Alexander Archipenko,
Russian/ American 1887-1969-

Untitled (Stylised Standing Figure) circa 1925;

gouache on paper, stuck down on board, 31.5 x 20cm

Provenance: Sothebys, London 27 June 1984, lot 410; Rosebery's, London 10th December 2013 lot 587, where it was purchased by the present owner

Exhibition: Kunstausstellung Der Sturm, Leitung: Herwarth Walden, Berlin, WG, Potsdamer Strasse, 114, no.65

Note: Moving to Paris in 1908, Archipenko attended the Ecole des Beaux-Arts for a short period, before continuing his studies independently at the Musee du Louvre, where he drew inspiration from Egyptian, Assyrian, archaic Greek, and early Gothic sculpture. In 1910, he began exhibiting at the Salon des Independants and the following year exhibited at the Salon dAutomne.

During this period Archipenko became increasingly acquainted with the radical Cubist movement that was taking over Paris. In 1912 he joined the Section dOr group, exhibiting alongside artists such as Georges Braque, Marcel Duchamp, Sonia Delaunay, Fernand Léger and Pablo Picasso. His revolutionary interpretation of this new found style saw his exploration of the human figure through concave and convex forms, developing unique and innovative sculptures which in turn have earnt him the status as one of the leading sculptors of the movement.

At the same time he joined the Section dOr group, he began producing the first of his carved and painted reliefs; the Sculpto-Peintures. The works played with colour and form to create the illusion of depth and concavity, with the difference between sculpture and painting being bridged by this new art form. The present work evidently aspires to achieve this idea and shows his careful consideration of colour to create the concave and three-dimensional aspect inherent of this style.

This painting closely resembles a relief construction in wood, copper, brass, and new silver, titled Woman executed in 1923 in the Yale University Gallerys collection.

This lot is accompanied with a letter of authenticity from Frances Archipenko Gray, and will be included in her forthcoming catalogue raisonne.