Nov 20, 2025 11:00 EST
Important Fine Art including Paintings from The Collection of Lucille Coleman
168
Roberto Matta
From the Collection of Alfred H. Barr Jr.
Chilean, 1911-2002
Esquisse-Etat: Six Panels
Colored pencil, pencil and charcoal on paper backed by board
Open, 18 x 18 inches (45.8 x 45.8 cm); closed, 8 3/4 x 11 1/4 inches (22.2 x 28.5 cm)
Provenance:
Gift from the artist to Victoria Barr (1937-2025), daughter of Alfred Barr, circa 1943
A transcribed note from the artist on a typewritten sheet in the family's archives reads:
This is the S TORY of the apartment-tree burning and the homeless bird-- some details are for when Tory ll'be [sic] 20 yrs. old. (HIS TORY then) guide - by appointment/ Love to you three, Matta.
Cartoon's Prof. Potor rolling skats [sic] film - is a fire being put out by water (red & blue) upper left - the sign over the sun - abstraction of the tree.
Margaret Barr spoke of the three black forms in the upper panel: ...this form, invented by Matta, seemed for him to be endowed with some special magic and he had a few of them cut out in black paper which he gave to special friends as a pledge or good-luck fetish. The forms mimicked the partitions of ordinary egg boxes, as they had been made at that time.
Sold for $41,600
Estimated at $12,000 - $18,000
Includes Buyer's Premium
From the Collection of Alfred H. Barr Jr.
Chilean, 1911-2002
Esquisse-Etat: Six Panels
Colored pencil, pencil and charcoal on paper backed by board
Open, 18 x 18 inches (45.8 x 45.8 cm); closed, 8 3/4 x 11 1/4 inches (22.2 x 28.5 cm)
Provenance:
Gift from the artist to Victoria Barr (1937-2025), daughter of Alfred Barr, circa 1943
A transcribed note from the artist on a typewritten sheet in the family's archives reads:
This is the S TORY of the apartment-tree burning and the homeless bird-- some details are for when Tory ll'be [sic] 20 yrs. old. (HIS TORY then) guide - by appointment/ Love to you three, Matta.
Cartoon's Prof. Potor rolling skats [sic] film - is a fire being put out by water (red & blue) upper left - the sign over the sun - abstraction of the tree.
Margaret Barr spoke of the three black forms in the upper panel: ...this form, invented by Matta, seemed for him to be endowed with some special magic and he had a few of them cut out in black paper which he gave to special friends as a pledge or good-luck fetish. The forms mimicked the partitions of ordinary egg boxes, as they had been made at that time.
The work comes in an original construction of panels put together with tape hinges by the artist. Each panel is not examined out of the plastic but appear to be positioned in the plastic sleeves without being laid on other material. Two of the tape hinges for a panel is loose. Otherwise the sheets are clean, and the colors are vibrant.
Any condition statement is given as a courtesy to a client, is an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact and our Organization shall have no responsibility for any error or omission. Please contact the specialist department to request further information or additional images that may be available.
Auction: Important Fine Art including Paintings from The Collection of Lucille Coleman, Nov 20, 2025
-
Auction of Important Fine Art on November 20, 2025 Delivered Outstanding Results
-
Newly Rediscovered Work from 1925 by Salvador Dalí Achieved $191,00
-
Including Important Paintings from the Collection of Lucille Coleman
-
Consignments Art Currently Being Accepted for Future Auctions
NEW YORK, NY -- Doyle's November 20, 2025 auction of Important Fine Art saw bidders from around the globe drive outstanding results thoughout the sale. Showcased were exceptional paintings, drawings and sculpture by European, American, Latin American and Asian artists spanning the late 19th through the 20th century.
Highlighting the sale was a newly discovered, early work by Salvador Dalí (1904-1989) that achieved an impressive $191,000 amid international bidding. Painted in 1925 during his formative years at the San Fernando Academy, Jeune femme en robe verte à demi-allongée de dos, had long been held in the family of American composer Harold Arlen. Works from this brief pre-Surrealist period reveal a young painter deeply absorbed in the study of form, proportion, and light, refining his technique through close observation of the Old Masters. The serene composition reflects the artist’s classical precision and technical command—qualities that would soon give rise to his revolutionary surrealist style. Read an essay profiling this work, Click Here.
Important Paintings from The Collection of Lucille Coleman
A special section of the sale presented Important Paintings from The Collection of Lucille Coleman, featuring works by Bernard Buffet, Gustave Loiseau, Maurice Utrillo, Louis Valtat, Maurice de Vlaminck and others (lots 116–141). Read More
We Invite You to Auction!
Consignments are currently being accepted for future auctions. We invite you to contact us for complimentary auction estimates. Our Specialists are always available to discuss the sale of a single item or an entire collection.
