Attributed to Antoine Pierre Mongin

Lore and Rudolf Heinemann
by whom sold, London, Christie's, 1 July 1997, lot 186

Sold in a modern wood frame. Laid down onto backing board, brown paper has been glued to the upper and right margins. There is some scattered foxing, but otherwise the gouache is in good condition.
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.

Joséphine Bonaparte purchased the Château of Malmaison, some eight miles west of Paris, in 1799.  She paid 225,000 francs for the estate, and went on to spend a far greater sum on the decoration and furnishing of the house and the beautification of the gardens.  The garden allowed the Empress to indulge her love of botany: she began a collection of flowers and plants which included examples from her family's estate in the West Indies, Kew Gardens in England and the Jardin des Plantes in Paris. Along with the almost two hundred new species grown on the estate, the garden was famed for containing over two hundred and fifty varieties of roses.

After Joséphine's death in 1814 the garden soon fell into disrepair, but it had been immortalized in its glory, in a two-volume publication by Etienne Pierre Ventenat, Les Jardins de Malmaison, which was printed between 1803 and 1805.  The volumes included one hundred and twenty illustrations by the botanical artist, Pierre-Joseph Redouté, who had been employed by the Empress since 1798.  The present work is an important record of the garden's appearance, showing the fashionable, 'English' landscaping of which Joséphine was so fond.

Mongin studied at the Académie des Beaux-Arts, Paris, and exhibited at the Paris Salon between 1791 and 1824.  In addition to his paintings in gouache and watercolor, Mongin worked as an engraver and painter of history and genre subjects.