Maurice Denis

Galerie Druet, Paris (acquired directly from the artist in 1918)
Mr. G. Lévy, Paris (acquired from the above in 1919)
Mr. Léon Herzog, Paris
Private Collection (by descent from the above)
Peter Nahum, London (acquired from the above in 2005)
William Hanham Ltd., London
Acquired from the above in 2006

Paris, Galerie Druet, Exposition annuelle du premier groupe, 1919, no. 1
Morlaix, Musée des Jacobins, Maurice Denis et la Bretagne, 1985, no. 96, illustrated in the catalogue
Valence, Musée de Valence, Lumières de Sable, Plages de Maurice Denis, 2000, no. 68, illustrated in color in the catalogue

The work is in very good condition; the canvas is lined. There is minor rubbing to the paint layer along the extreme lower edge. Under U.V, there are several strokes and a line of inpainting at the right edge of the pink cloud at furthest right, which continues down to the purple water. There are several other scattered pindots elsewhere in the sky. Some of the original darker pigment fluoresce, but otherwise no apparent inpainting.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Maurice Denis' attraction to the region of Brittany drew him there throughout his life.  In his Journal he dreamed of a day when ["...I can retire to [Brittany], the land of saints and costumes, I would live there, the friend of the parish priest and of the mayor and of everyone, in the fishing village ... I would live a poor, humble, peaceful life, contented, under the protective eye of God, far away form the noisy, wealthy Paris crowd, which obsesses me ... Then for a few pennies, I would paint the walls of the poor churches of the district." ] (Maurice Denis, Journal I, 1891, pp. 44-45)

In July 1908, he bought a villa in Perros-Guirec, for his family to spend time together each summer. The villa's terrace, which looks out over the spectacular bay of Perros-Guirec on the Côte d'Argile Rosé, features in several of Denis' family paintings. In 1909 and 1910 he painted two versions of Christ Receiving the Children, Trestignel which show both the figure of Christ and Denis' family by the balcony. 

The intense spirituality of Denis' late paintings pervades this exceptional work. In this magical view of the balcony suffused in evening light, Denis reveals a powerful love of his family, of music and of nature. Juxtaposing several different view points of the bay; the Les Sept Isles combined with the rocks of the Pointe du Château, the painting is more conceptual than literal. Here he portrays some of his children: Bernadette (b. 1899), Anne-Marie (b. 1901) - who is shown twice, both singing and dreaming - and Dominique (b. 1909) who is being chased up the stairs by Madeleine (b. 1906).  In the garden, we again see Madeleine, with the artist's youngest son, François (born in 1915).  The shimmering pink light of dusk envelops the happy children and connects them back to their natural surroundings.