Théo van Rysselberghe

Private Collection, France (sale: Christie’s, Paris, 1st December 2006, lot 8)
Purchased at the above sale by the present owner

Rotterdam, Rotterdamse Kunstkring, Théo Van Rysselberghe, 1909, no. 37
Utrecht, Vereeniging, 'Voor de Kunst', Tentoonstelling van werk van Théo Van Rysselberghe, 1909-10, no. 23
Groningue, Galerie Hofsteenge, Pictura Théo Van Rysselberghe, 1910, no. 32
Brussels, Galerie Georges Giroux, Théo Van Rysselberghe, 1922, no. 67
Rio de Janeiro, Salon des Beaux-Arts, Exposition de Rio de Janeiro, 1922-23. Section belge, 1922-24, no. 64
Brussels, Galerie Georges Giroux, Rétrospective Théo Van Rysselberghe, 1927, no. 44
Ghent, Musée des Beaux-Arts, Rétrospective Théo Van Rysselberghe, 1962, no. 94
Middelburg, Stadhuis & Bruges, Provinciaal Hof, Zeeland in de beeldende kunst der Lage Landen 1550-1950, 1965, no. 134

Gustave Van Zype, Notice sur Théo Van Rysselberghe, Brussels, 1932, p. 36
Ronald Feltkamp, Théo Van Rysselberghe 1962 - 1926, Brussels, 2003, no. 1906-036, illustrated p. 361

The canvas has been lined. The surface is richly textured and the colours are fresh and vivid. UV examination reveals some minor areas of fluorescence where varnish has pooled along the upper and left edges. This work 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. 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."

The present work was painted in autumn 1906 on Van Rysselberghe’s second visit to southwestern Netherlands, a region he had previously visited with artist Georges Lacombe. Van Rysselberghe visited the island of Walcheren and most significantly the town of Veere, a largely abandoned and atmospheric area that inspired him to create a small series of oils and watercolours. As he wrote in a letter addressed to author Marie Closset: ‘Veere is silence itself: it is an old, derelict little town, surrounded by water and now deserted—or nearly—and where, in the evening, it feels like a lost island in the mist’ (Ronald Feltkamp, op. cit., pp . 105-110, translated from the French).

This work epitomizes the deliberate embrace of Neo-Impressionist technique in Van Rysselberghe’s œuvre during this period. So profoundly talented was he as a colourist that he manages to construct the entirety of this vibrant scene from a limited scale of pastel pigments, each found in the arc of the rainbow that sweeps through the background sky. His staccato brushwork, the defining element of his finest Divisionist-inspired pictures, enriches the surface of his canvas, further enlivening the image of this atmospheric town, whose misty shroud has been temporarily lifted.