HENRI LEBASQUE | Nu couché devant la fenêtre ouverte

Galeries Georges Petit, Paris
Private Collection, France
Le Chèvre du Tibet, Paris & Geneva
Acquired from the above on October 11, 1987

Pittsburgh, Carnegie Institute, The Carnegie International, 1928-29, no. 190

Paul Vitry, "Henri Lebasque," in L'Art et les artistes, Paris, 1927, illustrated p. 117
Henri Lebasque (exhibition catalogue), Galeries Georges Petit, Paris, 1928, illustrated p. 175
European Paintings from the Carnegie International Exhibition (exhibition catalogue), Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, 1929, no. 54
Denise Bazetoux, Henri Lebasque, Catalogue raisonné, vol. I, Neuilly-sur-Marne, 2008, no. 956, illustrated p. 247

The work is in excellent condition overall. The canvas is unlined. There are a couple of vertical hairline cracks in the figure's body. There is a faint horizontal mark in the canvas, possibly from a previous stretcher. 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.
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Nu couché devant la fenêtre ouverte is a prime example of Lebasque's fascination with both the female nude and with rich ornamentation, demonstrating the artist’s delight in depicting luxuriant fabrics and vibrant colors, as well as his skill in executing the delicate modeling in the soft tones of the sitter’s skin. Set against a backdrop of lush vegetation and brightly colored textiles, the model in the present work displays her nude figure with ease, evoking a quiet and lyrical intimacy. Entirely characteristic of Lebasque's figure painting, Nu couché devant la fenêtre ouverte is rendered with an economy of brushstrokes, allowing the artist to thereby prioritize the effects of light on color and form. These sensitive brushstrokes and the masterful treatment of light attest to the influence of Camille Pissarro, under whom Lebasque had studied upon his arrival in Paris in 1885. There is an exquisite juxtaposition at play between the soft pink and purple tones of the background and the carefully modeled and sensitively rendered rose tints which bring life to the model's creamy skin. The harmony borne out of the contrast between areas of canvas bathed in light and those with cooler shades imparts a sense of tranquility that is quintessentially Lebasque.