Lot 1
  • 1

Kees van Dongen

Estimate
100,000 - 150,000 EUR
Log in to view results
bidding is closed

Description

  • Kees van Dongen
  • Prunus
  • signed van Dongen (lower right); signed van Dongen, inscribed 5, rue Juliette Lamber and titled Prunus (on the reverse)
  • oil on canvas
  • 24 1/8 x 15 in.

Provenance

Victor Hélin, Châteauroux
Thence by descent to the present owner

Condition

The canvas is not lined. UV examination reveals a spot of retouching towards the upper left corner corresponding to a glue patch on the reverse, another spot to the right part of the upper edge and some retouching to the upper right corner. There are a few further tiny flecks of retouching in places to the background. Otherwise there is a lovely well-preserved impasto. 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."

Catalogue Note

The period when Van Dongen lived, worked, exhibited and received guests in the private mansion on the rue Juliette Lamber (1922- 1932) was one of the artist’s most auspicious periods. Interspersed with trips to Cannes and Deauville, before the trip to Egypt in 1928, the period witnessed the blossoming of the portraits of elegant woman who hurried to the parties on the rue Lamber, among the most popular in the capital. The white pearls, fabrics, furs and swan feathers sparkle. The silhouettes are slender. On the high walls, Van Dongen satisfied his passion for decorative compositions. A certain refinement, in contrast to the brash exoticism of this period, is at play in a painting of such grace and audacity as Prunus.