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1896-1987
HÉRACLITE

HÉRACLITE

measurements
26 3/4 by 22 in.

alternate measurements
68 by 56 cm

Executed in 1943, according to the Comité Masson who have confirmed the authenticity of this work.

Signed A. MASSON (on the reverse)

Oil and tempera on canvas

PROVENANCE

Rose Masson, Paris (the artist's wife)
Galleria Due Ci, Rome
Galleria Paolo Sprovieri, Rome
Private Collection, Italy
Acquired by the family of the present owner in 1987

EXHIBITED

Marseille, Musée Cantini, André Masson, 1968, no. 34
Florence, Museo di Orsanmichele, André Masson. Opere dal 1920 al 1970, 1981, illustrated p. 95
Rome, Gallerie Due Ci, André Masson, 1941-1945, 1983, illustrated on the cover and p. 13
New York, Camillos Kouros Gallery, André Masson, Works from 1923-1944, 1986, no. 49

LITERATURE

Carmine Benincasa, "Masson e l'energia dell'universo", Arte, vol. XIX, December 1989, no. 202, illustrated p. 92

NOTE

Héraclite emerges from Masson's "American Period", which lasted from 1942 to 1945. The artist spent these years immersed in the vibrant art scene in cities along the Eastern coast of America, including New York and Boston. These extremely creative and prolific years for Masson revealed a more integrated relationship between the elements of color, line and form. Particularly with his stylized use of line which retained calligraphic features, Masson achieved a wholly unique approach to artistic representation. The period was also marked by more numerous allusions to the human figure, leading to a series of imaginary portraits. Masson depicted artists, mythical figures, and philosophers from whom he drew inspiration. These included Leonardo Da Vinci, Andromeda, or, as in the present piece, the Greek philosopher Heraclitus. As Bill Rubin describes, "We have seen that Masson had been constantly interested in Heraclitus' vision of universal, ceaseless metamorphosis in which what we take to be actuality is an illusion, making the only reality that of change, of becoming. The Heraclitean view of the world seemed more than ever appropriate to Masson in terms of his communion with nature in New England, and it is not surprising that images of the philosopher should figure importantly among his Imaginary Portraits of the period." (William Rubin and Carolyn Lanchner, Andre Masson, New York, 1976, p.61)