Kees van Dongen

Pieter van der Veld, Le Havre
Sale: Sotheby's, London, November 29, 1972, lot 101
Galerie d'art St Jean (acquired at the above sale)
Galerie Taménaga, Paris
Acquired from the above by the present owner

This work is in good condition. The surface is nicely textured and well-preserved. The canvas has a thin wax lining. It has been recently re-stretched. Under UV light there are scattered small spots of retouching visible: notably along the lower edge, in the extreme upper corners and in the background to the left of the signature. A few pindots of retouching also visible below the woman's eyes and around the left earring. Old photographs of the work indicate that there has been restoration to the figure's hairline, which is not visible under UV light. Otherwise, fine.
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.

When van Dongen first arrived in Paris, the colorful world of spectacle—the dancers of Montmartre, the acrobats, café performers and courtesans—proved irresistible to the young artist, dominating his canvases during the Fauve period. As van Dongen himself proclaimed: "I love anything that glitters, precious stones that sparkle, fabrics that shimmer, beautiful women who arouse carnal desire... painting lets me possess all this most fully" (quoted in Marcel Giry, Fauvism, Fribourg, 1981, pp. 224-26).

By 1913 van Dongen had become an international celebrity and his work was in demand internationally, particularly in the fashionable circles of Paris. The European avant-garde praised his talent as the best portraitist among the fauves and he soon began to receive commissions from patrons in France and abroad. His models were replaced with ladies from Parisian high society, who rushed to sit for the artist in the years leading up to World War I. By the 1920s, these elegant portraits became some of the most sought-after status symbols among the grandes dames of Paris. Indeed, his representations of Parisiennes would earn van Dongen a place as a chronicler of the period.

Van Dongen was a master of depicting his models at their glamorous best and Portrait de femme is a prime example of his talent for capturing the essence of modern feminine beauty with strokes of deep green, violet and pink in the shadows to the woman’s features, neck and shoulders. The identity of the young woman depicted here remains unknown as van Dongen primarily focuses on his painterly expression rather than anatomical accuracy or descriptive value. The model meets the gaze of the artist and viewer, establishing a connection between subject and object. The background has been left enigmatically bare and further directs attention to the sitter.