Valentine Prax

Valentine Prax (1897 Bône/Algeria - Paris 1981), Carriage ride on the southern mountain path. Valentine Prax was born to French parents in Bône (now Annaba), Algeria, where her father was vice-consul of Spain and Portugal. After studying at the École des Beaux-Arts de Algiers, she moved to Paris in 1919. There she was directly involved in exhibitions at the Salon des Artistes Indépendants and the Salon des Tuileries, and just one year later, in 1920, the Galerie Mouninou held her first solo exhibition. This was followed by exhibitions with the most renowned gallerists in Paris, including Jacques Bernheim and Berthe Weill, as well as at the Galerie Druet. As soon as she arrived in Paris in 1919, Valentine Prax met her neighbor, the Russian-born sculptor Ossip Zadkine, who introduced her to the artistic world of Montparnasse. The following year, the artist couple married, their best man being the Japanese painter Foujita. After Zadkine's death in 1967, Prax devoted herself to founding the Zadkine Museum in their shared home and studio. Slightly soiled surface, isolated minimal craquelure cracks, small retouches. Image edges slightly rubbed due to framing. Overall in good condition. Own edition by the artist. Poliakoff 34. Oil on canvas. (19)26. Approx. 73.5 x 100 cm. Signed and dated lower left. Inscribed "Prax No. 2" verso on stretcher, probably by the artist. Provenance: Leo Spik, Berlin 29.6.2017, lot 173; Private collection, Hesse. Taxation: taxed on a differential basis (VAT: Margin Scheme). Please note that KARL & FABER Art Auctions does not provide additional condition reports or photos for our real-time online lots. Please note that KARL & FABER Kunstauktionen does not supply condition reports or photos for our Real-Time Online lots.