Henri Fantin-Latour

Charles E. Haviland, Paris
Miss C. J. Adams (and sold: Christie's, London, July 6, 1971, lot 13)
Richard L. Feigen & Co., New York
Sale: Christie's, New York, May 19, 1981, lot 318
Acquired at the above sale

Victoria Fantin-Latour, Catalogue de l'oeuvre complet de Fantin-Latour, Paris, 1911, no. 638, p. 73

This work is in overall very good condition. The canvas has been re-stretched onto a slightly smaller than original stretcher although the current stretcher seems to be old and presumably is the artist's intention. The paint layer is clean, although the varnish is very dull. Under ultraviolet light, the painting seems to be clean, but the signature and date in the upper left are still covered by an older varnish. This may be a purely defensive stance on behalf of a previous restorer, or it could be that the signature is slightly soluble.
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.

This beautiful assortment of pears, apricots, figs, cherries and grapes was painted by Henri Fantin-Latour in 1872.  It was at this time that he began to achieve financial and critical success as a painter of still-lifes. After the siege of Paris in 1870, the Englishman, Edwin Edwards regularly bought from the artist, providing him with monetary security, and granting him much exposure in England. Indeed, it was Edwards who ensured that Fantin-Latour's work was shown at the Royal Academy for their annual exhibitions. Although Fantin-Latour first exhibited his still-life paintings at the Royal Academy in 1864, it was not until the early 1870s that his reputation was solidified as the key painter of this genre. During the 1860s, Fantin-Latour turned away from portraiture in favor of still-lifes because this genre allowed a greater freedom for experimentation with color, texture, form and composition.

Possessed of an exquisite purity and naturalism, Fruits dans un compotier is a quintessential example of the artist’s paintings of this time. Fantin-Latour made frequent use of a color palette dominated by whites, yellows, pinks—as he has in the present work—for the luminous quality they impart to the canvas. Urged on by the example and influence of James McNeill Whistler, he experimented in the subtlest possibilities of chromatic harmonies, thus dramatically simplifying the structure of his pictures. He abandoned his earlier, more ambitious compositions in favor of the more classically understated still-life compositions, which were particularly appreciated by his English collectors.

In his review of the Salon of 1889, Zola described the artist's work as follows: "The canvases of M. Fantin-Latour do not assault your eyes; they do not leap at you from the walls. They must be looked at for a length of time in order to penetrate them and their conscientiousness, their simple truth—you take these in entirely, and then you return" (quoted in ibid., p. 37).