GUSTAVE LOISEAU | Bords de l'Eure

Estate of the Artist
Durand-Ruel, Paris
Arthur Tooth & Sons, London
Private Collection, New York (sale: Christie's, New York, 11th May 1989, lot 274)
Private Collection, Japan (sale: Sotheby's, New York, 14th May 1998, lot 158)
Private Collection, Texas (purchased at the above sale; sale: Christie's, New York, 13th November 2015, lot 1388)
Purchased at the above sale by the present owner

The canvas is strip lined. Examination under UV light reveals a few scattered minor spots of retouching in the sky to the upper right and upper left. There is a stretcher bar mark visible running vertically down the centre of the composition. There are fine lines of stable craquelure in the sky. This work is in good overall 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."

Loiseau received a small inheritance from his grandmother upon her death in 1887, which enabled him to leave Paris, cease his career as a decorator, and focus his attention full-time on painting. Loiseau was self-taught, looking to his Impressionist peers for inspiration, but honing his practice through observation and an acute sensibility. Indeed, his mature style, as exemplified in the present work, was fully his own. Following the dealer Paul Durand-Ruel’s discovery of Loiseau’s work in 1897 and an ensuing contract, the artist achieved financial independence. The reflection of trees upon a body of water was a motif frequently explored by the Impressionists. The River Eure referenced in the present work is situated in northwestern France, with its source in Normandy. Here, Loiseau adeptly conveys the shimmer of the trees’ reflection in a singular moment. This work’s rich surface, composed of spontaneous brushwork and areas of thickly applied paint, exemplifies the artist's instinctive use of Impressionist and Neo-Impressionist techniques which he derived from his close relationship with Claude Monet. Loiseau seemingly preferred the atmospheric light of dawn or dusk to high noon, as depicted in the present work. In Bords de l’Eure, Loiseau eliminates almost every sign of human presence, choosing instead to focus on the extraordinarily dramatic possibilities of nature.



This work will be included in the forthcoming catalogue raisonné being prepared by Didier Imbert.