Henri Manguin

Acquired by the family of the present owner in Paris in the 1950s 

Work is in fairly good condition. Canvas is lined. Small line of paint loss in figure's face, another in the green backround to the right of her head. A small loss of paint in the lower right of the window pane and another in the table cloth in bottom center . Some stable craquelure in scattered areas. Under UV light: an area roughly 6 by 3 inches of inpainting fluoresces in lower center table cloth, as does a 3 inch square patch of inpainting near the figure's bent knee. A few other scattered broad retouches.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

This canvas subtly introduces us to the domestic life of the artist who depicts his young wife occupied with setting the table. Pierre Manguin, married since 1899 to Jeanne Carette, here paints the woman who would continue to be his muse for over thirty years. The table has been set and Jeanne, seen from behind, adds the finishing touches. If the domestic theme and ambiance of this scene are not dissimilar to certain Nabis representations, the still life, at the heart of the composition, suggests Manguin's admiration for the work of Paul Cézanne. Indeed we find here the rigorous construction, intensity of color and subject matter so characteristic of the Aix-en-Provence master whom Manguin would have admired at Ambroise Vollard's gallery in 1898 and at the Salon des Indépendents the following year. It was compositions such as this that would earn him, a few years later, glowing praise from Guillaume Appolinaire : "Well composed, Manguin's still lives please the eye more perhaps than the paintings. It is only in these compositions that his colorist's instinct can fully reveal itself without being constrained" (Guillaume Apollinaire, La Vie Artistique in "Exposition Manguin", L'Intransigeant, June 14, 1910).