Henri Lebasque

Galeries Georges Petit, Paris
Sale: Baudouin-Ader, Paris, 23rd April, 1933, lot 78
Galerie Charles & André Bailly, Paris (sale: Sotheby's, London, 3rd December 1986, lot 222)
Purchased at the above sale by the present owner

Denise Bazetoux, Henri Lebasque, Catalogue raisonné, Neuilly-sur-Marne, 2008, vol. I, no. 1353, illustrated p. 327

The canvas is not lined. There are several small spots of retouching surrounding the head of the figure, several specks of retouching to the right centre, a few small spots of retouching to the upper right corner and some small lines of retouching to the lower centre and towards the right edge. There are some lines of retouching to the upper and left edges to cover old frame rubbing. All retouching is visible under UV light. This work is in overall good condition.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

In the present work, Lebasque has eloquently captured a tranquil afternoon in the south of France, enjoyed by Nono, the artist's daughter, resting in a hammock. The palette and subject are quintessentially Lebasque; carefully modelled colour tones and a clever, inviting composition. The subject rests easily in the shade of the surrounding trees. We are drawn in by the light to the centre, which creates a halo around Nono's face and into which the viewer is naturally led.

According to Lisa Banner, ' He was hailed as the painter of "Joy and Light" by art critics and curators of the Louvre in his later life. But Lebasque's primary concerns were with simple expression of sensuous surface... He achieved an intimate manner of painting those scenes and people most dear to him, which was replete with his personal delight in form and colour, heightened by his contact with fellow painters Matisse and Bonnard, but characteristically his own' (L. Banner, Lebasque, 1865-1937, San Francisco, 1985, p. 20).