CHARLES MAURIN | Portrait of a Lady (Presumed to be Sarah Bernhardt)

Mrs. Benjamin Sonnenberg, New York (and sold, her estate, Sotheby's, New York, October 30, 1980, lot 233, illustrated (as Portrait of a Lady with Red Hair)
Schweitzer Galleries, New York (acquired at the above sale)
Michael and Lynn Lerner, New York (and sold, Sotheby's, New York, October 12, 1994, lot 140 (as Portrait of a Woman)) 
Acquired at the above sale

Oil on canvas, with an old, sympathetic lining. Minor undulation in the canvas at the lower left corner. The picture surface is in generally good condition aside from a stable web of slightly textured craquelure visible, mainly in the background. Finely applied older retouches are visible throughout and have slightly darkened with time.
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 Maurin, a former student of the École des Beaux-Arts and the Académie Julian in Paris and a close friend of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, worked in a variety of styles throughout his career. In the 1880s and 1890s he produced a number of portraits of patrons and friends in his artistic circle.  The sitter of the present lot resembles Sarah Bernhardt, the beloved and celebrated stage actress remembered for her red hair and striking profile. In the late-nineteenth century, it was very in vogue to capture the spirit of the actress, and women not only styled themselves after her but sought to be painted in her fashion. Maurin and Bernhardt moved in similar circles, and in 1895 Maurin designed sets and costumes for the actress for Edmond Rostand's La Princesse Lointaine.