Concetto Spaziale, Ellisse

Details

Lucio Fontana (1899-1968)
Concetto Spaziale, Ellisse
signed and titled ‘l. Fontana “Concetto Spaziale”’ (on the reverse)
lacquer on wooden panel
68.1/8 x 28.3/8 x 3.1/8in. (173 x 72 x 8cm.)
Executed in 1967
This work is registered in the Fondazione Lucio Fontana, Milan under no. 2688/1.

Provenance

Marlborough Galleria d’Arte, Rome.
Iolas Gallery, New York.
Galerie Bonnier, Geneva.
Galerie Leger, Malmö.
Private Collection, Ancona.
Studio Casoli, Milan.
Acquired from the above by the present owner.

Literature

“Ultimi buchi di Fontana”, in Il Gazzettino Veneto, Venice, 25 Ottobre 1967 (illustrated).
E. Crispolti, Fontana Catalogo generale, vol. II, Milan 1986, no. 67 EL 30 (illustrated, p. 709).
E. Crispolti, Fontana, Milan 1999, no. 256 (illustrated in colour, p. 235).
E. Crispolti, Lucio Fontana Catalogo ragionato di sculture, dipinti, ambientazioni, Milan 2006, vol. II, no. 67 EL 30 (illustrated, p. 905).

Exhibited

Rome, Marlborough Galleria d’Arte, Lucio Fontana.
Forme neuve 1967, 1967.
New York, Iolas Gallery, Fontana, 1967.
Milan, PAC, Padiglione d’Arte Contemporanea (PAC), Centenario di Lucio Fontana. Cinque mostre a Milano: Lucio Fontana. Idee e capolavori, 1999 (illustrated in colour, pp. 143, 349-350).

Special Notice

Artist's Resale Right ("Droit de Suite"). Artist's Resale Right Regulations 2006 apply to this lot, the buyer agrees to pay us an amount equal to the resale royalty provided for in those Regulations, and we undertake to the buyer to pay such amount to the artist's collection agent.

Brought to you by

Alessandro Diotallevi

adiotallevi@christies.com +44 (0)20 7389 2954

Lot Essay

We searched for an Ellisse by Fontana for a long time, it is a "different" work: as full-bodied as it is elegant, as linear as it is sophisticated in its simplicity. Only a total of thirty ellipses exist in all, of which only two are white (this is one). All the ellipses are different in colour, and also in the pattern formed by the holes on the lacquered wood, while they are all the same as far as shape and size are concerned. We also find the structure on the back fascinating. Its ability to "hold" the space where it is positioned is incredible: it becomes a presence that is powerful, yet light (I repeat: elegant) in your house.

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