Collage, pencil, fabric, wax crayon, charcoal, enamel paint, pastel and map
2 parts, 84 x 71 cm (33 ¹/₈ x 28 inches) total
Signed and dated upper right, Christo 1983 
Executed in 1983

Provenance
Private collection, Madrid (acquired directly from the artist’s studio in 1984)

The two-part piece is a preparatory work for The Gates was made by Christo with his wife Jeanne-Claude. Christo and Jeanne-Claude were a unique couple who created large-scale installations in public and natural spaces around the world. The Gates was one of the ambitious ephemeral public art projects they worked on from 1979 until 2005. 7,503 fabric panels were finally completed on 12th February 2005. Over 600 workers were involved in assembling the gates and free-hanging saffron fabric panels, and more than 5 million people saw the installation.