PAUL SIGNAC | La Bonne mère, Marseille (étude)

Galerie Marseille, Paris
Georgette Geismar, Paris (acquired in the 1920s)
Private Collection, France (by descent from the above)
Acquired from the above by the present owner

Françoise Cachin, Signac, Catalogue raisonné de l'oeuvre peint, Paris, 2000, no. 463, illustrated p. 286

This work is in very good condition. The board is sound. The colors are bright and fresh and the impasto is well-preserved. The edges of the board are slightly dirty, likely due to the frame. Under UV light: Some original pigments fluoresce but 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.

La Bonne Mère was the local name for the thirty-foot gilded statue of the virgin which rises from the top of Notre Dame de la Garde, the basilica in the background of the present work. The view is taken from the north bank of the old harbor of Marseille, which afforded one of the best perspectives of the steep limestone banks opposite. Signac had an affinity for the majestic and towering coastal architecture of La Rochelle, Mont Saint-Michel, Constantinople and Marseille, where the topography allowed him to build a sense of crescendo into his compositions. An oil painting of this vista dating from the previous year is in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (see fig. 1).