KEES VAN DONGEN | Les Cavaliers

M. Panos Petalaz (acquired circa 1959)
Stéphanie Darnétal, Paris
Thence by descent to the present owner in 2001

The canvas is lined. Examination under UV light reveals an area of retouching along the lower part of the left edge and at the centre of the right edge. There is a stretcher bar mark running through the left of the composition with some minor associated pigment losses. There are networks of shrinkage in the upper left and to the dark green pigment. There is a minor pigment loss at the centre of the right edge with associated fine lines of stable craquelure. This work is in overall fairly good condition.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Painted circa 1925, Les Cavaliers portrays the leisure activities of the Parisian elite, a subject that captivated Kees van Dongen in the 1920s. Swept into this world of luxury by his friend Léa Jacob, Van Dongen became immersed in the extravagant activities of the bourgeoisie, his sumptuous palette reflecting his pleasure. Les Cavaliers is a vibrant example of the artist’s ability to liberate colour, using it to enhance perspective and instill within the painting a warm and uplifting tone. Van Dongen 'rid his palette of all constraint and gave free rein to that creative joy in light and color. The basic principle of Van Dongen's art can be summed up in his freedom of imagination; when he painted, the colours flowed from his brush like many-hued ribbons guided completely by his natural resources' (W. E. Steadman & Denys Sutton, Cornelis Theodorus Marie van Dongen (exhibition catalogue), The University of Arizona Museum of Art, Tucson, 1971, p. 10).

Stéphanie Darnétal was the wife of Roger Bernheim, son of esteemed gallerist and art expert Georges Bernheim, whose gallery in Paris was destroyed during the Second World War. Both Roger and his wife shared George's passion for art, and Stéphanie continued collecting long after her husband's death.



This work will be included in the forthcoming van Dongen Digital Catalogue raisonné, currently being prepared under the sponsorship of the Wildenstein Plattner Institute, Inc.