Gustave Courbet

Alice Tully, New York;
By whose Estate sold, ("Property from the Collection of Alice Tully"), New York, Christie's, 13 October 1994, lot 11;
There purchased by the present collector.

Paris, Galerie Alfred Daber, Courbet: exposition du 130e anniversaire de sa naissance, 10 juin 1819-10 juin 1949, au profit des "Amis de Gustave Courbet,"June 10-July 9, 1949, no. 11.

The following condition report has been provided by Simon Parkes of Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc. 502 East 74th St. New York, NY 212-734-3920, simonparkes@msn.com , an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's. This painting on paper has been lined onto canvas and stretched onto a stretcher, seemingly on the instructions of the artist or the estate. The surface is slightly wavy and uneven and the stiffness of the paper has not allowed for a completely flexible paint layer, which perhaps makes it harder to properly stretch. Under ultraviolet light some isolated losses in the white flower and a couple of cracks are visible and have been retouched here and also in the green leaves above this flower. However, our impression is that although the paint layer is very dirty, no significant retouches will be revealed after it is cleaned. The waviness of the surface should be correct and the paint layer should be cleaned and properly restored.
"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."

Courbet left Paris for Saintonge at the end of May 1862.  His host in Saintes was the wealthy landowner, Etienne Baudry, who lived on the outskirts of town in the château de Rochemont.  Courbet most likely had been introduced to Baudry by their mutual friend, the art critic, Jules Castagnary; both men became ardent supporters of Courbet until the end of his life. This was a happy and productive time for Courbet; he stayed in Saintes until September and returned in early 1863 for five more months.  What greeted Courbet in Saintonge must have seemed like an earthly paradise.  Baudry, a man of letters, was also a passionate botanist and horticulturist and the grounds of the Château were filled with his gardens and greenhouses. While Courbet painted several landscapes, nudes and portraits during this visit, his Saintonge period is best known for his focus – really for the first time in his career – on flowers.  The blossoms of Baudry's extensive gardens and greenhouses became Courbet's new models. 

Many of Courbet's floral still lifes from this period are elaborate complex compositions, reminiscent of Dutch 17^th century flower painting (see fig. 1). Additionally, there has been speculation that some of the arrangements signify specific symbolism and the allegory often associated with flowers (for a recent review of opinions see L. des Cars, Gustave Courbet, exh. cat, New York, 2007, p.326-327).  Our simple bouquet, consisting of six red anemones and one pink rose set against a plain, quickly brushed background, seems to have just been picked from one of Baudry's gardens.  Elegant in its simplicity, if a floral still life could be considered the equivalent of a  plein-air landscape, it would be this one.

This painting once belonged to Miss Alice Tully, the well-known American philanthropist and patron of the arts, whose generosity is revealed in the concert hall that bears her name at New York's Lincoln Center.

We would like to thank Jean-Jacques Fernier for kindly confirming the authenticity of this work, which will be included in his forthcoming supplement to the Courbet catalogue raisonné.

We would like to thank Ms. Sarah Faunce for kindly confirming the authenticity of this lot.  This work will be included in Ms. Faunce's forthcoming critical catalogue of the artist.