Chaim Soutine

Galerie André Weil, Paris
Gimpel Fils, London

Paris, Galerie André Weil, Grands maîtres dans les collections particulières, 1955
London, Gimpel Fils, Collectors' Choice VI, 1956, no. 10, illustrated in the catalogue

The Burlington Magazine, London, November 1955, illustrated
Pierre Courthion, Soutine. Peintre du déchirant, Lausanne, 1972, no. F, illustrated p. 265

This painting has been cradled on the reverse. The wood is flat and the paint layer is stable and most likely clean and varnished. The varnish is slightly uneven and could be slightly more consistent. Under ultraviolet light the varnish is quite fluorescent, which baffles the ultraviolet light from positively identifying retouches. There are a couple of retouches however, which are visible under ultraviolet light, one situated in the face to the immediate left of the sitter's right eye and another in the bridge of the nose. There are other marks which are probably original paint but which read fairly strongly in the face and the lips and to the immediate left of the chin. Beneath and to the left of the nose, some other small areas fluoresce quite strongly and may be retouches. Elsewhere in the picture, despite some eccentric fluorescing under ultraviolet light it is unlikely that there is any more than cosmetic restoration, for instance there are two horizontal scratches in the background on the right side. Yet it is pure speculation to suggest that there would be further restorations to those listed above. The following condition report has been provided by Simon Parkes of Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc. 502 East 74th St. New York, NY 212-734-3920, simonparkes@msn.com , an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's.
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.

Based in Paris from 1925-1929 and painting mostly in series, Soutine sought to capture many variations, from fowl to female, of a single form. Soutine used portraiture to illustrate the community that surrounded him and further question his own role within it. He preferred to paint the anonymous individual, seeking out those particularly expressive. Jeune femme en rouge, painted circa 1929, depicts one such anonymous woman. While other portraits painted during this time capture hotel waiters, porters, and workers in uniform, this work contains no clues to the woman's identity. Soutine does infuse her with a quiet sadness that perhaps reflects his own as he struggled during this time to find his artistic identity.