Jean Metzinger

Graham Reid Collection
Arthur Tooth & Sons Ltd., London
Sir Simon Marks, London
Hannah Marks, Monte-Carlo

London, Arthur Tooth & Sons Ltd., Pointillisme, A Loan Exhibition of paintings in aid of Dorton House School for Blind Children Sevenoaks, Kent, 1966, no. 13

The Times, A Survey of Pointillisme in London Exhibitions, June 15, 1966

Very good condition. Original canvas. Very faint, vertical stretcher bar mark visible in central sky. Under UV light, one small stroke of inpainting in upper tree trunk on the right side is visible. This repair is accompanied by a patch on the reverse. 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.

The present work is one of a small number of compositions in which Metzinger fuses a broad, divisionist facture with a subtle fauve palette. This group, which includes the celebrated Paysage coloré aux oiseaux exotiques (Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris), represented the artist's response to the Salon d'Automne of 1905, a review of which saw Louis Vauxcelles coin the term 'Fauve' to describe the circle of artists using bright color and broad brushstrokes. While on this occasion Metzinger did not exhibit with Matisse, Braque and Vlaminck, he had shown since 1904 alongside these artists who were gaining notoriety as Fauves, notably at the Salons des Indépendants.

In a departure from the Neo-Impressionist manner of his early years, Paysage au deux cyprés reveals the artist venturing from the exuberant palette and broader handling of his peers. In both composition and execution, the work retains a rigorous structure. Its subject and a mosaic-like application of paint give a uniquely individual flavor to what Metzinger termed his 'chromatic poetry.'