Jacques-Émile Blanche

Original canvas. Surface in generally good condition. Faint scattered craquelure overall. Under UV; one spot of repaint about 4 inches diagonally right above proper left shoulder. One spot on elbow, one spot on wrist, proper left arm.
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.

Désirée Manfred- whose poetic name had been chosen by her mother and whose real name was the much less romantic Poquet or  Archaimbaud- was a very enigmatic little girl and later a mysterious, slightly melancholic  young woman whom Blanche painted no fewer than fifty times. Désirée became the diligent student of a member of the Comédie Française. She loved above all else silence and books but was a victim of a frightfully aggressive and talkative “stage mother”. She was also a model for the Belgian painter Alfred Stevens.