Rising to prominence in the 1990s as part of the trailblazing group of Young British Artists, Marc Quinn’s sculptural practice has remained closely focussed on the body throughout his career. Although perhaps best known for turning this gaze inwards in visceral and challenging works such as Self, Quinn’s practice has also taken up the Classical subject of the female nude. While controversial works such as Alison Lapper Pregnant challenged this idealised history of form, Jenny Sculpture embraces and celebrates this tradition, contributing to a long sculptural lineage equating the female form with the concept of beauty.
Executed in 2018, Jenny Sculpture belongs to the series, All About Love- a broader body of work focused on his then partner and muse Jenny Bastet. Coming to auction directly from Bastet’s personal collection, Jenny Sculpture commands a formidable power and grace, one foot lifted gently from the ground, as the figure raises her hands out in front of her face, palms upturned to the sky. A dancer herself, Bastet was known for turning quiet dinners into lively dance parties. The careful modelling of Bastet’s athletic form brings to mind Edgar Degas’ iconic ballerinas such as La Petite Danseuse de Quatorze Ans (Little Dancer Aged Fourteen), and the celebration of physical strength, grace, and elegance that these sculptural works represent.
Edgar Degas, La Petite Danseuse de Quatorze Ans (Little Dancer Aged Fourteen), c. 1880-81, University of East Anglia, Norfolk. Image: © Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts / Robert and Lisa Sainsbury Collection / Bridgeman Images As well as being involved in some of the defining exhibitions of the 1990s, Quinn has exhibited at some of the world’s leading institutions including the National Portrait Gallery in London, the Fondazione Prada in Milan, and the Fondation Beyeler in Basel. His works are housed in the permanent collections of the Tate Gallery in London, The Museum of Modern Art in New York, and the Musée National d’Art Moderne Centre Pompidou in Paris.
Provenance
Acquired directly from the artist by the present owner
PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF JENNY BASTET
153
Jenny Sculpture
incised with the artist's signature, number and date 'MARC QUINN 2018 1/3' on the base
patinated bronze
72 x 17.5 x 17.5 cm (28 3/8 x 6 7/8 x 6 7/8 in.)
Executed in 2018, this work is number 1 from an edition of 3.
Estimate
£20,000 - 30,000 ♠
Sold for £21,420
Charlotte Gibbs
Associate Specialist, Head of New Now
+44 20 7901 7993
CGibbs@phillips.com
New Now
London Auction 28 April 2022
68
This lot is no longer available.
