Henri Lebasque

Sale: Laurin-Rheims, Paris, 23rd June 1961, lot 139
Musée du Petit-Palais, Geneva
Sale: Maître Blache, Versailles, 5th December 1971, lot 51
Sale: Claude Aguttes, Neuilly, 31st March, 2006, lot 188

Denise Bazetoux, Henri Lebasque, Catalogue raisonné, Neuilly-sur-Marne, 2008, vol. I, no. 672, illustrated p. 193

The canvas is not lined. There are four short horizontal lines of intermittent retouching in the upper right quadrant and a further 7cm. broken line of retouching underneath the left chair, probably due to old hairline cracks to the surface. There are few pinhead-sized specks of retouching in the main tree and in the sitter's apron, a few scattered specks of retouching along the lower edge and specks of retouching at intervals along the extreme upper, right and left edges. All retouchings are visible under UV light. This work is in overall good condition. Colours: Fairly accurate, although the colours are overall much more vibrant and the palette is richer in the original. The yellows and reds are much brighter 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."

Madame Lebasque et sa fille cousant devant la fenêtre is a signature example of Lebasque's fascination with the portrayal of women in their natural surroundings. This sun-filled intimate and domestic scene illustrates why he was hailed as the painter of 'Joy and Light' by critics in his later life. Influenced by his contact with Matisse and Bonnard, the tone of his palette and his lush brushwork transmit a great sense of delight in the effects of light and colour. Throughout his career, Lebasque chooses to masterfully apply these skills and techniques to painting the intimate experiences and domestic scenes around him.

As Lisa Banner notes, 'Lebasque, although not in the vanguard of the Parisian art world, made a choice to pursue his own method of painting. He followed a definite direction, employing paint to convey the fecundity and quietude of domestic life. Intimism, a term which best describes Lebasque's painting, refers to the close domestic subject matter, supremely realized by Bonnard and Vuillard, in such a manner as to convey the personal nature of his response to the thing painted, and the universal familiarity of home and family. There is a sense of calm infused in Lebasque's paintings which celebrates the fullness and richness of life. In his placid scenes of gardens and beaches, terraces and dinner tables, Lebasque portrays his family in particular, but in such a way that he appeals to a larger sense of family gathering and devotion' (L. Banner, Lebasque, 1865-1937, San Francisco, 1985, p. 12).