BALTHUS (1908-2001) - Lot 4

BALTHUS (1908-2001) Rue Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois, circa 1947-1948 Pencil on paper Size: 22 x 17.4 cm Signed with the monogram "Bs." lower right. Provenance: Frédérique Tison, Château de Chassy (gift of the artist). Private collection, by descent. Sale: Artcurial, Balthus Artcurial, Balthus à Chassy - Collection Frédérique Tison, December 8, 2020, lot 31. Private collection, France. Balthus, born Balthasar Klossowski de Rola in Paris in 1908, was a visionary Franco-Polish painter renowned for his enigmatic and 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 paintings, influenced by Renaissance artists such as Piero della Francesca and Caravaggio, are renowned for their theatrical compositions, nuanced lighting and discreet psychological depth.