René Gruau

(French, b. 1910)

The Mask

oil on canvas

signed Gruau (upper left)

51 ¼ x 39 ¼ inches.

Provenance:

Mark A. Brodey, Toronto, Canada

Sold: Waddington's, Toronto, Canada, November, 27, 2007, lot 252

Condition:
Framed: 53 x 41 1/4 inches.
Moderate deposits of surface dirt and dust; canvas is distorted in all corners; localized areas of craquelures scattered throughout, with an area extending along the lower edge, accompanied by tenting paint; canvas has separated from margin along lower left edge; two paint losses along lower left edge; inpainting visible around all edges; brown, streaky stains through mask; paint losses visible under frame lip on right edge; localized areas of scratches to paint in upper right corner; lower canvas verso exhibits brown stains throughout. Please request additional photos.

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Joseph Stanfield

Senior Vice President, Director, Fine Art

josephstanfield@hindmanauctions.com 312.280.1212

As the head of Hindman’s Fine Art Department, Mr. Stanfield is instrumental in bringing in major consignments from private collectors, estates, dealers and institutions. He has led the department to dozens of auction records, with a particular focus on Chicago Modernism. Mr. Stanfield has played an integral role in the development of the American & European and Post War & Contemporary Art categories, with the most successful year for the department in company history coming in 2021. He also oversaw a house record for total sales for a week of Fine Art auctions in May 2022. Mr. Stanfield is also the lead auctioneer for the Fine Art sales at Hindman. Prior to returning to Hindman in 2019, he was at Toomey & Co. for eight years, where he oversaw important collections including the estate of Candice B. Groot, the collection of Governor Jim Thompson, and the estate of Robert E. Beck. Mr. Stanfield earned a BA from the University of Kansas where he studied Art History.

Zack Wirsum

SVP, Head of Department, Post War and Contemporary Art

zacharywirsum@freemansauction.com 312.600.6069

Mr. Wirsum joined the firm in 2007 as a Fine Art registrar and became a department specialist in 2013, with a focus on Post War and Contemporary art. Through his vision, the department has achieved record breaking prices. Mr. Wirsum evaluates and appraises well over 5,000 works of art each year, collaborating with leading international committees and experts on authentication. Prior to joining Freeman's, Mr. Wirsum served as an assistant director and conservator at the Chicago Conservation Center. He received a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and is a practicing painter with gallery representation.

Monica Brown

Managing Director, Vice President, Fine Art, Head of Department, Prints and Multiples

monicabrown@freemansauction.com 303.825.1855

Ms. Brown rejoined the firm in 2019 as a senior specialist in the Fine Art department, where she has been the resident expert and Head of Sale for Prints and Multiples. She has over 17 years of art-market experience, most recently as founder of Monica Brown Fine Art. In addition to working for renowned auction houses, she has extensive knowledge in over five centuries of works on paper from her tenure at the Newberry Library in Chicago, and eight years of experience with one of London’s leading dealers of Pop Art editions.

American and European Art

The Mask

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