Lot 155
  • 155

Maria Melania Mutermilch (Mela Muter) 1876-1967

Estimate
20,000 - 30,000 USD
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Description

  • Maria Melania Mutermilch (Mela Muter)
  • Le Pont Michel, Paris
  • Signed Muter (lower right)
  • Oil on canvas affixed to fiberboard
  • 23 by 27 1/4 in.
  • 58.5 by 70 cm
  • Painted in the late 1920s.

Provenance

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.

Condition

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.
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.

Catalogue Note

We would like to thank Urszula Lazowski for providing additional catalogue information.