Lot 187
  • 187

LUCIEN LÉVY-DHURMER | The Night

Estimate
30,000 - 40,000 EUR
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Description

  • Lucien Lévy-Dhurmer
  • The Night
  • Signed, dated and dedicated lower right A Madame Tassy / Son Vieil Amy / Lucien Levy / 92
  • Pastel hightened with gold on paper
  • 32,1 x 35,2 cm ; 12 5/8 by 13 7/8 in.

Condition

Good overall condition. Laid down on a second sheet of paper. Small tear on the lower right, hidden under the mount. Some tack holes on the edges. Some places seem worn on the lower left, but it might be the artist's doing. Some wears along the edges.
"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."

Catalogue Note

Lucien Lévy-Dhurmer is, like Edgar Maxence, part of the generation of artists influenced by the symbolist esthetic.After an academic formation, Lucien Lévy-Dhurmer started his career as a lithographer and ornementalist for a ceramics factory in Golfe-Juan.

In the early years of the 1890s, he was close to Carlos Schwabe, Alphonse Osbert and Alexandre Séon. During this period, Lévy-Dhurmer developed a delicate style, mainly focused on one medium: the pastel. Like Odilon Redon, he exploits the pastel's quality in numerous works, choosing his subjects in the mysterious and esoteric iconography of symbolism.

In this work, a veiled woman's profile appears against a full moon in the background. Around her, floating in space, a whirling constellation of golden stars seems to escort her daydreaming. Could it be a personification of The Night? Dated 1892, this pastel, heightened with gold, has kept all of its freshness and all of its evocative force. It can be compared to other similar works and is very close to an Ophelia that has the same square format, and the same blue shades heightened with delicate gold strokes (sale Christie's Paris, September 19th, 2017, lot 67, sold for 343.500 euros; ill. 1).

Lévy-Dhurmer (who still only signs with the name of his father "Lévy"), has dedicated the work to a certain "Madame Tassy" on the lower right.