Kees van Dongen

Samy Chalom, Paris
Private Collection (acquired by 1967)
Sale: Habsburg, Feldman, New York, May 8, 1989, lot 31
Gallery Sakai, Japan
Acquired from the above circa 2000

New York, Leonard Hutton Galleries, 1965, no. 5

Louis Chaumeil, Van Dongen: L'Homme et l'artiste, la vie et l'oeuvre, Geneva, 1967, illustrated pl. 4

Oil on board laid down on cradled panel. UV examination reveals two fine lines of retouching, of about 1inch each, a horizontal one to her proper right shin, and a vertical one to her proper left calf. The board is time stained, the upper left corner is missing. and all edges are very slightly scuffed. Some thin creases in places, scuffs and light studio stains to the surface. This work is in overall 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.

In 1905, the year L’Acrobat was painted, van Dongen participated in the controversial Salon d'Automne alongside fellow artists Henri Matisse, André Derain, Albert Marquet, Maurice de Vlaminck, Charles Camoin and Jean Puy. Their unorthodox use of bright colors provoked the art critic Louis Vauxcelles to label these avant-garde artists Fauves or "wild beasts."

Van Dongen was an important contributor to the Fauve movement but distinct in his style. In contrast to other Fauve artists, van Dongen showed no interest in landscape painting. Instead he felt irresistibly attracted to the Parisian demi-monde and its theatres, cabarets and the circus. The bright lights, stark contrasts and vibrant colors offered compelling themes and subject matters ideally suited for his vivid palette.

Around the same time of this work, van Dongen took up lodgings in the famous Bateau Lavoir in Montmartre, where he met and befriended Pablo Picasso. Together they visited the circus armed with their sketchbooks. Clowns, harlequins and carnival performers frequently appear in their artistic output of the time. Whilst Picasso’s depictions are dreamlike and sometimes melancholic, van Dongen immersed himself fully into the energy and enjoyment of this spectacular world.

Painted at the height of the Fauve movement, the present work is an impressive example of this style demonstrating his fascination with theatrical spectacle. The acrobat is captured in a contorted dynamic and powerful pose, displaying her extraordinary flexibility. A radiantly bold palette of blues, greens, pinks and yellows makes this a truly striking portrait of its time.

A key element of this work is van Dongen’s direct application of paint onto the unprepared support, leaving large areas of the cardboard exposed. These areas imbue a lively sense of spontaneity which is clearly indebted to Toulouse-Lautrec, who shared a similar fascination for the dramatic and inspired van Dongen with his many depictions of Parisian nightlife.