Moïse Kisling

Maurice Goddet, Paris (acquired circa 1932)
Madame A. Y. Motte, Paris
Oscar Ghez, Geneva
Museum Petit Palais, Geneva (inv. no. 9031)
Sale: Matsart, Jerusalem, January 24, 2012, lot 34
Acquired at the above sale

Venice, XVIII biennale internationale de Beaux-Arts, 1932
Annecy, Château d’Annecy, Maîtres connus et méconnus de Montmartre à Montparnasse, 1964
Geneva, Petit Palais, Amour-Travail-Loisirs, 1970
Geneva, Petit Palais, Rétrospective Moïse Kisling, 1972
Tokyo, Grande Galerie Odakyu, 1984
Miyazaki, The Mikyazaki Prefectural Institution & Osaka, Galerie d’Art Daimaru, Kisling, 1984, no. 57, illustrated in the catalogue
Paris, Grand Palais, Salon d’Automne, Rétrospective Kisling, 1984, illustrated in the catalogue

François Daulte, et al., L'Extraordinaire aventure de l'aube du XXe siècle, de Renoir à Chagall, Geneva, 1968, illustrated p. 368 
Jean Kisling, et al., Kisling 1891-1953, vol. I, Paris, 1971, no. VII, illustrated p. 202
Galerie Daniel Malingue, ed., Kisling centenaire, 1891-1953, Paris, 1991, illustrated pl. 28

Canvas is unlined and stretched on its original stretcher. The surface is beautifully textured, though the work could perhaps use a light cleaning. There are small areas of vertical craquelure to the center of the composition. Horizontal stretcher bar marks are visible across the center of the work, with some associated cracking. Under UV light the layer of varnish is somewhat difficult to read through. However, some original pigments fluoresce. There is a small stroke of retouching in the red tulip in the upper left. There are what appear to be broad strokes of retouching around the edges, likely to address prior frame abrasion. Overall 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.
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.

The present work, stunning in scale and vibrancy, represents one of Kisling's most ambitious and most successful floral compositions. In keeping with the Old Master tradition of artists like Jan Brueghel the Elder, Kisling renders each blossom in painstaking detail, prizing botanical accuracy and giving careful attention to the varied textures and behavior of petals (see fig. 1).

Indeed, Kisling's link to the Old Masters extended beyond mere technical emulation. "Kisling professed a high conscience of the artist's duties with regard to the perfection of basic drawing, and the quality of subject matter. As a colorist, he did not set a fixed boundary when it came to juggling nuances, contrasts, or the connection between tonalities: he paid great attention to the quality of pigments. I can still hear him say: 'Do you find this beautiful?... Yes, but you will see in 300 years! One must paint for posterity. One must also allow for the viewer to read the joy that the painter felt upon the creation of the work'" (Jean Kisling, ed., Kisling, 1891-1953, vol. III, Germany, 1995, p. 51).