Henri Edmond Cross

(Probably) Ambroise Vollard, Paris (acquired from the artist in May 1901)
(Probably) Sale: Hôtel Drouot, Paris, 8th November 1940, no. 41
Sale: Palais Galliera, Paris, 8th December 1961, no. 33
Private Collection, Paris (purchased at the above sale)

(Probably) Société des Artistes indépendants, Paris, 1901, no. 218 

Isabelle Compin, H. E. Cross, Paris, 1964, no. 82, illustrated p. 175

The canvas is not lined. There is a nailhead-sized paint loss in the centre of the composition, two pinhead-sized paint losses to the upper right quadrant along the upper edge, and another one to the extreme upper right corner. Apart from some minor retouchings to the extreme upper left corner and to the centre of the left edge, two spots of retouching along the left section of the upper edge and five minor spots of retouching along the top and bottom edges, this work is in very good condition.
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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."

Henri-Edmond Cross was a co-founder of the Societé des Artistes Indépendants in 1884, and through this establishment became friends with many of the Neo-Impressionists. This relationship with the Neo-Impressionists accounts for the visible change in style in Cross's work as he adopted their techniques and methods, concentrating specifically on landscapes and seascapes.

While remaining very close to Seurat and Signac, Cross abandoned their scientific approach to painting, and adapted the pointillist style to his own bolder and more rhythmic method. Cross replaced their rigid use of dots based on color theories with a more liberated and intuitive style, creating a body of work that celebrates light, often built-up of short, uniform brushstrokes of pastel hues such as those visible in Famille de cygnes.