Santiago Rusiñol

Acquired from the artist by the grandfather of the present owner; thence by descent

 

Possibly, Palma de Mallorca, Casa Pons i Bonet, 1893

The canvas has not been lined. There is a faint pattern of craquelure and a light stretcher mark corresponding to the outer stretcher bars, and a thin vertical scratch to the left of the 'S' of the start of the signature. Ultra-violet light reveals a number of small spots of retouching scattered overall and primarily in the lighter pigments of the ground and in the sky, including some scattered small repairs, the largest a circa 2cm repair in the brown pigments of the wall towards the centre left of the composition. The appearance of the work under normal light is good overall and it is ready to hang. The catalogue illustration is reasonably accurate, however the colours are more luminous overall in reality. Presented in a decorative gilt frame.
"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 circa 1893 in Palma de Mallorca, the present work records the galeras (horse-drawn carriages) owned by the grandfather of the painting's present owner, in a square in Palma. Typically for the time, Rusiñol took a particular interest in recording the hot sunlit squares of the town with a correspondingly dry and arid brush (fig. 1). Such scenes - large vistas of gravelled foreground emptiness - are relieved by the diminutive be-hatted men-folk of the community who sit in corners, out of the heat, and idle their time at the periphery of the composition, as the carriage horses wait patiently under the sweltering sun.