Pietà

Details

Sven Berlin (1911-1999)
Pietà
signed with monogram and dated '65' (on the Virgin Mary's right hip)
alabaster, unique
43 ¼ in. (109.9 cm.) high
Carved in 1965.

Provenance

The Artist's estate.
Anonymous sale; Christie's, London, 11 July 2013, lot 141, where purchased by the present owner.

Exhibited

St Ives, Belgrave Gallery, Sven Berlin: Sculpture, August 2006, catalogue not traced.

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

Alice Murray

amurray@christies.com +44 (0)20 7389 2423

Lot Essay

'During the 1940s when St Ives was becoming the most vibrant centre of artistic creativity in Britain, Sven Berlin was one of its leading characters. His wholehearted and dynamic approach to art and life coupled with a remarkable talent resulted in early success both as sculptor and draughtsman and established him as a central figure in the artistic life of St Ives' (see exhibition catalogue, Sven Berlin, London, Belgrave Gallery, 1989, p. 3).

The Tate Gallery, Victoria & Albert Museum, British Museum in London and the National Library of Scotland are among the public collections holding work by Sven Berlin.

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