Description:Painted in 1957, this remarkable oil on canvas reflects Papart's keen sense of artistic balance, his rich painterly style, and his beautiful figural representation. Hommage a Van der Weyden is signed, titled and dated at the top right, 'Max Papart Hommage a Van der Weyden, 1-57''. It is signed, titled, and dated again, and numbered on the reverse as follows: 'Max Papart Homage a Roger Van der Weyden MCMLVII, no. 75.' There is a rich provenance associated with this work that begins at Galerie Paul Perdides, Paris, travels to the collection of Ambassador Ruth Lewis Farkas, and concludes at a Private Collection in Berkeley, CA.
In creating this masterpiece, Papart has looked to fifteenth century master Rogier Van der Weyden's work, "Annunciation." Van der Weyden's "Annunciation" is a visual interpretation of the biblical tale, where an angel appears to Mary, informing her she will become pregnant with the Son of God, Jesus. In this piece, Van der Weyden creates a fifteenth century scene, where a virginal Mary kneels before her bed, right hand raised in holy tradition, as the angel, occupying the left portion of the piece, appears to float, hands in a similar position, sharing the good news.
In Papart's "Hommage," he maintains the subject matter and gentle spiritual quality of the piece, while reinterpreting the artistic execution to reflect modern sensibilities. Unlike the hyper-realism and extreme detailing of the Van der Weyden, Papart prefers a more linear and less complicated composition. Papart remains true to Van der Weyden's color choices, but he reinterprets their importance by removing unnecessary details and focusing on large blocks of expressive color-even using artist medium to give the oil paints a rich textural quality. This is a remarkable large scale work in pristine condition. The crisp brush strokes coupled with Papart's often painterly style provide us with a wealth of visual interest. The piece becomes further absorbing when viewed with an image of Van der Weyden's original piece, presently located in the Louvre, Paris. When compared side-by-side, Papart begs us to examine and celebrate the differences, questioning Papart's artistic decisions and enjoying both works within their proper contexts.
PROVENANCE:
Galerie Paul Perdides, Paris
Ambassador Ruth Lewis Farkas
Private Collection, Berkeley, CA
Catalogue Raisonné & COA:
It is fully documented and referenced in (copies will be enclosed as added documentation with the invoices that I will accompany the final sale of the work) :
1) Masterworks Fine Art, Inc. Certificate of Authenticity accompanies this work.
About the Framing:
Conservation framed in a beautiful dark wood frame with gold accents, this rich but subtle moulding is the ideal compliment for this remarking painting. The delicate gold leaf accents gracefully accentuate the painterly highlights within the work, and this delicacy is balanced with the robust dark wood base. Framing is completed with cream linen wrapped mattes and a matching gold inner fillet. All materials are museum quality and archival.
