Gustave Courbet

Bensusan Collection (1882)
Henri Rouart (and sold, his sale, Galerie Manzi-Joyant, Paris, December 9-11, 1912, prèmiere vente)
Mm^es Lair-Dubreuil et Baudoin
Durand-Ruel et Brame, Paris
M. Viriot (acquired from the above)
Sale: Galerie Charpentier, Paris, May 19, 1950
M^e D. H. Baudoin
MM. André Schoeller et Pacitti
Matthiesen Ltd., London
Denys Sutton, London (acquired from the above in May 1957)
Thence by descent to the present owner

Paris, Rond-Pont de l'Alma, Exposition des oeuvres de M. G. Courbet, 1867, possibly no. 130
Paris, École Nationale des Beaux-Arts, Exposition des oeuvres de Gustave Courbet, 1882, no. 75 (lent by M. Bensusan)

Robert Fernier, La vie et l'oeuvre de Gustave Courbet, catalogue raisonné, Lausanne and Paris, 1977, vol. I, p. 254, no. 464, illustrated opposite p. 254

The following condition report was kindly provided by Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc.: This painting is lined. It does not seem to have been recently cleaned, and a light cleaning would be beneficial. The lining is an old glue lining. Courbet uses a palette knife to paint, and his paint layers are often flat, and there does not seem to be any subsequent flattening of the paint layer as a result of the lining. There are no tears or structural damages, and the complex and varied paint layer seems to be in very healthy and wonderful condition. Dark areas are often a cause for concern in Courbet's paintings, but in this case, even these are very healthy. The canvas could easily be tightened and the paint layer carefully cleaned.
"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."