L'arbre de vie,
Circa 1995
by Niki de Saint Phalle
Print : 67 x 52 x 1 cm 26.4 x 20.5 x 0.4 inch
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About the artwork
Numbered and limited to 150 copies
Hand-signed by artist
Sold with certificate of Authenticity from the gallery
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67 x 52 x 1 cm 26.4 x 20.5 x 0.4 inch Height x Width x Depth
Black frame with glass
69 x 54 x 3 cm 27.2 x 21.3 x 1.2 inch
Artwork sold in perfect condition
Artwork location: France
The snake tree also says The Tree of Life.
Original lithograph in color signed and numbered in pencil on **/150 copies.
Among the animals in her bestiary, Niki de Saint Phalle particularly features snakes. They exert both terror and fascination on the artist: “For me, they represented life itself, an indomitable primitive force. By making snakes myself, I was able to transform the fear they inspired in me into joy”. This transformation can be found in the physiognomy of the reptile, all in curves and undulations, with sparkling colors.
Present in many cultures, the snake is sometimes evil and feared, embodying sin as in the Bible, sometimes beneficial and revered, becoming the sign of fertility and wisdom. Here the artist reinterprets ancient myths, such as that of the Hydra of Lerna or Medusa. By associating the snake, the tree and the water, Niki de Saint Phalle creates an imaginary being, symbol of life and energy.
The lithographic work follows the creation of the sculpture-fountain designed in 1992 by the Franco-American visual artist. It belongs to the cycle of monumental totems, polychrome statues in polyester resin. The pop appearance of these creations, hymns to joy, carries the seed of a double message. Beneath the exuberant colors hides a part of paradoxical darkness. Over the course of their conception, the works often acquire cathartic properties, forms of outlet for the traumas of childhood. Niki de Saint Phalle sees the tree of life as the embodiment of her own resilience. Snakes, recurring motifs in the artist's bestiary, refer to a personal phobia as well as a symbol in many cultures of feminine power. Naive in its form, the sculpture reveals itself to be complex in its nature of a chimera associating plant and animal. The fantastic tree is surmounted like branches by twelve heads of reptiles with ajar mouths from which the water was originally supposed to gush.
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Original lithograph in color signed and numbered in pencil on **/150 copies.
Among the animals in her bestiary, Niki de Saint Phalle particularly features snakes. They exert both terror and fascination on the artist: “For me, they represented life itself, an indomitable primitive force. By making snakes myself, I was able to transform the fear they inspired in me into joy”. This transformation can be found in the physiognomy of the reptile, all in curves and undulations, with sparkling colors.
Present in many cultures, the snake is sometimes evil and feared, embodying sin as in the Bible, sometimes beneficial and revered, becoming the sign of fertility and wisdom. Here the artist reinterprets ancient myths, such as that of the Hydra of Lerna or Medusa. By associating the snake, the tree and the water, Niki de Saint Phalle creates an imaginary being, symbol of life and energy.
The lithographic work follows the creation of the sculpture-fountain designed in 1992 by the Franco-American visual artist. It belongs to the cycle of monumental totems, polychrome statues in polyester resin. The pop appearance of these creations, hymns to joy, carries the seed of a double message. Beneath the exuberant colors hides a part of paradoxical darkness. Over the course of their conception, the works often acquire cathartic properties, forms of outlet for the traumas of childhood. Niki de Saint Phalle sees the tree of life as the embodiment of her own resilience. Snakes, recurring motifs in the artist's bestiary, refer to a personal phobia as well as a symbol in many cultures of feminine power. Naive in its form, the sculpture reveals itself to be complex in its nature of a chimera associating plant and animal. The fantastic tree is surmounted like branches by twelve heads of reptiles with ajar mouths from which the water was originally supposed to gush.
About the seller
Galerie Belle Epoque • France
Artsper seller since 2022
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Born in 1930 in the Parisian suburbs, Niki de Saint Phalle was a French-American artist, filmmaker, author and artist, known in particular for her work in painting and sculpture. Saint Phalle's plastic sculptures are globally recognized for their exaggerated features and vibrant use of color to address questions of gender, race, religious identity and social politics. Her most famous pieces include her iconic figure entitled “Nana," her depiction of the “Sun God" and “The Monster of Soisy."
Over the course of her career, the artist's work was featured in exhibitions worldwide, and her work continues to be included in collections today. Some of the most notable exhibitions of Saint Phalle's career include “Comparison: Peinture-Sculpture at the Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville" in Paris, “Les Nanas au Pouvoir" held at the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, and “From Niki Matthews to Niki de Saint Phalle" at The Sprengel Museum in Paris.
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Niki de Saint Phalle
L'arbre de vie, 1995
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