FERDINAND DU PUIGAUDEAU | Pêcheurs à pied au couchant

Sale: Thierry-lannon, Paris, 10th December 2011, lot 732
Purchased at the above sale by the present owner

Pont-Aven, Musée de Pont-Aven, Ferdinand du Puigaudeau, 1998
Morlaix, Musée de Jacobins, F du Puigaudeau, 1998-99

The canvas is not lined. Inspection under UV light reveals minor scattered spots of retouching to the sky just above the horizon. This work appears to be 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."

In the beginning of 1907, Ferdinand de Puigaudeau moved to a new home in Kervaudu (Le Croisic) along the peninsula of Guérande, where he painted the landscape before him until the end of his life: his garden, the marshes and mills of Brière, the sunsets over the sea, and the poppy fields. The artist’s natural surroundings immediately rekindled his passion for painting, which was further encouraged by the company of other painters including Emile Dezaunay, Alexis de Broca and Donatien Roy. Together with his fellow artists, Puigaudeau would regularly work en plein air.  Between 1910 and 1914, he would devote his work to the countryside, endlessly painting sunsets on the sea and windmills. And on Sundays, he would welcome local artists and intellectuals to his home. As Mademoiselle du Puigaudeau, the artist’s daughter remembers, ‘There were meetings of educated people who tried to break the monotony of a small fishing harbour by creating the cultural diversions it did not offer’ (quoted in Antoine Laurentin, Ferdinand du Puigaudeau (1864-1930), Paris, 1989, p. 104).

In the present work, Puigaudeau uses his knowledge of Impressionism to benefit his love for light. He manipulates all the elements of his painting to accentuate the sun, which the artist renders as an almost sacred star that pulls all depicted elements towards it. Serving as the work's vanishing point, the sun exudes a Pointillist aura that captures the eye of the viewer through its unquestionable brilliance. With this resplendent work, Puigaudeau allows us to contemplate the infinite possibilities of nature with the help of his sublime ocean and dazzling sun.