Kees van Dongen

Mr & Mrs Carter H. Harrison, Chicago (acquired by 1929)
The Art Institute of Chicago (a gift from the above in 1935. Sold:  Sotheby's, New York, 9th May 1989, lot 42a)
Sale: Sotheby's, New York, 11th May 1994, lot 51
Purchased at the above sale by the present owner

Chicago, The Art Institute of Chicago, Paintings from the Collection of Mr and Mrs Carter H. Harrison, 1929, no. 6
Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids Art Gallery, Masterpieces of Dutch Art, 1940, no. 9d
Tucson, University of Arizona Museum of Art, Cornelis Theodorus Marie van Dongen, 1971, no. 69, illustrated in the catalogue (as dating from 1910-14)

Paintings in the Art Institute of Chicago, Amsterdam, 1962, listed p. 129 (as dating from 1910-14)
A. James Speyer, The Art Institute of Chicago: 20th Century European Paintings, Chicago, 1980, illustrated in colour p. 73

The canvas is unlined and there is no evidence of retouching under ultra-violet light. This work is in very good original condition. Colours: Overall fairly accurate in the printed catalogue illustration.
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La Rue de la Paix, Paris epitomises Van Dongen's glamorous works of the 1920s, reflecting his fascination with the Parisian high society. Running between Place Vendôme and Place de l'Opéra in the 2nd arrondissment, Rue de la Paix is to this day one of the most fashionable shopping streets in Paris. In this work, Van Dongen took joy in depicting the beau monde, such as chic ladies in fur coats and gentlemen in top hats, in a bustling city scene, a boutique window visible in the background. The highly stylised, elegant figures radiate an atmosphere of seduction, mimicked by the dogs in the foreground.

In 1918, the artist began a relationship with Jasmy Jacob, who helped launch his career among the Parisian fashion circles. In 1922 the couple moved to a new residence in 5 rue Juliette Lamber, where Van Dongen held exhibitions and Jasmy hosted extravagant parties attended by influential members of the society. It was here that Van Dongen executed the present work.

Writing about this period of Van Dongen's career, Denys Sutton commented: 'During the 1920s, Van Dongen became one of the most talked of figures in the French art world and it is only necessary to run through the volume of press cuttings belonging to [his daughter] to be aware of the fact that his name was news. He was frequent visitor to Deauville, where the smart world gathered, and to the cabarets and restaurants of Paris. What appealed to him about the années folles were their movement and gaiety. He once said: 'I passionately love the life of my time so animated, so feverish! Ah! Life is even more beautiful than painting'' (D. Sutton in Cornelis Theodorus Marie van Dongen (exhibition catalogue), op. cit., p. 46).