Eugène Boudin

Zygomalas, Marseille (and sold: Hôtel Drouot, Paris, June 8 & 9, 1903, lot 3)
Alexandre Rosenberg & Galerie Durand-Ruel, Paris (acquired at the above sale)
P. Mulle, Paris (acquired from the above on November 17, 1903 and sold: Paris, Hôtel Drouot, October 29, 1913, lot 2)
Galerie Durand-Ruel & Galerie Bernheim-Jeune, Paris (acquired at the above sale)
Galerie Bernheim-Jeune, Paris (acquired in 1914)
Christian Otto Zieseniss (acquired before 1929)

Paris, Alfred Daber, Exposition Jongkind-Boudin, 1951, no. 21
Paris, Galerie Schmit, Eugène Boudin 1824-1898, 1965, no. 36

Claude Roger-Marx, Eugène Boudin, Paris, 1927, pl. II
Georges Jean-Aubry, Eugène Boudin d’après les lettres et les documents inédits, Neuchâtel, 1968, pp. 86-87
Robert Schmit, Catalogue raisonné de l’oeuvre peint d’Eugène Boudin, vol. I, Paris, 1973, no. 895, illustrated p. 317

Original canvas which appears to have been re-stretched. A close inspection reveals some minor hairline cracking towards the upper left edge. Under UV light: some strokes of inpainting are visible toward the extreme perimeter including a 1.5-inch vertical stroke at top left edge and a small (0.5in) repair to the canvas in the water to the upper right of the central boats (visible on the reverse). This work is in overall very 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.

Boudin journeyed to the picturesque fishing port of Camaret-sur-Mer on the edge of Brittany’s Finistère peninsula several times between 1870 and 1873, excited by the challenge of capturing the ever-changing weather conditions along the Atlantic coast. In this confident composition from his Camaret series, the dark outlines of the boats docked in the harbor in the foreground are deftly contrasted with the white sails and buildings on the horizon and the shimmering, nebulous sky overhead. Painted on the verge of Boudin's official recognition as an artist, this work is a wonderful testament to his confident brushwork and mature style. As in many of his paintings, Boudin has boldly dedicated over half of the composition to a vast sky; its subtle nuances and neutral tones serve to emphasize the proximity of the boats below. A contemporary critic in The Boston Post stated that, “In representation of harbor views [Boudin] has no rival. His skies are a joy to see and his vessels always painted with inimitable skill and perfect knowledge. In his pictures there is a [good] deal of movement. One feels the bustle of hurrying out of port, or into it. The vessels sway with wind and tide, and their rigging is drawn with fascinating truth and naiveté” (quoted in Peter C. Sutton, Boudin: Impressionist Marine Paintings (exhibition catalogue), Peabody Museum of Salem, 1991, p. 16).