17th Jul, 2017 17:00
Historic, Modern & Contemporary Art
114
Edoardo Villa (Italy/South Africa 1915-2011)
African Mask IV
bronze on a wooden base
Artwork date: 1964
Signature details: signed and dated from an edition of 6
Literature: Fritz-Uwe, G. (compiler), (1998). Edoardo Villa Museum Catalogue. Pretoria: University of Pretoria, Plaster of Paris version illustrated in black and white on p.10. De Klerk, C. and De Kamper, G. (2012). Villa in Bronze. Pretoria: University of Pretoria Museum, illustrated in black and white on p.53. Nel, K., Burroughs, E. and Von Maltitz, A. (2005). Villa at 90. Johannesburg: J. Ball, illustrated in a photograph of the courtyard at the Villa house on p.46 and illustrated on p.50.
Sold for R966,280
Estimated at R300,000 - R400,000
bronze on a wooden base
Artwork date: 1964
Signature details: signed and dated from an edition of 6
Literature: Fritz-Uwe, G. (compiler), (1998). Edoardo Villa Museum Catalogue. Pretoria: University of Pretoria, Plaster of Paris version illustrated in black and white on p.10. De Klerk, C. and De Kamper, G. (2012). Villa in Bronze. Pretoria: University of Pretoria Museum, illustrated in black and white on p.53. Nel, K., Burroughs, E. and Von Maltitz, A. (2005). Villa at 90. Johannesburg: J. Ball, illustrated in a photograph of the courtyard at the Villa house on p.46 and illustrated on p.50.
(1)
74 x 39 x 39 cm
Notes:
African Mask IV (1965) is one of the most striking and important bronzes made by Edoardo Villa at this pivotal time of his career. The artist had turned fifty in May 1965 and any look back at what he made during this period of rich creativity will reveal an artist at the apex of his powers.There is a photograph taken by his dealer and friend Egon Guether that shows Villa placed in context with African Mask IV. The photograph shows Villa sitting at his favourite mosaic table in the courtyard of his original cottage that was once the home of Douglas Portway. The living area and Villa’s bedroom are seen directly behind him. To his right and running along the lefthand side of the photo is his northern studio wall with Mapogga Woman (1964) prominently featured. To the extreme left is African Mask IV. Villa sits in the foreground looking relaxed with his handsome Italian looks, more in the mode of a movie star than sculptor.It is interesting to bear in mind that what became Edoardo Villa’s studio was once Portway’s modest lounge and dining room before Villa bought the property in 1959. Villa was still finding his feet living in these modest and humble conditions and really only started to enjoy financial stability and security a few years later evidenced by the commissioning of the building of House Villa in 1968 which is still part of the Kew property that was recently granted heritage status.There is a good chance that African Mask IV on offer here is the exact cast of the bronze seen in the photograph as it is without an edition number, indicating it is the earliest cast. This fine bronze has been in the same private collection in Johannesburg for over half a century.
Warren Siebrits
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Auction: Historic, Modern & Contemporary Art, 17th Jul, 2017
Aspire Art Auctions’ second Johannesburg sale offered a selection of some of the best works produced by local and international artists available on the local market. Offerings included Cameroonian-born, Belgium-based, Pascale Marthine Tayou, Chilean, Eugenio Dittborn, and South Africans, William Kentridge, Kendell Geers, Louis Maqhubela, Cecil Skotnes, Maggie Laubser, Irma Stern, and Mohau Modisakeng, amongst others.
The sale was led by an international auction record of R1 200 320 achieved for a drawing, Children under Apartheid, by exiled South African artist Dumile Feni, as well as the successful sale of top international lot Golden Mask by renowned performance artist Marina Abramović.
Viewing
Friday 14 July 2017 | 10 am – 7 pm
Saturday 15 July 2017 | 10 am – 5 pm
Sunday 16 July 2017 | 10 am – 4 pm
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