Paul Signac

Baron Kurt von Mutzenbecher, Wiesbaden (acquired in 1903 at the Weimar exhibition on the advice of Harry Graf Kessler)
Eberhard von Bodenhausen, Wiesbaden (acquired from the above in 1913)
Carl Neumann, Barmen (acquired from the Estate of the above in 1920)
Thence by descent to the present owner

 

Paris, Salons des Indépendants, 1913, no. 2245
Weimar, Grossherzogliches Museum, Deutsche und französische Impressionisten und Neo-Impressionisten, 1903, no. 66 or 68
Wiesbaden, Nassauischer Kunstverein, Ausstellung von Kunstwerken aus Wiesbadener und Biebricher Privatbesitz, 1905
Wuppertal, Von der Heydt-Museum, Der expressionistische Impuls, Meisterwerke aus Wuppertals großen Privatsammlungen, 2008, illustrated in colour in the catalogue

Le Petit Bleu de Paris, 20th March 1903, p. 2
Laertes, 'Aux Indépendants' in La Dépêche de Toulouse, 23rd March 1903, pp. 1-2
Pip, 'Carnet de Paris' in La Nouvelle Revue, March-April 1903, p. 419
Pierre du Mont, 'L'Exposition de la Société des artistes indépendants' in Le Journal des arts, 11th April 1903
Françoise Cachin, Signac, Catalogue raisonné de l'œvre peint, Paris, 2000, p. 258, no. 381
Andrea Pophanken & Felix Billeter (ed.), Die Moderne und Ihre Sammler: Französische Kunst in deutschem Privatbesitz vom Kaiserreich zur Weimarer Republik, Berlin, 2001, pp. 100 & 123 &143

The canvas is not lined and there is no evidence of retouching under UV light. This work could benefit from a clean. This is in overall very good original condition.
"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."

Painted after the turn of the last century, Auxerre, La Rivière is a brilliant example of the singular and innovative direction which the artist took following his active involvement with the Neo-Impressionists. When he painted the current work around 1902, Signac was further developing his artistic style beyond the strict tenets of Divisionism, which he had adopted from Georges Seurat in the 1880s. He liberated his color palette and broadened his approach while retaining the main characteristics of Divisionism through his pointed application of brushstrokes. This mature style was characterized by a subtle exploration of the nuances of light combined with a chromatic richness, as demonstrated in this current depiction of the Abbaye de Saint-Germain at Auxerre.

During the early 1900s, Signac devoted himself predominately to scenes of harbours and riverbanks, subjects which permitted the artist to explore the nuances of light. The present work depicting the Abbaye de Saint-Germain at Auxerre is a wonderful example of such an exploration, with the magnificent structure bathed in a scintillating glow. The abbey's majestic forms are reflected in the river below, betraying Signac's specific  fascination with the effects of light on water. This shimmering quality so synonymous with Signac's aesthetic is created by the mosaic-like pattern of his brushwork, juxtaposing dabs of vibrant green and blue with warmer tones of peach and pink, giving the scene its enchanting and ever-fluctuating character.