HENRI FANTIN-LATOUR | Roses

Edwin Edwards, London
Obach & Co, London
F. & J. Tempelaere, Paris
Bonjean, Paris
Sir Wakefield, London (sale: Christie’s, London, 30th June 1911, lot 53)
Etienne Bignou, Paris
E. J. van Wisselingh & Co, Amsterdam
Hirschl & Adler Galleries, New York
Acquavella Galleries, New York (acquired by 1966)
John T. Dorrance, Jr. (sale: Sotheby's, New York, The Collection of John T. Dorrance, Jr., 19th October 1989, lot 94)
Purchased at the above sale by the present owner

New York, Acquavella Galleries, Inc., Flowers by Fantin-Latour, 1966, no. 24, illustrated in colour in the catalogue

Madame Fantin-Latour, Catalogue de l'œuvre complet de Fantin-Latour, Paris, 1911, no. 1034, p. 107
Selection from the Collection of Hirschl & Adler Galleries (exhibition catalogue), Hirschl & Adler Galleries, New York, 1962-63, vol. IV, no. 60, illustrated in colour p. 40
Detroit Institute of Art, The Art Quarterly, Autumn 1962, vol. XXV, n.n., illustrated on inside of cover

The canvas is not lined. Examination under UV light reveals a layer of varnish preventing the UV light from fully penetrating, however there appear to be signs of retouching along the extreme edges and areas of slight fluorescence to the bouquet which could pertain to retouching. There are fine lines of stable craquelure to the composition. There is evidence of gilding to the upper edge consistent with a former frame and minor frame abrasion to all four edges, partially visible when framed. The colours of the roses are lovely and this work is in overall 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 in 1881, Roses exemplifies the style of work that garnered critical and financial success for Henri Fantin-Latour.  These expertly crafted still lifes, which Fantin-Latour perfected over the three decades preceding his death in 1904, were already highly coveted by the 1870s due to the agency of English collectors Edwin and Ruth Edwards.  This success allowed Fantin-Latour to devote himself fully to the meticulous execution and technique of his works, rather than subject himself to the demands of the market.  Such commitment to academic technique was only deepened by the passing of two of the artist’s sources of inspiration in early 1875: Jean-François Millet and Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot.  Ultimately, Fantin-Latour’s dedication to his craft would produce some of the great examples of trompe l’œil painting of the late nineteenth century. As Edward Lucie-Smith observes, 'He looked at flowers, as he did at faces, with no preconceptions. His belief, academic in origin, that technique in painting was separable from the subject to which the artist applied it, enabled him to see the blooms he painted not as botanical specimens, but as things which, though not necessarily significant in themselves, would generate significant art upon the canvas' (Edward Lucie-Smith, Henri Fantin-Latour, New York, 1977, pp. 22-23).



This painting will be included in the Catalogue raisonné of Fantin-Latour’s paintings and pastels by Galerie Brame & Lorenceau now in preparation.