Charles Amable Lenoir

Sale: Sotheby's, New York, October 28, 1982, lot 62, illustrated (as Seated Maiden by a Fountain)
Acquired in 2002

The following condition report was kindly provided by Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc.: This work is in quite good condition. However, the canvas seems to have been rolled at some point, perhaps even prior to the work being painted. As a result, strong and quite noticeable horizontal cracking has developed. The canvas has been lined with wax an adhesive in an attempt to relax the cracking, but this has not been effective. If the lining and waxy varnish were removed, and the canvas re-lined with Beva-371 as an adhesive, the surface would improve dramatically. Most importantly, the cracking in the darkest colors around the head and shoulders of the figure would relax, but some thin retouches may be required.
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.

Charles Amable Lenoir became a star pupil of William Bouguereau’s at the Académie Julian in 1882, a year after he had enrolled in the École des Beaux Arts. While many other artists passed through the artist’s atelier — including Lovis Corinth, Robert Henri and Henri Matisse — few remained as faithful to their master’s teachings, as the present work illustrates. Louis Tider-Toutant, a close friend of both artists and curator of the Museum of Fine Arts in Niort, explains: "Lenoir set to work to ‘paint Bouguereaus,’ successfully earning an income for himself, while excelling in portrait painting.”

(La Gazette d’Aunis, November 26, 1934, as quoted in Damien Bartoli and Frederick Ross, William Bouguereau, his life and works, New York, 2010, p. 482).