Lot 3291 - A213 Impressionist & Modern Art - Friday, 27. June 2025, 04.30 PM
LE CORBUSIER (CHARLES-ÉDOUARD JEANNERET-GRIS)
(La Chaux-de-Fonds 1887–1965 Roquebrune-Cap-Martin)
Femme assise, femme couchée. 1961.
Enamel on metal.
Inscribed, dated and monogrammed lower right: LUYNES / Pentecôte 61 / L-C.
62.5 × 86.5 cm.
Provenance:
- With Galerie Beyeler, Basel (label verso).
- Private collection, Bern.
- Private collection, Zurich, acquired in the 1990s from the above collection.
Exhibited:
In his late period of artistic creation, Le Corbusier took leave of the strict geometry in his early works in favor of a more spontaneous pictorial language and fluid, organic forms. In his paintings of the 1950s and early 1960s, there are often images of female figures, abstracted and simplified, though at the same time feminine and sensual, emphasizing the soft, curvy lines of the female body.
The enamel work presented here is an excellent example of this. The painting shows reclining and seated female figures engaged in a dynamic dialogue with each other. The seated figure is distinguished by vibrant color fields of red, brown and orange, while the reclining figure is wrapped for the most part in soft mustard yellow tones. This color choice creates a contrast that sets the two figures apart and simultaneously highlights their intimate connection: the expressive eye of the seated woman watches over her sleeping companion, whose facial features are suggested in a minimalist style.
For this work, Le Corbusier applies enamel to a metal plate, a technique he employs especially in his late artistic period. This technique enables him to work with brilliant colors and glossy surfaces, giving his paintings a special vibrancy and depth.
The enamel work presented here is an excellent example of this. The painting shows reclining and seated female figures engaged in a dynamic dialogue with each other. The seated figure is distinguished by vibrant color fields of red, brown and orange, while the reclining figure is wrapped for the most part in soft mustard yellow tones. This color choice creates a contrast that sets the two figures apart and simultaneously highlights their intimate connection: the expressive eye of the seated woman watches over her sleeping companion, whose facial features are suggested in a minimalist style.
For this work, Le Corbusier applies enamel to a metal plate, a technique he employs especially in his late artistic period. This technique enables him to work with brilliant colors and glossy surfaces, giving his paintings a special vibrancy and depth.
CHF 60 000 / 80 000 | (€ 61 860 / 82 470)
Sold for CHF 125 000 (including buyer's premium)