Henri Lebasque

Acquired by the family of the present owner in the 1950s and thence by descent

Paris, Musée Galliera, Rétrospective Henri Lebasque, 1952, no. 67

Paul Vitry, Henri Lebasque, Paris, 1928, illustrated p. 79
Denise Bazetoux, Henri Lebasque, Catalogue raisonné, Neuilly-sur-Marne, 2008, vol. I, no. 1340, illustrated p. 324

The canvas is lined. There are some scattered specks of paint loss, mainly towards the upper centre of the work, and a nailhead-sized spot of paint loss in the foliage towards the upper centre. Apart from a spot of surface dirt towards the lower left corner (visible in the catalogue illustration) and small areas of fluorescence, possibly retouching, along the extreme edges, this work is in 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 most likely by Nono, the artist's daughter, seated comfortably on a garden bench. The palette and subject are quintessentially Lebasque; carefully modelled colour tones and a clever, inviting composition. The sitter rests easily in the shade of the surrounding trees. We are drawn in to the centre of the composition by Nono who is framed by two lilac hydrangeas placed on either side of the bench on which she sits. Once there the viewer's eye is led away from the main subject and across the canvas into the distance where the azure blue of the tranquil Mediterranean Sea is clearly visible.

According to Lisa Banner, Lebasque '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).