Esteban Chartrand (1824-1884)

oil on canvas

Richard William Chaplin and Lavinia Christine Chartand, Charleston (acquired from the artist)
Robert Chaplin, Charleston
Thence by descent to the present owner

This canvas has never been removed from its original stretcher and is in lovely condition. The paint layer has been cleaned, varnished and retouched. The retouches visible under ultraviolet light in a couple of small spots in the lower right in foliage to the right of the waterfall, in the upper sky there is a group of restorations around the tree branch are visible under ultraviolet light and a few other small isolated spots in the lower sky. Overall the picture is in respectable and fresh condition and should be hung as is. (This condition report has been provided courtesy of Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc.)
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.

Esteban Sebastian Chartrand Dubois was born in 1840 in the province of Matanzas, Cuba. Chartrand, whose family wealth derived from the sugar industry and had business interests in the southern United States, was actively encouraged to paint and traveled to France in 1854 and again in 1864 to further his studies. While in Europe he was greatly influenced by the teachings of Theodore Rousseau and the Barbizon School of landscape painting.

Upon returning to Cuba, Chartrand reinterpreted the romantic atmospheric style of the Barbizon School in the context of the tropical light and landscapes of the Caribbean. During his lifetime, Chartrand became a highly respected artist, exhibiting both in Cuba and the United States, including the 1876 Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia.  Esteban and his brothers, Philippe and August, formed the most important dynasty of Cuban landscape painters of the nineteenth century.