Lot 368
  • 368

Henri le Sidaner

Estimate
550,000 - 750,000 USD
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Description

  • Henri Le Sidaner
  • Fenêtre sur le port, Honfleur 
  • Signed Le Sidaner (lower left)
  • Oil on canvas
  • 36 1/2 by 44 in.
  • 92.8 by 112 cm

Provenance

Galeries Georges Petit, Paris
Sale: Christie's, London, March 31, 1987, lot 73A
Richard Green Fine Paintings, London
Paul Marciano, Los Angeles
Anderson Galleries, Beverly Hills
Acquired from the above

Exhibited

Paris, Salon de la société nationale des beaux-arts, 1922, no. 620
Pittsburgh, Carnegie Institute, International Exhibition of Paintings, 1924, no. 133
Philadelphia, Art Club of Philadephia, 1925, no. 27
Venice, XVe exposition internationale des beaux arts, 1926, n.n.

Literature

Yann Farinaux-Le Sidaner, Le Sidaner, L'Oeuvre peint et gravé, Paris, 1989, no. 480, illustrated pp. 10 & 187
Yann Farinaux-Le Sidaner, Henri Le Sidaner, paysages intimes, Saint-Rémy-en-l'Eau, 2013, illustrated p. 150

Condition

Work is in excellent condition. Surface is richly textured and the impasto is well-preserved. Canvas is not lined. Very minor stable hairline craquelure to leaf of bouquet in lower left. Under UV light: intermittent small retouchings along extreme upper edge presumably to address old frame abrasion. There is a thin 1 1/2 inch horizontal line of retouching toward upper left corner.
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.

Catalogue Note

Fenêtre sur le port, Honfleur is a wonderful example of Le Sidaner’s work at the height of his career, wherein he achieved bolder lines and a more vibrant palette while losing none of the deep sense of serenity for which his works are celebrated. In the present work, the brilliant tones of the water are softened by the complementary shades of green and purple. Influenced by the developments of neo-Impressionism, Le Sidaner juxtaposes deft strokes of pure color with blocks of white to create a striking sense of light shimmering upon the water.

The lack of figures is a continual theme in the work of Le Sidaner, who preferred to suggest presence through absence. The prominent art critic Camille Mauclair would praise the dedication of Le Sidaner to the “artistry of intimate evocation...shunning the picturesque and the anecdotal, he is concerned with examining and defining the latent mystery of things” (quoted in Yann Farinaux-Le Sidaner, op. cit., p. 48). In the present work, the port is visible through an opened window, containing the outside world, while the encirclement of boats enhances the sense of privacy and enclosure. The glass filled with blooming roses indeed suggests nearby human presence. With no evident character for the scene, the viewer of the painting assumes the role of the invisible inhabitant of the house, gazing through the frame of the window at the view. Frequented by the major Impressionist artists, Honfleur was a popular hub due to its coastal sunlight and lively harbor. Drawing inspiration from his captivating surroundings, Le Sidaner executes an exquisitely sensitive study of the nuances of color and light while illustrating his consummate mastery of illusion and evocation.