Giovanni Boldini

Spencer Collection
William Henry Vanderbilt, New York (acquired from the above in 1878)
George Washington Vanderbilt II, New York (by descent from the above, his father)
Brigadier General Cornelius Vanderbilt, New York (by descent from the above, his uncle, and sold, Parke-Bernet Galleries, New York, April 18-19, 1945, lot 41, illustrated)
Berges Antiques (acquired at the above sale)
Millicent Rogers, New York and Taos (until 1953)
Thence by descent to the present owner

New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, circa 1902-1907 (on loan from George W. Vanderbilt)
New York, Adelson Galleries, Inaugural Exhibition One Hundred Years of American and European Art, November 1-December 15, 1990, no. 5 (as Ladies of the First Empire)

Edward Strahan, ed., The Art Treasures of America, Philadelphia, 1879, vol. II, p. 114, in the 1977 facsimile edition, vol. III, p. 108
Catalogue of the Paintings in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1905, p. 209 (Gallery 16, no. 42)

The following condition report was kindly provided by Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc.: This painting is in beautiful condition. The panel has been cradled on the reverse, which is nicely supporting the surface. The paint layer is stable and although it looks well, it is dirty with a yellowed varnish and would respond to cleaning if desired. There are no retouches visible either under ultraviolet light or to the naked eye, and it appears that none have been applied. The picture is generally in perfect state.
"This lot is offered for sale subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Business, which are available on request and printed in Sotheby's sale catalogues. The independent reports contained in this document are provided for prospective bidders' information only and without warranty by Sotheby's or the Seller."

Ladies of the First Empire is an impressive example of Giovanni Boldini's series of small scale compositions revealing the private rooms of Empire period households, providing a glimpse of the leisurely daily lives of well-dressed women. In the present work, two beautiful, fashionable young ladies are shown passing a quiet afternoon in a Louis XVI decorated study. The dark-haired woman in the background leans forward, peering out the window. The blonde model, Berthe – Boldini's lover and muse – is quietly reading, her feet resting on a Napoleon III contemporary footstool. Adding to the period décor are the open secrétaire à abattant (a fall front upright secretary or writing cabinet) and chair, as well as the Gobelins woven tapestry adorning the walls, showing a Roman general and chariot. While the setting's accoutrements reflect an aesthetic rooted in tradition and history, the women display a distinctly modern sensibility. The dark-haired model appears supremely interested in some action taking place outside her window, presumably eager to exit her elegant confines, while Berthe is reading Le Figaro and holding a lit cigarette, her casual, relaxed position denoting an air of confidence. Le Figaro, France's oldest newspaper, was founded in 1826 as a satirical weekly and took its name and motto from The Marriage of Figaro ("Without the freedom to criticise, there is no true praise"). Today it is the second largest national newspaper in France. Also emphasizing her modernity is Berthe's tightly fastened black necktie under what appears to be a green velvet jacket. Boldini's distinctive approach to transcribing fabrics is ever-present in his treatment of the women's costumes. Both women's dresses appear a wonderful barrage of texture and movement.

Soon after his move to Paris in 1871, Boldini made a series of decisions that would propel him onto an international stage and prompt the exodus of many of his important paintings, such as Ladies of the First Empire, to America, to enter into prestigious private collections. Within a month of arriving in the French capital, Boldini switched dealers, from Reilinger to Adolphe Goupil, and ceased exhibiting in public venues, intent on only producing art to be consumed by the buying public. Wealthy Americans in particular were building ambitious collections with tremendous speed and resources, and Boldini was connected to them through a network of influential dealers such as Adolphe Goupil, Samuel Putnam Avery, Knoedler & Co., and George A. Lucas. Works such as Ladies of the First Empire were precisely what such American collectors desired. Barbara Guidi writes: "These modern tableaux vivant pictures enjoyed enormous success because, as the artist Francesco Netti acutely observed: "the wealthy bourgeoisie discovered themselves in these works...It was their portrait, their apotheosis" (p. 96).  Ladies of the First Empire was in the collection of Millicent Rogers, the granddaughter of one of the original founders of Standard Oil, Henry Huttleson Rogers. Today, a museum devoted to Navajo and Pueblo jewelry, textiles and pottery, exists in her honor, in her beloved Taos, New Mexico.