695 - RAUSCHENBERG, ROBERT

RAUSCHENBERG, ROBERT 1925 Port Arthur, TX/USA–2008 Captiva Island, FL/USA Title: Crown Level (From: Kabal American Zephyr). Date: 1982. Technique: Material assemblage (box of Dewar’s White Label—blended Scotch whisky, backrest of a wooden chair, metal “Star-News” sign, and shoe-polishing stand). Dimensions: 77 x 43 x 22.5 cm. The work is registered with the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation under the number RRF 82.019. Provenance: - Flow Ace Gallery, Paris 1982 - Private collection, North Rhine-Westphalia (acquired from the previous owner in 1982) Exhibition: - Flow Ace Gallery, Paris 1982 - A leading figure in postwar American art and a pioneer of Pop Art - Characteristic assemblages made from found everyday objects - A dynamic combination of wood, metal, paint, and signs of wear Robert Rauschenberg is considered one of the most influential American artists of the second half of the 20th century. After studying at Black Mountain College under Josef Albers and at the Art Students League in New York, he began developing a radically open conception of art in the 1950s. Early on, he dissolved the boundaries between painting and sculpture and integrated everyday objects, found objects, and photographic images into his works. With his famous “Combines,” he turned away from both Abstract Expressionism and traditional genre boundaries, decisively paving the way for Pop Art, assemblage, and Conceptual Art. He was less interested in the hierarchy of materials than in their interplay: art and everyday reality were to react directly to one another. “Crown Level (Kabal American Zephyr)” from 1982 continues this principle in a compact, sculptural assemblage. The backrest of an old chair rises from a used wooden crate. In front of it lies a small cast-iron object, while a bright yellow metal sign—marked by rust and signs of wear—bearing the inscription “STAR-NEW” dominates the front. A variety of found objects, surfaces, and materials combine to form a surprising new unity. Traces of previous use—lettering, notches, rust, and discoloration—remain visible and become part of the aesthetic effect. It is precisely the contrast between ornate wood, industrial metal, and the striking yellow color field that lends the object its unique tension. As in his early “Combines,” Rauschenberg elevates found objects to the status of artistic material. The work thus impressively demonstrates his lifelong interest in the connection between art and everyday life, as well as in the poetic transformation of seemingly ordinary objects. Estimated shipping costs for this lot: This lot is not suitable for parcel shipping. Transport is available only through a shipping company after consultation following the auction. Additional shipping insurance Shipping insurance up to a total invoice amount of 25,000 euros: max. 41.65 euros For a total invoice amount exceeding 25,000 Euros: 1.8 per thousand Shipping to the USA by individual arrangement after the auction. #Robert Rauschenberg #Pop Art #Neo-Dadaism #USA #Post-War Art #1980s #Sculptures. 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.