Maurice Utrillo

Gustave Cocquiot, Paris
Mme Pollack
Paul Pétridès, Paris
Thence by descent to the previous owner

Paris, Chambre Syndicale Antiquité Beaux-Arts, Société des Amis du Luxembourg, 1925
Galerie Paul Pétridès, Maurice Utrillo, Œuvres importantes de 1905 à 1914, Paris, 1953, no. 25, illustrated in the catalogue
Paris, Galerie Charpentier, Cent tableaux par Utrillo, 1959, no. 44, illustrated in the catalogue
Munich, Haus der Kunst, Maurice Utrillo V. et Suzanne Valadon, 1960, no. 23
Pittsburgh, Carnegie Institute, 1963, no. 55
Tokyo, Musée Central; Kyoto, Musée Municipal des Beaux -Arts; Fukukoa, Musée Annexe de la Maison de la Culture du Département; Nagoya, Musée des Beaux-Arts du Département d'Aichi, Utrillo, 149 Toiles, gouaches et dessins de 1904 à 1952, 1967, no. 24
Tokyo, Maurice Utrillo, 1967, no. 24, illustrated in the catalogue
Paris, Galerie Paul Pétridès, 50 Toiles de Maîtres, 1969, no. 38, illustrated in the catalogue
Albi, Musée Toulouse-Lautrec, Maurice Utrillo-Suzanne Valadon, 1979, no. 15
Paris, Galerie Paul & Gilbert Pétridès, Maurice Utrillo, V., 1990, illustrated in the catalogue
Tokyo, Daimaru Museum; Kyoto, Daimaru Museum; Osaka, Daimaru Museum Umeda; Shimonoseki, Daimaru Bunka Hall; Onomichi, Musée Municipal, Maurice Utrillo, Osaka, 1992, no. 19, illustrated in the catalogue
Lodève, Musée de Lodève, Utrillo, Venice, 1997, no. 33, illustrated in the catalogue
Fukuyama, Musée; Akita, Musée Municipal de Senshu; Yonago, Musée Municipal; Koriyama, Musée Municipal; Hokkaido, Musée d'Obihiro; Inazawa, Musée Commémoratif "Oguiss"; Kitakyushu, Musée Municipal, Maurice Utrillo, 1996-1997, no. 9, illustrated in the catalogue
Oita, Hall d'Art Préfectoral; Kyiti, Musée Eki Kyoto; Saga, Musée Préfectoral; Chiba Sogo, Musée d'Art, Exposition Maurice Utrillo, 1998, no. 13, illustrated in the catalogue

Georges Charensol, Utrillo, Paris, 1929, no. 17
André Fage, Le Collectionneur de peintures Modernes, Paris, 1930, illustrated on the front page
Rodolfo Pallucchini, Maurice Utrillo, Milan, 1945, pl. 12
Pierre Mac Orlan, Utrillo, Paris, 1952, pl. VII
Francis Carco, Utrillo, Paris, 1956
Waldemar George, Utrillo, Milan, 1958, pl. XIV
Bernard Champigneulle, Utrillo, Paris, 1959, p. 33
Paul Pétridès, L'œuvre complet de Maurice Utrillo, Paris, 1959, vol. I, no. 318, illustrated p. 381
Jean-Paul Crespelle, Fernand Hazan, Utrillo, Paris, 1960, no. 8
Takeshi Kaiko, Utrillo, Japan, 1961, vol. 15, p. 35
Georges Boudaille, Utrillo, Paris, 1965, p. 12
Jean-Paul Crespelle, Utrillo, La Bohème et l'ivresse à Montmartre, Paris, 1970, p. 127
Jeannine Warnod, Centenaire d'Utrillo, 1983, pl. 1 

Oil on board laid down on cradled panel. There is a 3cm. square area of retouching to the centre of the top left quadrant, scattered nailhead-sized spots of retouching to the sky in the top left quadrant, three spots of retouching to the top right quadrant and various intermittent lines of retouching to all four edges, probably to cover previous frame rubbing. This work is in good condition. Colours: Overall fairly accurate although more blue and less red in the original.
"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."

The present work was executed during Utrillo's 'White Period' (circa 1909-1912), the most highly regarded period of the artist's career. It was at this time that his realistic views of Montmartre won him the recognition of his contemporaries and his work first won public approbation from critics, dealers and collectors. In describing the artist's 'White Period', Adolphe Tabarant wrote: 'He has become obsessed with white - an incredible white! Dissatisfied with the effects obtainable with zinc white, he tries combining it with plaster, in an effort to reproduce the whites of his beloved walls. In a frenzy of realism, he would like to go so far as to put real moss on the old stones which he strives so hard to reproduce. This is the begining of that series of works known as the 'White period.' At this time Utrillo uses a palette of many whites, but these never become chalky or dull. He surrounds them with soft greys, delicate pinks, deep blues, or else contrasts them with sonorous browns and blacks. It is during this period that he achieves his most striking work... With each new work he rises to further heights and, with the most delicate sensitivity, he clothes in splendour all that the casual eye of the passerby neglects' (Adolphe Tabarant, Utrillo, Paris, 1926).