Maria Melania Mutermilch (Mela Muter) 1876-1967

Collection of the artist, Paris
Collection of the Raskin family, New York (acquired directly from the artist in the early 1940s)

The subject of this painting is easily identified as Pont Michel, one of the four bridges that cross the Seine to the south of Notre Dame Cathedral. In the late 1920s, Muter painted several Parisian street scenes, including similar images of the Seine and its many bridges. She held a strong interest in traditional architecture, as well as bridges and waterways, and thus she found a perfect juxtaposition in the Ile de la Cité (see: Mobilier & Decoration, November 1932). In Le Pont Michel, Muter painted with soft blues and greys to convey the atmosphere of a winter day, and she thereby captured the quiet solitude that was this time and season.

Oil on canvas laid down on board. This work is in overall good state. It is quite dirty and will respond beautifully to cleaning. There are areas where small flakes of paint loss have occurred. There is also a slight scratch that appears approximately 3 inches long against two trees in the middle ground. Under UV: some pigments remain active but overall appears fine.
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We would like to thank Urszula Lazowski for providing additional catalogue information.