ETIENNE ADOLPHE PIOT | Les bulles de savon

This work has an old lining. There is minor surface dirt and dust. Frame abrasion is visible along the extreme edges, with a few associated losses and areas where the weave of the original canvas is visible. Under UV: there is an uneven green fluorescing varnish, of which the figure has been selectively cleaned. The background is largely obscured by this varnish. There are brushy retouches visible around the figure's eyes, in her hair, and around the proper left side of her neck. There are additional retouches to address prior craquelure visible around the figure's knees. A few additional dots and dashes of retouching are scattered in the background.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Étienne Adolphe Piot was a student of  Léon Cogniet, one of the most prolific teachers at the École des Beaux-Arts whose pupils over three decades included Rosa Bonheur, Alfred de Dreux, Jules Lefebvre, Hugues Merle and Jean-Louis-Ernest Meissonier, amongst many others. As is true of the best of his peers, Piot made an impression at the Paris Salon, winning accolades for his virtuoso technique and high degree of finish, as seen in paintings such as Les bulles de savon. In the present work, a young girl plays with a cup of bubbles, a symbol of the ephemeral nature of childhood, the fragile bubbles a reminder of the transience and beauty of youth.