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LOT 034

AUTO CAS OC QMG RCA SCA
1923 - 2002
Canadian

Sans titre
oil on canvas
on verso titled PM 7 on the Pierre Matisse Gallery label and Untitled #7 on the Gallery Moos label, dated 1975 on the gallery labels and inscribed "PM 7"
23 3/4 x 19 3/4 in, 60.3 x 50.2 cm

Estimate: $100,000 - $150,000 CAD

Sold for: $109,250

Preview at:

PROVENANCE
Acquired directly from the Artist by Pierre Matisse Gallery, New York, inventory #2955, March 31, 1976
Gallery Moos Ltd., Toronto
Private Corporate Collection, Vancouver


Sans titre is a luminous and dynamic work enlivened with a rhythmic use of colour, embodying Jean Paul Riopelle’s unique approach to abstraction. Thickly applied with his palette knife, the paint is built up in dense textures that come together in an organic whole. In a profusion of movement, the artist drags the metal blade through white and black swathes of paint, revealing an underlying kaleidoscope of bright colours. Touches of aquamarine, ochre, cyan and red appear in transparency in the layers of thick impasto. The large expanses of white brighten the work and introduce space within the canvas. These planes of colour showcase the materiality of the paint itself, typical of Riopelle’s distinctive approach to matter. Executed in 1975, this work dates from a period when, after spending many years in France, Riopelle’s trips to Quebec became more and more frequent. In 1974, he worked on the construction of a house and studio, conceived with the help of his friend and designer Madeleine Arbour, in Sainte-Marguerite-du-Lac-Masson, in the Laurentians. From then on, he would divide his time between his Quebec studio and his studio in France, in Saint-Cyr-en-Arthies.

The title PM 7 on the Pierre Matisse Gallery label refers to a dealer code, indicating that this work was selected in the artist’s studio by the gallery. According to the catalogue raisonné, the title should be Sans titre.

This work will be included in Yseult Riopelle's forthcoming Jean Paul Riopelle Catalogue Raisonné, Volume 5.


Estimate: $100,000 - $150,000 CAD

All prices are in Canadian Dollars


Although great care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information posted, errors and omissions may occur. All bids are subject to our Terms and Conditions of Business. Bidders must ensure they have satisfied themselves with the condition of the Lot prior to bidding. Condition reports are available upon request.