Henri Lebasque

Estate of Hilde Gerst, New York
Private Collection, Indiana (acquired from the above in 1972)

The canvas is not lined, there is an artist's tackhole to the bottom right corner and there are no signs of retouching visible under UV light. This work is in very good condition.
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Painted in 1906-07 around the same time as Lebasque's first one-man exhibition at the renowned Galerie Georges Petit in Paris in 1907, the present work portrays a group of young women enjoying a summer day in the countryside near St. Tropez. The sitters are probably Lebasque's wife and two daughters, Marthe and Nono, whom he took great pleasure in painting whilst on holiday or at the beach. Probably painted en plein air, this work is a delightful souvenir of a pleasant family outing, capturing the spontaneity of a sun-filled moment through fresh and striking colours.

Lebasque's work at this time was strongly influenced by his acquaintance with Seurat and Signac, which resulting in his use of divisionist brushwork and colour theory. The swift and bright brushstrokes exemplify Lebasque's mastery of these new techniques, which he uses to create a scene of pastoral tranquillity. In discussing Lebasque's works, Lisa Banner notes that there, 'there is a sense of calm infused in Lebasque's paintings which celebrate the fullness and richness of life. In his placid scenes of gardens and beaches, terraces and dinner tables, Lebasque portrays his family in particular, but in such a way that he appeals to a larger sense of family gathering and devotion' (Lisa Banner, Lebasque, San Francisco, 1986, p. 12).