Estimate: $10,000 - $15,000
Price Realized: $12,160 Includes buyer's premium
bronze
12 1/4 x 6 1/4 x 5 inches
signed and editioned 9/10
From a Private Upper East Side Collection
purchased in 2008 from Island Weiss Gallery, New York, NY
overall good condition, with some minor abrasions and gentle wear to finish
If you are interested in bidding, please contact us to request more photos, or make an appointment for in-person inspection. To ensure prompt assistance, we recommend reaching out at least 24 hours before the auction by calling 212-353-2277 or emailing us at admin@capsuleauctions.com.
Condition reports are based on visual inspection by the Capsule team under typical office lighting. Unless otherwise noted, items are not examined under UV light in advance of sale. We do not guarantee the content of written or verbal condition reports. Remember, all lots are previously owned and all sales are final. The absence of a condition report does not imply that there are no condition issues with the lot.
Art has not been examined out of the frame unless otherwise stated. Frames, lampshades, or items described as “supplementary” are not considered integral to the value of the lot and are excluded from condition assessments. This includes any mat, mounting, glazing, hanging apparatus, case, box, or stand. Timepiece movements, lighting elements and items with mechanical or electrical components have not been thoroughly tested and are not covered under warranty by Capsule.
Born in France, Ms. de Cuevas was a refined aristocrat fluent in four languages. She hailed from distinguished lineage as the daughter of Margaret Strong de Cuevas, reputedly the favored grandchild of John D. Rockefeller, the renowned tycoon of the Gilded Age and founder of Standard Oil. Captivated by the grandeur of European cathedrals and palaces during her youth, she cultivated a vibrant imagination that soared beyond earthly bounds, drawing inspiration from ancient civilizations, Indian mysticism, and celestial realms.
Under the professional pseudonym Strong-Cuevas, she gained prominence for her sculptural creations, notably featuring expansive human profiles and heads. Her works, ranging from totemic to abstract, often exhibited Cubist influences, portraying faces from diverse perspectives. Exploring themes of unity across minds and transcending materiality, she expressed her fascination with physics, spiritual concepts, and yoga.
Beyond earthly confines, Ms. de Cuevas envisioned otherworldly dimensions in her artistry, frequently incorporating symbolic telescopic elements into her trademark faces, suggesting a cosmic gaze towards distant stars. Embracing the notion of extraterrestrial existence and cosmic consciousness, she infused her creations with a sense of wonderment towards the vastness of the universe.
In her own words, she mused, "I like to be awed, as at the pyramids in Egypt. It gives me joy and peace. And I like things to be magical, mythological. If something is your size, then it’s just another human being."
