- 76
Jehan Georges Vibert
Estimate
25,000 - 35,000 USD
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Description
- Jehan Georges Vibert
- Si j'étais roi
- signed J.G. Vibert (lower left)
- oil on panel
- 18 1/8 by 14 3/4 in.
- 46 by 37.5 cm
Provenance
Private Collector, New York (acquired before circa 1955)
Thence by descent through the family
Thence by descent through the family
Exhibited
Probably, Art Gallery of The Milwaukee Industrial Exposition, September 10-October 15, 1898, no. 129
Literature
Jehan Georges Vibert, La Comédie en Peinture, Paris, 1902, vol. I, p. 244, illustrated
Condition
The following condition report was kindly provided by Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc.: This painting is essentially in perfect condition. The panel is flat and unbroken. The paint layer is stable. There are no retouches or losses. The work should be hung as is.
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.
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
In Jehan Georges Vibert’s satirical Si j’étais roi, a cardinal imagines himself as a king atop Napoleon Bonaparte’s throne, oblivious to the sign, which reads Avis: ou est prié de ne pas toucher (“Warning: one is asked to not touch”). The cardinal indulges his fantasy, positioning himself as an untouchable, divine ruler. This work was included in Vibert’s La Comédie en Peinture, in which a short anecdote written from the point of view of an actual throne muses over its symbolism throughout history and its ability to transcend the rise and fall of empires: “les trônes… subsistent tant que les peuples en gardent seulement le souvenir. Après des siècles, on peut encore les restaurer” ("thrones... subsist as long as people guard only the memory"), (Vibert, p. 246).
Vibert is a brilliant technician with paint, and the present composition is an extraordinary testament to his skill as a colorist. The tonal variations of red, seen in the curtain, carpet, throne, robes and skin, make this a uniquely jewel-like example.
Vibert is a brilliant technician with paint, and the present composition is an extraordinary testament to his skill as a colorist. The tonal variations of red, seen in the curtain, carpet, throne, robes and skin, make this a uniquely jewel-like example.