Émile Munier

Possibly, Arthur Tooth & Sons, London
Sale: Christie's, New York, April 19, 2005, lot 182, illustrated
Acquired at the above sale by the present owner

The following condition report was kindly provided by Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc.: This painting has fairly recently been restored and could be hung as is. The canvas is lined. The paint layer is clean, does not appear to be abraded and in healthy condition. Under ultraviolet light there are a few small isolated dots of retouching here and there, yet none are focused in any area or point to anything other than a very well preserved painting. The picture should be hung as is.
"This lot is offered for sale subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Business, which are available on request and printed in Sotheby's sale catalogues. The independent reports contained in this document are provided for prospective bidders' information only and without warranty by Sotheby's or the Seller."

The present work, entitled The Prayer, features a young blonde model who Munier frequently employed, beginning as early as 1880.  A year after the completion of The Prayer, Munier created the ambitious picture Morning Prayer (fig. 1). In depicting the young girl on the left, he employed a similar pose as seen in The Prayer, adjusting her position slightly so that she is seen in straight profile.