Kees van Dongen

Galerie Charpentier, Paris
Acquired from the above by the father of the present owners in June 1957

Charleroi, Palais des Beaux Arts, Van Dongen, 1964

The canvas is not lined and there are no signs of retouching visible under UV light. Apart from some light medium rubbing around the edges of the canvas and some craquelure to the white paint of the sails and the shop awning, this work is in good condition. Colours: Fairly accurate, the colours are richer and the yellows more prominent in the original.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

By the 1920s, Van Dongen's Fauvist portraits of the denizens of the Parisian beau monde had brought him both fame and commercial success. His newfound wealth enabled him to acquire a villa in Cannes, and throughout the rest of his career picturesque landscapes featuring boats sailing off the seafront at Cannes figure regularly in his œuvre. These bright, cheerful works show another side of an artist notorious for his lurid depictions of high society women and bohemian Paris. Voiliers a Cannes suggest an artist at leisure, revelling in the bright blues afforded by the combination of the Mediterranean sunlight and the azure sea. The atmosphere of calm is enhanced by the strolling spectators in the foreground, and the palette, whilst still bold and bright, lacks the lurid, unhealthy quality that characterises his Fauvist work. There is a sense of luminous repose to the work that brings to mind the work of Matisse, who was also inspired to create art characterised by colour and calm by the Mediterranean light.