593 - COPLEY, WILLIAM N.

COPLEY, WILLIAM N. 1919 New York–1996 Key West Title: Untitled. Date: 1951. Technique: Oil on canvas. Dimensions: 64.5 x 80.5 cm. Notation: Dedicated, signed, and dated upper left: À Suzy cply 1951. Frame: Framed. The work is registered in the archives of the Estate of William N. Copley, New York. Provenance: - Private collection, Spain - Private collection - Sotheby’s New York, auction September 29, 2016, lot 115 - Private collection, Berlin - A rare, museum-quality early work from his groundbreaking creative phase - A characteristic work that blends sensual eroticism with subversive humor - An extraordinary testament to Copley’s formative years as an artist, with fascinating connections to Francis Picabia and Suzy Solidor After working as a gallery owner, William N. Copley devoted himself entirely to painting in the early 1950s. In Paris, influenced by Surrealism, he developed his “private mythology”: a repertoire of motifs that would shape his entire body of work. These include, in particular, the female nude and depictions of prostitutes, which evolved into one of his central themes. Copley combines the affinities of his works with those of Max Ernst, Man Ray, and Marcel Duchamp with his own unique sense of humor and a playful exploration of eroticism and social taboos. Copley held a special admiration for the artist Francis Picabia. This work reveals clear references to Picabia’s “Transparences,” a series featuring overlapping bodies and faces. The dedication “À Suzy” presumably refers to the cabaret artist, singer, and actress Suzy Solidor, who left her mark on the Parisian entertainment scene in the 1930s. Known for her daring, modern interpretations of traditional sea shanties, she was a notorious figure on the Parisian scene—an extravagant artist who relished her stardom to the fullest. She also ran the club “Chez Suzy Solidor,” whose walls were adorned with portraits by renowned artists. Picabia also portrayed Solidor in his painting “Suzy.” The 1951 painting “Untitled” is an outstanding work from Copley’s earliest creative phase, during which he developed his characteristic visual language. Dark, energetically drawn lines outline the figure, intersecting and, in places, dissolving the anatomical forms into a dynamic, interwoven pattern. Warm shades of red and pink stand out against the cool, iridescent blue-gray background. The loose application of paint and the overlapping contours lend the depiction an immediate, almost sketch-like vitality. With the female nude, Copley takes up a time-honored motif from art history, yet strips it of any classical idealization. The demonstrative physicality is broken by caricatured exaggeration; sensuality and irony remain inextricably linked. Already evident here is the aesthetic—situated between Surrealism and Pop Art—that makes Copley’s work unmistakable. Estimated shipping costs for this lot: This lot is not suitable for parcel shipping. Transport must be arranged through a shipping company following consultation after the auction. Additional shipping insurance Shipping insurance up to a total invoice amount of 25,000 euros: max. 41.65 euros over a total invoice amount of 25,000 euros: 1.8 per thousand Shipping to the U.S. by individual arrangement after the auction. #William N. Copley #Surrealism #Pop Art #USA #Post-War Art #Painting #Nude #1950s #Post War. In accordance with §26 UrhG (German Copyright Act), VAN HAM is obligated to pay a statutory resale royalty on the sale proceeds of all original works of fine art and photography whose authors have not been deceased for 70 years prior to the end of the calendar year of the sale. The buyer shall contribute 1.5% of the hammer price toward this fee.