Lot 296: Paul Swan, American School, 1883-1972 'Portrait of

Paul Swan, American School, 1883-1972 'Portrait of Isadora Duncan wearing a blue dress and coloured bead necklace, three quarter length' oil on canvas, signed and dated '22 100cm x 71.5cm Provenance Gift of the artist to Salvatore Cartaino Scarpitta (1887-1948) Enrico Saccone The flamboyant artist and dancer Paul Spencer Swan (1883-1972) had a tempestuous relationship with Isadora Duncan. They first met in Paris where Duncan had moved in 1900. She described Swan famously as 'the most beautiful man in the world'. Isadora Duncan completely transformed the concept of ballet, rejecting classical ballet as 'ugly and against nature' she introduced the idea of improvisation emphasising emotion and the human form. She gained international fame and became the inspiration for many artists and designers of the day. Such was her fame that by 1913 a portrait of the dancer by sculptor Antoine Bordelle was placed over the entrance of the newly built Theatre des Champs-Elysees. Paul Swan shared Duncan's philosophy of self- expression both in his work of dancer and artist and in his Bohemian style private life. Both he and Duncan were self confessed bisexuals. It is very probable that they were in sexual relationship however Duncan's whirlwind personality drew many admirers close only to be dropped again just as quickly. It is alleged that the sculptor Scarpitta made a social visit to Swan's studio in Los Angeles to find the artist raging before his portrait of Isadora and about to paint it out. Swan had modelled for Scarpitta on many occasions and the two artists were great friends. The sculptor, recognizing the importance of the portrait, persuaded Swan to part with the picture in return for several litres of wine and thus it was saved. The picture remained with the Scarpitta family for many years before being purchased by the present vendor Enrico Seccone. Salvatore Scarpitta had worked on The Victor Emmanuel monument in Rome for the architect Count Giuseppe Seccone (1854 - 1905), the vendor's grandfather. Reference: Londraville, Janis and Richard - 'The Most Beautiful Man in the World - Paul Swan ', published by The University of Nebraska Press, 2006