Josef Šíma painting rediscovered after nearly a century to go to auction in New York
A rare painting by the Czech modernist Josef Šíma has resurfaced after nearly a century out of the public view. Painted in Paris in 1927, Europa is considered a near twin of one of the artist’s most important works, now held by the Moravian Gallery in Brno. The painting recently emerged from a private collection in Philadelphia and has since undergone extensive research and authentication. It will go to auction in New York later this month, with an estimated value of between 300,000 and 500,000 dollars.
To find out more about this remarkable rediscovery, I spoke with Raphaël Chatroux, Vice President and Head of the Impressionist and Modern Art Department at Freeman’s auction house.
What exactly has been rediscovered here? What can you tell us about this painting, and why is it generating so much excitement?
"Indeed, it’s quite the rediscovery. Some experts even call it the rediscovery of the century. The rediscovery is really twofold. First, the painting itself has been rediscovered because for many years it was unlocated. It resurfaced in a very prestigious family collection in Philadelphia, the Ingersoll family collection. No one knew until quite recently that they were in possession of it.
“For many years scholarship in general, and many experts on Šíma, didn’t know that another version of Europa even existed.”
"The most interesting element of the rediscovery is that for many years scholarship in general, and many experts on Šíma, didn’t know that another version of Europa even existed. Of course there is the famous version now in the Moravian Gallery in the Czech Republic. But scholars had largely forgotten that Šíma often painted several versions of the works he made in the late 1920s.
"Our painting was illustrated in a French newspaper in 1928 and it was also mentioned in the Jubilee Exhibition checklist of 1936 in Prague. There, two versions of Europa are listed other than the one in the Moravian Gallery. Already back then it was described as being in a Philadelphia collection, although at the time it was attributed to Bernard Davis rather than the Ingersoll family.
"So these two elements of rediscovery are what make it exciting. People are rediscovering a part of Šíma’s career that had been largely forgotten, but also seeing a unique opportunity to own a very famous, if not iconic, painting by the artist. Many collectors assumed it was untouchable because they thought it was in a museum."
How typical is this painting of Šíma’s work overall? It was painted in 1927, which seems to have been a pivotal moment in his career. Where was he artistically at that point?
"It was painted in the summer of 1927 in his Paris studio on the Cour de Rohan. That year was extremely important for the artist. It came just a year after he obtained French citizenship. It was also the year he founded the philosophical and literary group Le Grand Jeu with several friends from Reims.
“It was essentially the moment when he began developing a new poetic and visual language that would become iconic and permanently associated with him.”
"Aesthetically, it was also the moment when Šíma began to move away from Cubism and Expressionism and toward something closer to symbolism. It was essentially the moment when he began developing a new poetic and visual language that would become iconic and permanently associated with him.
"This painting is quite important because it is one of the works where he begins introducing elements of his pictorial vocabulary, such as the egg, the torsos, and the deep black background that will resurface in his later paintings.
"More broadly, Paris at that time was a place of immense creativity where art, philosophy, poetry and literature all intersected. For Šíma personally, it was the moment when he set out on a new path, developing his own philosophy and translating it onto canvas."
You mentioned the egg motif, which appears often in Šíma’s later work. What is the significance of this symbol?
"The egg appears frequently in myths and tales. Šíma was very aware of that symbolism. In this painting it plays two main roles.
"The first is as a cosmic symbol of life, the origin from which all forms of life emerge. In the painting, the two torsos seem to be emerging from the egg, with the egg representing the world itself. In that sense it carries a strong cosmological meaning.
"But in the spirit of Šíma, the egg is also philosophically interesting because it represents unity. It is one object, yet it contains everything. It is the first element that appears in the world, but from it the entire world can develop.
"At that time Šíma was trying to express the idea of a primordial unity of the world, a sacred moment when mankind and nature were still one. The egg symbolizes this quest for unity."
This painting is described as a near twin of the famous version in the Moravian Gallery in Brno. Was it common for Šíma to create multiple versions of the same subject?
"It is actually almost a twin, but this one is longer by nearly twenty centimetres. If you compare the two closely, you will notice that the execution is not identical. The shadows and the modelling of forms are handled somewhat differently.
"However, there is no doubt that both were painted by the same artist, Šíma himself. What’s interesting is that the rediscovery of that painting actually sheds new light on other canvases from that period.
"If you look at the Jubilee Exhibition checklist from 1936, you will see that several canvases from around 1927 and 1928 are mentioned in multiple versions. They are not always exactly the same size and sometimes certain elements differ.
"It shows that at this stage in his career Šíma often created several versions of a painting while searching for his artistic language. Rather than producing one unique masterpiece, he conceived many of these works as multiple, equally original versions.
