The Last Teapot by Georges Braque
We discovered an overlooked masterpiece by the co-founder of Cubism
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A Masterpiece Rediscovered
In the final years of his life, Georges Braque produced only a handful of paintings. Although his oeuvre is documented in a comprehensive seven-volume catalogue raisonné, the last six years of his creative activity remain uncatalogued. We believe our painting marks the beginning of this undocumented period, and that Braque continued working on it until his death in 1963.
While many of his late works are intimate landscapes, Braque ultimately returned to his lifelong passion: still life - and one of his most cherished subjects, the humble black teapot, which he painted numerous times. We believe his final depiction of the teapot is also his most abstract, reflecting his growing fascination with American Abstract Expressionism and Zen philosophy.
Research Reveals
“Théière avec Raisins" (Teapot with Grapes) was displayed in the backroom of a Christie’s Impressionist and Modern art sale in London, incompletely titled and incorrectly dated.
Quentin Laurens, the rights owner to the Braque estate and the sole authenticator, confirmed directly that the painting was in Braque’s studio at the time of his passing in 1963 and was unsigned as it was never offered for sale.
Standing before it, we were struck by its dimensionality - paint and texture erupting from the surface in layers that could only come from extended creation.
We uncovered a photograph as part of a MoMa exhibition of Alexander Liberman (29th October 1959) which subsequently became the front cover of his seminal book The Artist in His Studio - featuring essays and photographs of the greatest artists of the day. In the organised chaos which was Braque’s studio, our painting, at an earlier stage of execution, is prominently displayed.
The Collection
We zoomed in. Extreme magnification revealed the enormous range of colours, layers and textures that cannot be easily seen with the naked eye.
This has inspired us to create 144 unique artworks printed on our one-of-a-kind paper made out of a 350 year-old oak tree, signed, numbered 1/1 with their blockchain authentication and chain of provenance directly linked to the original painting. The Georges Braque Fragments exist in both physical and digital form.
Why fragments
- You receive your unique Teapot Fragment printed on our one-of-a-kind paper made from a salvaged 350 year-old French oak tree, signed, numbered 1/1 with its blockchain authentication and chain of provenance directly linked to the original painting.
- You receive full, transferable ownership of your digital Teapot Fragment with the freedom to sell or gift it at any time.
- Enjoy free access to the original Georges Braque Teapot With Grapes painting wherever it is exhibited.
- You receive complimentary Platinum membership with OCTARR, including priority access to all future projects.
Artwork's Passport
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