A rare version of Maria Martins Impossible (1946), a key work of Surrealist sculpture, will be offered in Rago/Wrights Post War and Contemporary Art auction on Thursday, May 14, marking one of the most significant appearances of the artists work in recent years. One of only three known examples, Impossible is exceptional not only for its rarity but also for its institutional context: the other two examples are held in museum collections, making this the only version currently in private hands to become available. Major works by Maria Martins, of this scale and importance, almost never come to market, said Lauren Bradley, director of fine art at Rago/Wright. Estimated at $150,000 to $200,000, the sculpture exemplifies Martins singular visual language, merging biomorphic forms with mythological and psychological themes. Created during Martins New York period in the 1940s, Impossible reflects her close relationship with Marcel Duchamp, an exchange widely seen as shaping some of the most psychologically charged works of Surrealism. Works of this caliber are rarely seen at auction because its really, in effect, her masterpiece, says Francis M. Naumann, leading Duchamp scholar and author of Impossible: The Love Affair between Marcel Duchamp & Maria Martins. Things like that are usually already in museums. Luckily, there are three versions of this. The other two are already in museums. This one isnt. Martins, a Brazilian artist active in the United States and Europe, developed a distinctive sculptural vocabulary influenced by Amazonian mythologies and Surrealist biomorphism. Her work explores themes of transformation, desire, and the generative forces of nature, often blending human, vegetal, and animal forms into psychologically charged compositions. The present example is believed to be the earliest of the three, further underscoring its importance within Martins oeuvre. Impossible stands as one of the most powerful expressions of Surrealist sculpture of the mid-20th century and a defining work of the artists career. The work is on view in New York City through Thursday, May 14, at Rago/Wright, 501 W. 20th St., ahead of the auction which will take place in Lambertville, N.J. For further information, call Rago/Wright at 312-563-0020.