Eugène Carrière French, 1849-1906

Original canvas. There are some retouchings towards the lower left corner of the work and a few small spots to the woman's face visible under ultraviolet light, otherwise the paint surface is in good overall condition. Held in a plaster moulded 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."

Raised in Strasbourg and apprenticed to a lithographer, Carrière decided in 1869 to become a painter. Studying in Paris under Cabanel at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, he supported himself with lithographic work in Jules Chéret's studio. In 1876-77 he visited London, admiring the work of Turner. Towards the end of the 1880s his style changed from naturalism to one in which mysterious veiled tonalities were employed to produce evocative psychological and introspective studies, primarily on the theme of maternity. In 1892 his decorations for the Hôtel de Ville in Paris and the Sorbonne earned him widespread public recognition. Carrière was widely admired by his contemporaries: he exchanged paintings with Gauguin, was commissioned as a portrait painter by Verlaine and Edmond de Goncourt, and close friends with Rodin, who held a banquet in his honour in 1904.