Charles Cottet Le Puy 1863 - 1924 ou 1925 Paris

"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."

Etude préparatoire pour le grand tableau exposé au Salon de la Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts, Paris, 1898, n°311, titré: Au Pays de la mer: le repas d'adieu ; ceux qui s'en vont ; celles qui restent.
Le tableau conservé au musée d'Orsay est commenté ainsi par Robert Rosenblum in Le musée d'Orsay, Paris, 1989, p. 132: il décrit la formidable ténacité d'un peuple qui tire sa force d'une foi ancestrale [...] Une oeuvre en forme de triptyque s'inscrit dans la tradition des anciens retables, exaltant les valeurs séculaires de la vie bretonne.