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Josef Sima (1891-1971) Terre De Silence, 1952
Details
Signed ‘J. ŠÍMA 52’ (lower right); signed, titled and dated ‘ŠÍMA 1952’ and ‘TERRE DE SILENCE’ (on the reverse of the canvas).
Sizes:
Artwork: 46 × 55 cm | 18.1 × 21.7 in
Executed in 1952, this evocative composition exemplifies the lyrical abstraction of Josef Šíma. Through a delicate, atmospheric interplay of muted tones and fluid gestural lines, Šíma constructs a dreamlike architectural landscape that seems to emerge from the canvas itself.
His signature light-filled palette, combined with the structural rhythm of the building forms, creates a serene, meditative space that blurs the boundary between physical structure and metaphysical vision.
This work captures the quintessence of Šíma’s post-war period, where the artist sought to unify the internal realm of the imagination with the external world of objects.
The ethereal application of paint, layered in translucent washes, imbues the scene with a sense of quiet permanence, inviting the viewer into a timeless realm of contemplative silence. It is a masterful study in spatial perception and the poetic potential of the abstract image.
Condition Report
Overall good condition. Please contact us to request a detailed Condition Report.
Authenticity & Buyer Information
This lot is catalogued under the artist’s name without qualification and is covered by our Five-Year Authenticity Guarantee under Section 4 of the Conditions of Sale. The guarantee concerns authorship; it does not extend to provenance, dating, condition or value, which are described to the best of our knowledge.
Buyers should review the catalogue carefully and raise any questions before bidding; additional information is not ordinarily provided after the auction.
5-Year Authenticity Guarantee
Five years on authorship for works catalogued under the artist’s name without qualification (Section 4 of our Conditions of Sale); headings such as “Attributed to” or “Circle of” are sold as described.
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Questions about this lot
How does the estimate compare with the artist’s recent auction results?
The estimate of €40,000–€60,000 is our opinion of the range this work should reach; the starting price of €30,000 is the lowest bid we accept. We have not published comparable results for this lot; ask us before the sale and we will send the results we based the estimate on.
What will this lot cost in total?
Bidding on this site, the buyer’s premium is 25%, Spanish IVA included, and there is no VAT on the hammer price and no card fee: at the starting price of €30,000 the total is €37,500; at the low estimate of €40,000 the total is €50,000; at the high estimate of €60,000 the total is €75,000.
Through LiveAuctioneers, Invaluable, Drouot or Bidspirit the premium is 30%, so the same hammer of €60,000 costs €78,000 there. Shipping and insurance are quoted separately; the estimator on this page gives the figure for your country. Buyers outside the EU pay no Spanish tax on the lot; the destination’s import rules apply (United States: original paintings and drawings enter duty-free; United Kingdom: 5% import VAT on art). Card payments are accepted up to €10,000; larger amounts by bank transfer.
Is the attribution covered by the Five-Year Authenticity Guarantee?
Yes. This lot is catalogued under the artist’s name without qualification, so it carries our Five-Year Authenticity Guarantee under Section 4 of the Conditions of Sale: if the authorship proves materially incorrect, you may return the work within five years for a refund of the purchase price. The guarantee concerns authorship; provenance, dating, condition and value are described to the best of our knowledge and are not guaranteed.
Can I see the condition report, more photographs or the work itself?
A condition report with ultraviolet photographs is prepared on request, normally within two working days; the condition summary on this page is examined in-house and is not a conservator’s report. Further photographs of any detail, the reverse or the frame are sent on request. The work can be examined in our Barcelona showroom by appointment before the sale, and you are welcome to send your own conservator or specialist.
Josef Sima
Josef Šíma was one of the biggest names in modern Czech art and a key figure of the European avant-garde. Studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague, Šíma moved to Paris in the 1920s where he befriended poets and artists of the Surrealist and abstract movements. His early work was influenced by cubism and symbolism, later evolving into lyrical abstraction searching for metaphysical light and cosmic harmony.
Šíma’s art went beyond the material to express a deep spiritual vision. Through colour fields and ethereal compositions he wanted to reveal the invisible forces of nature and existence – what he called “poésie de la lumière”. His paintings are a meditative dialogue between matter and mystery, science and transcendence, so he is one of the most poetic abstract artists of the 20th century.
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