BALTHUS (1908-2001) - Lot 3

BALTHUS (1908-2001) Sketches for "Le Chat de la Méditerranée", 1948 India ink on paper Size: 27 x 21 cm Provenance: Frédérique Tison, Château de Chassy (gift of the artist) Private collection, by descent from the previous owner Sale: Artcurial, Balthus à Chassy - Collection Frédérique Tison, December 8, 2020, lot 30 Private collection, France Balthus, born Balthasar Klossowski de Rola in Paris in 1908, was a visionary Franco-Polish painter renowned for his enigmatic, timeless approach to figurative painting. In a century increasingly marked by abstraction and avant-garde experimentation, Balthus distinguished himself by his attachment to classical techniques and the visual language of the Old Masters. His canvases, influenced by Renaissance artists such as Piero della Francesca and Caravaggio, are remarkable for their theatrical compositions, subtle play of light and profound psychological depth.