William Bouguereau

Arthur Tooth & Sons, London (acquired directly from the artist in September, 1899)
Private Collection, probably United States
The Estate of Ledlie Irwin Laughlin, Princeton, NJ
Thence by descent to the present owner

Damien Bartoli with Frederick Ross, William Bouguereau, Catalogue Raisonné of his Painted Works, New York, 2010, p. 330, no. 1899/07, illustrated p. 331

The following condition report was kindly provided by Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc.: This canvas has been lined. The paint layer has been retouched although it is probably not completely clean and the varnish is very dull. Retouches are visible under ultraviolet light in the hair, on the right side of the face and in the neck, in the right arm and in a few spots in the dress. Although this is a late work for Bouguereau and it is thinly painted, it is likely that these restorations are not as accurately and thoughtfully applied as they should be. If this painting were to be cleaned and more carefully varnished and retouched, the differences would be noticeable.
"This lot is offered for sale subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Business, which are available on request and printed in Sotheby's sale catalogues. The independent reports contained in this document are provided for prospective bidders' information only and without warranty by Sotheby's or the Seller."

In late February, 1899, Bouguereau traveled to the south of France with his wife, Elizabeth, and son, Paul. Doctors had recommended the warm and sunny climate to help Paul, as he had been diagnosed with tuberculosis the year before. They went to the picturesque seaside town of Menton and took up residence in the Hôtel des Îles Britanniques, where they would stay until late May.

While Bouguereau was committed to supporting his son's health, he was not content to leave his studio, commissions and pupils. He wrote to his friend Ferrier: "After killing time in Menton for over two weeks, not going out on any excursion, to avoid giving a bad example to my son, to whom such things are forbidden, I finally found a room on the north side of the hotel and a few little models , and set down to work." (as quoted in Bartoli, p. 394) 

Le Citron is one of the works produced during his time in Menton, and this charming girl one of the "little models" that he refers to. It was sold by Arthur Tooth and Sons later that year, likely to an American collector, but its whereabout have been unknown ever since.