HENRI MARTIN | La Maison du vert

Contini Galeria de Arte, Caracas
Private Collection, South America (acquired from the above in January 1976 and sold by the estate: Christie's, November 6, 2013, lot 328)
Acquired at the above sale

This work is in excellent condition. The canvas is unlined. The colors present nicely and the impasto is well preserved. Under UV light: no inpainting is apparent.
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.

Suffused with the warm light of a summer’s day, La Maison du vert depicts an ancient house set atop a verdant hill in the picturesque village of the same name. In 1900 Henri Martin bought a home in Labastide-du-Vert, which was situated north of Cahors near Toulouse. On the thirty acres of land stood a large seventeenth-century house and Martin became extremely attached to this property. Labastide-du-Vert and its surroundings became the primary subject for his art from this time onward, resulting in the creation of some of his most important and assured paintings. Much in the Impressionist tradition, Martin found inspiration in the changing light and seasons, and his ability to distill the sensations of sunshine and heat is revealed to particular effect through the application of dappled points of paint within the present work. Jacques Martin-Ferrières, the artist's son, wrote of the importance of this technique within Martin’s art: "If I look at a fragment of Henri Martin's canvas...I immediately recognize it. I see a great number of dots of different colors, as precious and rare as precious stones. His palette is an enchantment. Many different interminglings of colors make a rare and rich harmony... And it is much more difficult to find a good harmony of colors when representing nature than to assemble some nice colors, representing nothing" (Jacques Martin-Ferrières, Henri Martin, Paris, 1967, p. 42).

Fig. 1 Henri Martin, Autoportrait dans le jardin, oil on canvas, Private Collection



The authenticity of this work has been confirmed by the late Cyrille Martin.