Henri Lebasque

Galerie Maeght, Cannes, by 1947
Private Collection, France, acquired in the 1950s 

Good condition. Original canvas. There is a minor web of craquelure in the thicker pigments in the upper right quadrant and some in the white pigment in the bottom of the dress of the figure to the right. Under UV light, there is a ½ inch thick line of inpainting along top edge, ¼ inch thick line of inpainting on left edge and a few strokes on bottom and right edges all to address frame abrasion. Some hairline strokes of inpainting in the figure on the right, in the hat, in the top of her dress and in the bottom white pigments of her dress to address craquelure. There is a ¾ inch repaired tear in bottom right quadrant below figure's elbow.
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Painted circa 1917, the present work depicts the artists' daughters Marthe and Nono aged 25 and 17 relaxing on the beach at Saint-Jean-de-Monts. Situated on the west coast of France just south of Nantes, the Lebasque family spent many summer months there from 1917 to 1922. Lebasque took great pleasure in painting his family on holiday and frequently painted his daughters on the beach. In the present work, the two young girls are viewed from above, their dresses and hats painted in detail with a precise understanding of the fabric of their clothing and the patterns created by the material, reminiscent of many of Pierre Bonnard's works of this period.

Lisa A. Banner has written: "Intimism, a term which best describes Lebasque's painting, refers to the close domestic subject matter in such a manner as to convey the personal nature of his response to the thing painted, and the universal familiarity of home and family. There is a sense of calm infused in Lebasque's paintings which celebrates the fullness and richness of life. Lebasque portrays his family in particular, but in such a way that he appeals to a larger sense of family gathering and devotion" (L. A. Banner, Lebasque 1865-1937, San Francisco, 1986, p. 12).