- 194
Henri Martin
Description
- Henri Martin
- Saint Cirq-La Popie
- Signed Henri Martin. (lower left)
- Oil on canvas
- 46 by 37 7/8 in.
- 116.8 by 96.3 cm
Provenance
Sale: Christie's, New York, November 9, 2006, lot 323
Private Collection, London (acquired at the above sale)
Waterhouse and Dodd, London
Acquired from the above
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.
Catalogue Note
The town of Saint Cirq-La Popie so enamored him that he bought a house nearby it in 1911. Built on a high cliff and dominated by the part Gothic, part Romanesque church, Saint Cirq provided a picturesque scene that Martin would paint several times throughout his career. All aspects of the present work, from the carefully modulated palette to the geometric shapes of the buildings, form a pictorial harmony that demonstrates Martin’s sheer artistic talent.
When describing Martin's personal interpretation of Impressionist techniques, Jules Laforgue remarked, “The shapes are given not by a outline drawing, but only by vibrations and contrasts in colours. The painting whatever it represents, the light of the studio is replaced by natural light and work indoors, by work in the open air… A lover of reality, he does not want it to impose upon him its feelings but to help him to transfigure his dream of beauty with a more accurate, a more lively eloquence. He borrowed the Impressionists' technique to reveal a quite subjective art. Impressionism gave Henri Martin his expression, but it does not impose upon him its inspiration” (Jacques-Martin-Ferrières, Henri Martin, Paris, 1967, pp. 33-34).