George Hendrik Breitner

Sale Amsterdam (Frederik Muller), V.C. de Vos a.o., 20 November 1900, lot 29
Collection S. de Swart
Sale Amsterdam (Frederik Muller), S. de Swart, 18 May 1909, lot 24
Sale Amsterdam (Frederik Muller), M. Smidt van Gelder a.o., 13-16 December 1921, lot 54
Collection J.M.P. Glerum
Sale Amsterdam (Mak van Waay), J.M.P. Glerum, 23 March 1933, lot 21
Sale Amsterdam (Mak van Waay), 20 June 1933, lot 10
Sale Amsterdam (Mak van Waay), 28 November 1933, lot 10, illustrated
Sale The Hague (Kunstzaal Kleykamp), Hermsen a.o., 9 June 1936, lot 162
Collection Fruytier, Ouderkerk aan de Amstel, 1966
Private collection, The Netherlands, 1982

Amsterdam, Architectura et Amicitiae, Tentoonstelling van hedendaagsche kunstnijverheid en schilderkunst, February 1891, no. 35
Amsterdam, Art et Amicitiae, Tentoonstelling G.H. Breitner, November-December 1901 (extended to January 1902), no. 164
Luik, Salon de la Société Royale des Beaux-Arts de Liège, 1926 (as 'Marianne')
The Hague, Gemeentelijk Museum voor Moderne Kunst, Breitner Tentoonstelling, 10 November - 9 December 1928, no. 51(as 'Vrouw op gele divan') 
Brussels, Palais des Beaux Arts, Exposition Breitner, January 1932, no. 151
Amersfoort, De Zonnehof, George Hendrik Breitner, 14 January-26 February 1967, no.10
Amsterdam, Stedelijk Museum, G.H. Breitner, schilderijen, tekeningen en foto's, 19 November 1994-5 February 1995, cat.no. 27
Rotterdam, Kunsthal, G.H. Breitner, schilderijen, tekeningen en foto's, 11 February-23 April 1995
Rotterdam, Museum Boymans van Beuningen, Bedrijfsleven voor het Liliane Fonds, 9-17 January 1999
Rotterdam , Kunsthal, 'Kees Maks, schilder van het mondaine leven', 18 January-21 April 2002

Jan Veth, Portretstudies en Silhouetten, Amsterdam 1908, p. 201
P. Hefting, G.H. Breitner in zijn Haagse tijd, Utrecht 1970, no. 53
P. Hefting a.o., George Hendrik Breitner. Gemälde, Zeichnungen, Fotografien, Bonn 1977, p. 196
A. Venema, G.H. Breitner, 1857-1923, Bussum 1981, p. 324
P.E.M. Hammann, 'Burengeruchten', Tableau, Summer 1992, pp. 86-88
R. Bergsma, P. Hefting a.o., George Hendrik Breitner 1857-1923. Schilderijen, tekeningen, foto's, Bussum 1994, p. 97, illustrated in colour on p. 95
M. Jager a.o., Kees Maks, schilder van het mondaine leven 1876-1967, Zwolle 2001, p. 14, illustration 6

This work is in fine condition.
"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."

George Hendrik Breitner cherished a life-long ambition to become - as he put it in 1882 - 'le peintre du peuple'. At that time he was close friends with Vincent van Gogh, both sharing a fascination for the human figure. In the early 1880's they often worked together and talked about the difficult task they had set themselves. Unlike Van Gogh's rather hesitant beginnings, Breitner mastered the essentials of figure painting in an astonishingly short time. The present lot proves this convincingly. The artist painted it in 1883, when he was only 26 years old. In these early years Breitner more than once voiced his wish to portray women, setting himself the goal to capture their feminine elegance. Although he had great difficulty finding suitbale models, the daughters of his patron A.P. van Stolk, Anna Johanna and Griettie, often posed for him. The lady in the present lot is mostly identified as 'Marianne'. 

Compared to the works of his artistic rival Isaac Israels, Breitner's paintings of women are much more challenging in the daring composition and profound control of colours and chiaroscuro. There is no brushstroke, no colour that is not deeply felt. The saturated colours and glowing light render a mysterious atmosphere to the painting. The sketchy, sometimes even crude brushstrokes are unique qualities of the painting. Remarkably enough, this daring style is fully in tune with the impressionism which he would develop in the later years, when Breitner earned his greatest fame with modern, urban subjects.  

The present lot was copied by the Dutch painter Kees Maks, one of the few students Breitner had during his lifetime. Maks' widow, Cecile Boas, remembered that in the early years of their acquaintance Breitner had lend three of his paintings to Maks which he should try to copy. One of these was 'Seated lady', which was copied by Maks around 1900 (private collection).