Gustave Courbet

Mme Merle (sale: Hôtel Drouot, Paris, 2-7 October 1889, lot 474)
Sale: Hôtel Drouot, Paris, 24-27 August 1892, lot 300 (as La Loue)
Léon Orosdi (sale: Hôtel Drouot, Paris, 25 May 1923, lot 10
M. Dejean (purchased at the above sale)
Galerie Aktuaryus, Zurich
Emil Bührle (purchased from the above on 24 February 1937)
Dr Dieter Bührle, Zürich
Private collection, Switzerland

Bordeaux, Société des Amis des Arts, 1864, no. 130

Robert Fernier, La Vie et l'oeuvre de Gustave Courbet. Catalogue raisonné, Lausanne and Paris, 1977, vol. I, p. 170, no. 281, catalogued; p. 171, illustrated 

The canvas has not been lined. Under ultra-violet light the old varnish layers fluoresce evenly and opaquely, obscuring a clear reading of the surface; only a few very minor old retouchings are visible, notably a stroke in the dark pigments towards the upper left corner, and a cluster of small spots above the horizon in the centre. This work is in good condition, and its appearance could be further enhanced with a light surface clean to address the old discoloured varnish. Presented in a decorative gilt frame.
"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."

Painted circa 1860-63. The Loue river and its source outside Ornans were among Courbet's favourite places to paint, and were the subject of the work which truly launched his career as a landscape painter: Le Ruisseau du Puits-Noir, vallée de la Loue, exhibited at the Exposition Universelle in 1855 (now in the National Gallery, Washington, D.C.). The present work shows a secluded valley, channeling the river over rocky rapids. The scene is devoid of all human and animal presence. As for Cézanne painting the Mont Saint-Victoire in his native Provence, so for Courbet the Loue of his native Franche-Comté held a deeply personal meaning, transporting him back to his roots and to his youth in Ornans. Unlike his wide open seascapes of the same period, with their infinite horizons, the present work is introspective, intimate, personal.