- 19
Henri Rousseau
Estimate
80,000 - 120,000 GBP
bidding is closed
Description
- Henri Rousseau
- A Desert Encampment
- signed and dated Henri Rousseau 1908 lower right
- oil on canvas
- 87 by 127.5cm., 34½ by 50¼in.
Provenance
Keops Gallery, Geneva
Purchased from the above by the present owner in 1984
Purchased from the above by the present owner in 1984
Condition
The canvas has not been lined and is somewhat loose on its stretcher - it could benefit from some light re-tensioning. There are some scattered lines of hairline craquelure including a stretcher mark corresponding to the central stretcher member.
Ultra-violet light reveals some un-even fluorescence due to old residual varnish. Scattered areas of retouching are visible in the sky, possibly addressing some thinness to the paint, including an area in the sky above the horseman to the left which appears to be addressing an old repair. Other scattered spots of cosmetic retouching are also visible along the extreme lower edge.
Overall, this work presents well and is ready to hang.
Presented in a decorative gilt frame with a nameplate.
"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."
"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."
Catalogue Note
Born in Cairo, Henri Rousseau received his artistic training in Paris in the studio of Jean-Léon Gérôme. While Gérôme was famous for his controlled academic style, Rousseau espoused the freer aesthetic - characterised by bold and dynamic brushstrokes - of the Delacroix-inspired painters Eugène Fromentin and Adolf Schreyer. His paintings of Moroccan and Algerian life typically depict nomadic horsemen, surrounded by open spaces and high skies, or town scenes. Rousseau was no stranger to North Africa, and his paintings display great spontaneity of execution and an accurate rendering of light, as exemplified by the present work.