Beschreibung:

Lot DetailsTom Wesselmann 1931 - 2004Monica Sitting in Hat and Beads (Color Variation No. 3)
signed Tom Wesselmann and Wesselmann, titled and dated 1989 (on the reverse)enamel on laser-cut steel50 by 42 in.127 by 106.7 cm.Executed in 1989.
Please note that this work will be included in the Tom Wesselmann Digital Corpus published by the Wildenstein Plattner Institute, and will be included in their forthcoming Tom Wesselmann Digital Catalogue Raisonné.Condition reportThis work is in very good and sound condition overall. Upon close inspection, there is evidence of minor wear and handling including faint superficial scratches, minute accretions and areas of minor pigment loss. The aforementioned minor pigment loss is found most notably along the edges and turning edges of the steel. Upon very close inspection, the end of the figure's left arm is slightly bent, so the steel is slightly lifted from the wall when installed.
The lot is sold in the condition it is in at the time of sale. The condition report is provided to assist you with assessing the condition of the lot and is for guidance only. Any reference to condition in the condition report for the lot does not amount to a full description of condition. The images of the lot form part of the condition report for the lot. Certain images of the lot provided online may not accurately reflect the actual condition of the lot. In particular, the online images may represent colors and shades which are different to the lot's actual color and shades. The condition report for the lot may make reference to particular imperfections of the lot but you should note that the lot may have other faults not expressly referred to in the condition report for the lot or shown in the online images of the lot. The condition report may not refer to all faults, restoration, alteration or adaptation. The condition report is a statement of opinion only. For that reason, the condition report is not an alternative to taking your own professional advice regarding the condition of the lot. NOTWITHSTANDING THIS ONLINE CONDITION REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE/BUSINESS APPLICABLE TO THE RESPECTIVE SALE.ProvenanceOK Harris Works of Art, New YorkPrivate Collection (acquired from the above in 1989)Sotheby's New York, 13 November 2003, lot 293Acquired from the above by the present ownerCatalogue note“Painting, sex and humor are the most important things in my life.” – Tom Wesselmann 1984
Frequently overlooked while he was alive, Tom Wesselmann is now widely recognized for the unique contributions he made to Pop art and the achievements he made individually as an artist. Wesselmann began his artistic career drawing cartoons for newspapers in New York City. Eventually he attended art school and began to experiment with collage, influenced by the commercialization of culture much like other Pop artists. Yet unlike other artists like Andy Warhol Wesselmann never intended to criticize consumerism but incorporated the oversized, vibrant color planes into his oeuvre.   
The artist was particularly inspired by the energy of Willem de Kooning’s works, but felt as though he must find his own direction while channeling the same vivacity with which de Kooning worked. His breakthrough series in the 1960s, the Great American Nude series, features American patriotic colors and his wife, Claire, as his muse. This series solidified his unusual place in Pop art as he continued to focus on nudity as his subject – a traditionally historic theme that Wesselmann reframed in a contemporary context.  
In many senses Wesselmann’s achievements are comparable to those of the remarkable artist Matisse, from his utilization of radiant primary colors to successfully learning a new medium at the end of his career. As seen in the present work, Monica Sitting in Hat and Beads, (Color Variant No. 3), the artist began experimenting with a new artistic process in the early 1980s, laser-cut steel drawings. Much like Matisse introduced cut-outs into his oeuvre, Wesselmann mastered this new method and brought his ephemeral sketches to a more strong and permanent condition. This work features one of his models and assistant, Monica Serra, a recognizable character in his body of work for her black bob length hair and red lips. In this steel cut work, he reduces his subject to just the line, yet achieves a three-dimensional effect. Due to the artistic process used and subject matter, this is one of Wesselmann’s more identifiable compositions in his body of work.