Maurice de Vlaminck

Galerie Simon, Paris
Galerie Flechtheim, Berlin & Düsseldorf
Museum der Stadt Ulm, Ulm (acquired from the above in 1927)
De-accessioned from the above as 'degenerate art' in 1937 (inventory no. 9662)
Bernhard Böhmer, Güstrow, 1937
Frau Mädler, Leipzig (probably acquired from the above in Berlin circa 1939)
Thence by descent to the present owner

The canvas is not lined and there appear to be no signs of retouching visible under UV light. Apart from a pinhead-sized spot of paint loss in the tree trunk towards the centre left and some light surface dirt in the lower left quadrant, this work is in good original condition. Colours: Fairly accurate, although the colours are overall stronger in the original.
"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."

Few exhibitions have influenced artistic practice so decisively as the 1907 Cézanne retrospective at the Paris Salon d'Automne. In its wake, younger artists, most importantly Picasso, shifted direction radically, opening up the arteries of Modernism. Vlaminck, like other leading members of the Fauve group, turned rapidly from the vibrant expressionism of his recent oeuvre towards a more structural approach. His période cézannienne, fully begun in 1908, would characterise the next ten years and underpin the remainder of his long career.

In the present work, the influence of Cézanne certainly holds true. The houses in the mid-ground, a strong focal point within the composition, are formally composed amongst the freely executed leaves in the riverbank trees and are a wonderful example of the more structured style exhibited by Vlamink in the early 1920s.