Théo van Rysselberghe

Bellier Collection, New York
Mme. Krebs, Brussels
Olivier Picard, Brussels
Sale: Sotheby's, London, June 30, 1983, lot 306
Sale: Lombrail, Champin & Gauthier, Enghien-les-Bains, April 13, 1986
Private Collection, Brussels
Acquired from the above in 2003

Brussels, Galerie Girouz, Théo Van Rysselberghe, 1927, no. 10
Ghent, Musée des Beaux-Arts, Rétrospective Théo Van Rysselberghe, 1962, no. 37, illustrated in the catalogue
Luxembourg, Musée nationale d'Histoire et d'Art, Théo Van Rysselberghe 1862-1926, 1962, no. 13
Brussels, Banque Bruxelles-Lambert, Vie de Femmes 1830-1980, 1980
Marcq-en-Baroeul, Fondation Septentrion, Chefs-d'oeuvre néo-impressionnistes, 1987, no. 49
Ghent, Musée des Beaux-Arts, Théo Van Rysselberghe néo-impressionniste, 1993, no. 18, illustrated in the catalogue
Brussels, Palais de Beaux Arts, Théo Van Rysselberghe, 2006, illustrated in the catalogue

Paul Fierens, Théo Van Rysselberghe, Brussels, 1937, illustrated pl. 6
Jozef Muls, Een eeuw Portret in België, Diest, 1944, illustrated p. 126
Ronald Feltkamp, Théo Van Rysselberghe, Catalogue raisonné, Brussels, 2003, no. 1887-022, illustrated in color p. 45, illustrated and catalogued p. 275

Work is in good condition. Canvas is lined. Under UV light: there is a 1.5 inch diameter area of inpainting at center of chair back and a small spot just behind figure's head. Also a few dots in center of red balcony and a few dots along rigth edge to address frame abrasion, otherwise fine.
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 portrait of Madame Edmond Picard in her box at the Théâtre de la Monnaie in Brussels is a masterpiece by Théo Van Rysselberghe that demonstrates his evolution as an artist and his position within the history of the Impressionist movement. It is one of his first works painted in a Neo-Impressionist style, the subject of which is the mother of the Belgian lawyer, Edmond Picard, with whom he had travelled to Morocco.

Van Rysselberghe met Paul Signac and Georges Seurat in 1886 at the Salon des Vingt in Brussels.  It was his discovery of Pointillism upon seeing Seurat's La Grande Jatte that led him to abandon realism for this new and dynamic way of painting. The advances and influences of Impressionism led him to his first attempts at "Neo-Impressionism", establishing himself as a leading figure of the Belgian school. Van Rysselberghe was particularly interested in popular entertainment and had acquired a reputation as a brilliant portraitist, in particular for his ability to incorporate the psychology of his models and for his vivid colors. Although he never strictly adhered to the Pointillist doctrine, the present work is a fine example of points filling the forms more than they create them.  As the specialist Ronald Feltkamp emphasizes, Van Rysselberghe is "one of the rare artists... who risks using 'small points' for portraits" (Ronald Feltkamp, Théo Van Rysselberghe Catalogue Raisonné, Brussels, 2003, p. 51).

The artist presents his subject in the foreground with extreme precision, with the audience loosely rendered as a background.  This stylistic juxtaposition evokes the social distance between the privileged, who attend the show in a private box, and the rest of the audience. The central figure's firm countenance, viewed in rigid profile, reveals a strong personality whose sharp features the painter does not attempt to mask.

The artist contrasts Madame Picard's imposing presence with the frivolity of her surroundings. He places small touches of pure color on the canvas rather than spreading already mixed colors. The dominance of the red immediately evokes festivities and pleasure-grounds, reminding us of the works of Edgar Degas and Henri Toulouse-Lautrec. The whispering buzz of the theater and the sumptuous evening dresses of the women faithfully recreate the real atmosphere of the period, and the artist uses the richness of the fabrics and the nuance of the colors to highlight the refinement of the subjects. This work, which seamlessly blends psychological acuity with the pleasures of high society, reveals the personality of its author, whose powerful gaze succeeds in encapsulating an entire period.

Fig. 1 Mary Cassatt, La Loge, 1878-79, oil on canvas, Philadelphia Museum of Art