Henri Le Sidaner

Goupil Gallery, London (acquired by 1904)
Private Collection, Scotland (and sold: Christie's, Glasgow, May 23, 1996, lot 701)
Private Collection, London (and sold: Sotheby's, New York, November 13, 1997, lot 269)
Acquired at the above sale

London, Goupil Gallery, Le Sidaner, 1905, no. 5

Yann Farinaux-Le Sidaner, Le Sidaner, L'Oeuvre peint et gravé, Paris, 1989, no. 136, illustrated p. 85
Yann Farinaux-Le Sidaner, Henri Le Sidaner, Paysages intimes, Saint-Rémy-en-l'Eau, 2013, n.n., illustrated p. 204

The work is in very good condition. The canvas is unlined. The colors are bright and fresh. There are extremely fine lines and pindots of inpainting, most notable along the extreme perimeter. Otherwise, a layer of varnish is difficult to read through.
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.

Epitomizing Le Sidaner's skillful play with light and color, La Tonnelle creates an atmosphere of meditative contemplation. The viewer’s gaze lingers on the scene of thoughtfully placed objects, absorbing the color and the mood. The absence of figures allows one’s imagination to awaken and to be fully present in the fleeting dusk. There is no need for human presence as the orange, purple and green hues cast by the oriental lanterns invite the viewer into the moment and allow one to contemplate both the transitory and the eternal. Le Sidaner was fully aware that he wouldn’t have time to depict the plays of light and their changing reflections as they materialized, so he instead focused on fully experiencing the moment in order to recreate it more perfectly once it had passed. He would memorize a scene and later reproduce it in the studio. As the artist’s son, Rémy Le Sidaner, recalls, “When my father caught one of these 'special effects,' he nodded in my direction and stood there, gazing out towards the horizon, impressing on his mind the scene he had just witnessed” (quoted in Yann Farinaux-Le Sidaner, op. cit., 1989, p. 10).