the figure's face by emphasising the whites of her eyes and the bright highlights on the bridge of her nose, forehead, and neck. Following a visit to Picabia in Golfe-Juan in March 1942, Michael Perrin, a friend of artist, recalled that Picabia's paintings of the same year 'were so precise with colours so true to life that the acerbic critics exclaimed 'But this is photography!'' The famed collector Gertrude Stein, and close confidante of Picabia's, also identified the influence of photography in his work. Writing in her second autobiography Everyone's Autobiography, she noted that 'Picabia's father was a Spaniard born in Cuba and his mother was the daughter of a French scientist and one of the inventors of photography. So Picabia was brought up on photography not taking photographs but the science of photography' (G. Stein quoted in M.C. Cone, 'Francis Picabia's War' in A. Umland & C. Hug, Francis Picabia, Our Heads Are Round So Our Thoughts Can Change Direction, exh. cat., New York, 2016, p. 225). It was the sense of stasis and of arrested motion which, for Stein, provided the link with the photographic medium: 'it was the feeling of movement inside the painting not a painting of a thing moving but the thing painted having inside it the existence of moving' (G. Stein quoted in ibid. p. 226).Picabia's mimicry of mass-produced photographs and his turn towards popular culture as a legitimate source for inspiration has prompted many critics to categorize this phase of his oeuvre as 'Proto Pop Art'. By rupturing the traditional boundaries between 'high' and 'low' art within the modernist canon and subverting the idea of originality, Picabia anticipated the concepts and devices which would become central to the work of Pop artists such as Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. Subsequent artists associated with Pop Art, such as Robert Rauschenberg and William Copley, later expressed great admiration for Picabia's figurative, realist canvases of the 1940s, with Copley building an important personal collection of his work.Picabia's appropriation of photographic imagery is, however, a nuanced and self-reflexive one. As seen in Tête de femme, despite the source material, he does not imitate a smooth, photographic painterly style but rather employs expressionist brushwork and an almost awkward mode of painting which deliberately foregrounds the intervention and touch of the artist. In doing so he wryly sends-up his own pictorial device and calls into question received ideas relating to aesthetics and authorship. As early as 1921 Picabia stated the importance of imitation and parody to his artistic process: 'The artist makes a choice, then imitates his choice, the deformation of this then constitutes Art' (C. Boublès, 'Francis Picabia, Delicious Monsters: Painting, Criticism, History' in Dear Painter, paint me...Painting the Figure since late Picabia, exh. cat., Paris, 2002, p. 31). Though breaking with artistic convention throughout his career, it was the pin-up series which ultimately secured Picabia's place as a radical forerunner for future artists and movements. His use of appropriation and popular culture anticipated the characteristics of Pop Art, while his unapologetic implementation of a kitschy style prefigured the work of artists such as John Currin and Jeff Koons. Above all, and as exemplified in Tête de femme, Picabia succeeded in breaking away from the Modernist doctrine, which affirmed a rigid, linear pursuit of aesthetic progress, and by contrast revealed that all artmaking is, in fact, self-referential. As Carole Boublès explains, 'When Picabia seeks inspiration [from other sources], he produces a new form of artistic thought. Insofar as it copies or subverts it, it is a parody of the earlier model. But it is also a self-parody that comes from knowing that one is part of History...There can be no 'immaculate conception' no 'pure' writing or painting. Seek, and you will always find the umbilical cord' (C. Boublès, ibid., p. 31).This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: * AR* VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.AR Goods subject to Artists Resale Right Additional Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
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![Edison (Thomas Alva, 1847-1931). A Million and One Nights. A History of the Motion Picture. [By] Terry Ramsaye. Volume I [onl](https://cdn.globalauctionplatform.com/db4af7a9-7339-4127-83a8-ad8a00c5b912/1de5daaf-f239-47d0-a2de-adcc00ff7a96/468x382.jpg)
