William Nelson Copley. Untitled - photo 1
William Nelson Copley. Untitled - photo 2
William Nelson Copley. Untitled - photo 3

William Nelson Copley. Untitled

Lot 13
01.10.2024 18:00UTC +01:00
Classic
Sold
€ 93 500
AuctioneerVAN HAM Kunstauktionen GmbH
Event locationGermany, Köln
Buyer Premium29%
Archive
The auction is completed. No bids can be placed anymore.
Archive
ID 1302398
Lot 13 | William Nelson Copley. Untitled
Estimate value
€ 60 000 – 80 000
COPLEY, WILLIAM NELSON
1919 New York - 1996 Key West

Title: Untitled.
Date: 1956.
Technique: Oil on canvas.
Measurement: 54 x 80,5cm.
Notation: Signed and dated in the centre of the piano: CPLY 56.


We thank Mr. Anthony Atlas, William N. Copley Estate, New York, for the kind, scientific support.

Provenance:
- Collection Roberto und Sonali Dasgupta Rossellini, Rom (since ca. 1960)
- Collection Kasper König, Berlin (since ca. 1997)

Exhibitions:
- Galerie 1900-2000, Paris 1988
- Aargauer Kunsthaus, Aarau 2000 (label verso)

Literature:
- Exhib. cat., William N. Copley: CPLY, Galerie 1900-2000, Paris, ill

Copley in Paris
The work " Ohne Titel" (Untitled) from 1956 can be placed in William N. Copley's time in Paris between 1951 and 1962, when he was strongly inspired by the surrealist pictorial language of the French. The theme at hand is liberation from political oppression, social norms and regulations. Copley summarizes his definitions and associations of freedom in the form of a kind of thought bubble made up of individual sections. This collage-inspired reflection on certain themes, in which memory, expectations and art-historical references are created, is a recurring motif in Copley's work during his time in France. The individual bubbles often move within a frame in the form of an automobile, which for Copley is a symbol of dynamism, both spatially and temporally. Although not directly depicted, this is echoed in the present example from 1956 in the form of the roads that wind around the thought structure.

Art historical references
Dance and fairground scenes, allusions to music and sports culture as well as traditions of the Christian religion and art history are clearly separated from each other by a clear subdivision. The French Wars of Liberation, such as the French Revolution (1789-1799) and the end of the Second World War, are also interwoven through the guillotine above and the French flags in the center of the picture. Art historical references can also be clearly identified in the painting. Copley quotes Édouard Manet's work "Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe" (1863), which marked a radical change in the stylistic reception of art. In the center left, "Les raboteurs de parquet" by Gustave Caillebotte from 1875 is depicted. Both works became part of the discourse of the time due to their presentation of nudity in everyday scenes. As can be seen in the examples "Reclining Nude" (lot 12) and "Happy Birthday" (lot 14), Copley repeatedly devoted himself to the subject of sexual liberation in his works.
Address of auction VAN HAM Kunstauktionen GmbH
Hitzelerstr. 2
50968 Köln
Germany
Preview
27.09.2024
28.09.2024
29.09.2024
30.09.2024
Phone +49 221 92586215
Fax +49 221 92 58 62 4
Email
4FQ.4SU-3S1@Y3GR3F@
Buyer Premium 29%
Conditions of purchaseConditions of purchase
Business hoursBusiness hours
Mo 10:00 – 17:00   
Tu 10:00 – 17:00   
We 10:00 – 17:00   
Th 10:00 – 17:00   
Fr 10:00 – 17:00   
Sa 10:00 – 13:00   
Su closed

More from Creator

William Nelson Copley. Bird Shot
William Nelson Copley. Bird Shot
€30 000
William Nelson Copley. Lady Be Good
William Nelson Copley. Lady Be Good
€70 000
William Nelson Copley. Happy Birthday
William Nelson Copley. Happy Birthday
€30 000
William Nelson Copley.Les Etats Unis du Monde
William Nelson Copley.Les Etats Unis du Monde
€80 000
WILLIAM NELSON COPLEY (1919-1996)
WILLIAM NELSON COPLEY (1919-1996)
€12 000
William Nelson Copley. Untitled
William Nelson Copley. Untitled
€4 000
WILLIAM NELSON COPLEY (1919-1996)
WILLIAM NELSON COPLEY (1919-1996)
$35 000
William Nelson Copley. Untitled
William Nelson Copley. Untitled
€10 000

Related terms

Frequently asked questions

First of all, you should register to be able to purchase at auction. After confirming your email address, enter your personal information in your user profile, such as your first name, last name, and mail address. Choose a lot from the upcoming auction and the maximum amount you want to place on it. After confirmation of your choice, we will send your application by e-mail to the appropriate auction house. If the auction house accepts a request, it will participate in the auction. You can view the current status of a bid at any time in your personal account in the "Bids" section.
Auctions are performed by auction houses and each of the auction houses describes their terms of auction. You can see the texts in the section "Auction information".
The results of the auction are published within a few days after the end of the auction. In the top menu of the site, find the tab "Auctions". Click on it and you will be on the auction catalog page, where you can easily find the category "Results". After opening it, select the desired auction from the list, enter and view the current status of the interested lot.
The information about the auction winners is confidential. The auction winner will receive a direct notification from the auction house responsible with instructions for further action: an invoice for payment and the manner in which the goods will be received.
Each of the auction houses has its own payment policy for the won lots. All auction houses accept bank transfers, most of them accept credit card payments. In the near future you will find detailed information for each case in the section "Auction information" on the page of the auction catalog and the lot.
Shipment of the won lot depends on its size. Small items can be delivered by post. Larger lots are sent by courier. Employees of the auction houses will offer you a wide range to choose from.
No. The archive serves as a reference for the study of auction prices, photographs and descriptions of works of art.
?>