Édouard Vuillard

Jos Hessel & Bernheim-Jeune, Paris (acquired from the artist on June 21, 1918 and sold: April 4, 1932)
Acquired by the grandfather of the present owner in Paris in the 1930s

Antoine Salomon & Guy Cogeval, Vuillard, The Inexhaustible Glance, Critical Catalogue of Paintings and Pastels, vol. III, Paris, 2003, no. X-205, illustrated p. 1272

Work is in very good condition. Executed on card an backed with seated canvas. There is a small puncture beneath the right hand figure's wrist. There are three tiny spots of loss in the lower right corner (in white area of fireplace), one tiny sport in the seated figure's shoulder and one small spot of lifting in the upper right corner of the framed picture (at top center of wall in background). The work may benefit from a light cleaning. Color: Overal richer, deeper and less pale than they appear in the catalogue.
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.

Le Lacet de la bottine is a magnificent example of Vuillard's unique Symbolist style. The luminescent palette articulates the artist's subjective interpretation of reality, conveying atmospheric tension and emotion with an impression of sheer aesthetic brilliance. The intimate domestic interior, entirely characteristic of Vuillard's compositions, is almost theatrical in construction, with shifting planes of pattern and color that emphasize the tension between the flat picture surface and the three-dimensional interior space.

The figures which occupy the present composition are engaged in a silent confrontation; facial features and expressions are deliberately concealed, whilst the sense of disquiet is pervasive – servitude threatens to give way to hostility. The door left ajar in the center of the composition adds a foreboding sense of imminence to the work. Such is the mastery of Vuillard's paintings, in which everyday human relationships are scrutinized and hidden dialogues are laid bare.

Vuillard's painting demonstrates the particular influence of the seventeenth century Dutch master Johannes Vermeer, and his iconic work The Lacemaker (Paris, Musée du Louvre). The posture of the servant bears a remarkable resemblance to the figure in Vermeer's composition, even down to the girl's parted hair. This subliminal reference serves as a modern homage to artistic tradition, and was to be repeated by other artists – notably Salvador Dalí in his Paranoiac-critical study of Vermeer's Lacemaker.