“In reality, Šíma conceived most of his paintings as multiple, equally original versions, and that’s the case of Europa."
"This challenges the romantic idea that an artist always produces only one definitive masterpiece. In reality, Šíma conceived most of his paintings as multiple, equally original versions, and that’s the case of Europa."
Can you tell us more about the early history of this particular painting? How was it received during Šíma’s lifetime, and how did it eventually disappear from public view?
"The early history of the painting is quite fascinating. It was most likely purchased directly from Šíma’s Paris studio by Bernard Davis, the first collector known to own it. Davis was Ukrainian-born but lived in Philadelphia and he was a strong supporter of modern art, especially artists from Eastern and Central Europe.
"When Davis later sold his house on Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia, the painting entered the collection of Robert Ingersoll. Ingersoll was also a supporter of modern art and he owned works by Picasso, Léger and Brâncuși.
"Šíma was not nearly as well-known as those artists, so acquiring his work was somewhat bold at the time. Bringing a Šíma painting to America was, and still is, quite rare.
"As for the history of the image of Europa, we know it caused a sensation from the moment it was created. At the time, a caricature was made showing a meeting of the Grand Jeu group in Šíma’s studio. Although Šíma himself isn’t depicted, the painting Europa appears in the background on an easel. The work was clearly so important that it almost stands in for the artist himself.
"In that sense, it became a way for Šíma to express something about himself. From the very beginning, it was understood as an important painting, one that reflected many of the philosophical ideas of the time while also capturing something of the artist’s personality."
When the painting resurfaced, there was some debate about whether it was truly original, since it closely resembles the version in Brno. What did the authentication process involve?
"When the painting resurfaced about a year ago, there was naturally a lot of discussion among curators and experts, because, as I said earlier, many people had forgotten that another version of Europa existed.
"So we decided to take our time and conduct a thorough authentication process. The painting was sent to the Czech Republic, specifically to Prague, where it was examined by two scholars and experts, Rea Michalová and David Frank from Trinity Art Research.
"The authentication had two main parts. First, there was a scientific examination. The painting underwent forensic analysis, including X ray imaging and infrared reflectography. That process revealed a signature in the bottom right corner, which had not been clearly visible when we first examined the painting.
"After that, the painting was taken to the Moravian Gallery so it could be physically compared with the known version. Alongside this technical work, researchers conducted extensive archival and provenance research. That is when they discovered that the painting had already been reproduced in a 1928 edition of the magazine Cahiers d’Art.
"For a long time we believed the illustration referred to the Moravian Gallery version. Because the newly rediscovered painting is longer in size, we were able to confirm that the illustration actually shows the Philadelphia version.
"The final confirmation came from the 1936 Jubilee Exhibition checklist. Šíma himself helped compile it as an inventory of his works from 1926 to 1936.
"In that document three versions of Europa are listed: the one in the Moravian Gallery, this one from Philadelphia, and a third version said to be in a French collection, which has still not resurfaced."
How well-known is Šíma internationally today? His painting Earth is now among the ten most expensive works ever auctioned in Czechia. How strong is the market for his work abroad?
"I think the market is burgeoning. That’s an understatement. His market has been expanding particularly in Europe, especially in the Czech Republic and France, the two countries most closely associated with him. That is where his work is most widely known and studied.
"But the international market is developing as well. As you mentioned, before this auction his record had already reached the equivalent of just over two million dollars. There is a real appetite for his work and discoveries like this version of Europa contribute to that interest.
"We are still uncovering new elements of his biography and his artistic output. There are also more exhibitions dedicated to Šíma being organized in Paris and Prague. This shows a growing curiosity about his work and his personality.
"This renewed interest also relates to the recent centenary of Surrealism. Although Šíma was not formally part of the Surrealist movement, his paintings resonate with that period, with its fascination for dreams, hidden realities and philosophical ideas."
The painting will be auctioned in New York on April 29. What is the estimate, and how much do you think it might sell for?
"We have placed an estimate of 300,000 to 500,000 dollars on the work. Considering the recent auction records for Šíma, that is actually quite reasonable.
"It is essentially a way for us to test the market. We have already been in contact with several potential buyers and experts who are interested in the painting. Some believe it could even set a new record for the artist.
"The painting comes from a very important period in Šíma’s career, and works from this time rarely appear on the market. Most Šíma paintings that appear at auction are from the 1960s, which is a later phase of his career. This one is from the late 1920s, a formative moment for the artist.
"The sale will take place in New York. The painting will also be exhibited beforehand in Paris, Chicago and Philadelphia."
