Edouard Vuillard

Estate of the artist
Amante, Paris
Galerie de l'Elyse (Alex Maguy), Paris
O'Hana Gallery, London
Sale: Christie's, New York, 13th May 1999, lot 187
Purchased at the above sale by the present owner

Osaka, Daimaru Department Store, Ecole de Paris, 1967, no. 8

Antoine Salomon and Guy Cogeval, Vuillard, Le Regard innombrable, Catalogue critique des peintures et pastels, Paris, 2003, vol. III, no. XI-203, illustrated in colour p. 1407

The canvas is lined. There are areas of fluorescence throughout the composition, probably due to the nature of the artist's material. There appear to be no signs of retouching visible under UV light. There are areas of craquelure, mainly to the figures and to the centre of the composition, with some associated paint losses. This work is in fair condition. Colours: Fairly accurate in the printed catalogue, although the colours are fresher and brighter in the original.
"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."

Following an intense artistic period with the Nabis in the late 19th century, it is 'after the 1920s, [that] Vuillard is considered as one of the greatest living portrait painters in Europe' (Guy Cogeval, Edouard Vuillard 1868-1940, (exhibition catalogue), Paris, 2003, p. 37, translated from French). Les Enfants Bassiano, painted in 1921, is characteristic of Vuillard's most evocative and picturesque portraits of upper-class French society.

Amidst a scenic background composed of flourishing vegetation in the garden of the Villa Romaine in Versailles, Camillo and Leila Bassiano, children of the prince and princess of Bassiano dreamily look out to the viewer. The delicate blues of the matching outfits appear very bright against the darker colour of the foliage and enliven the scene as the children sit on each side of the table. The pink doll and black dog gently placed beneath the chairs serve as playful formal elements that balance the composition in a harmonic whole. Throughout the work, Vuillard attentively stresses the idea of decoration inherent in aesthetics and reaffirms the two-dimensionality of the picture-plane.

Echoing the fabulous career of the American portrait painter John Singer Sargent and his iconic Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose (fig. 1) the present work is similarly a meditation by Vuillard on the most poetic aspects of innocence; creating a dialogue between nature and children. The artist successfully captures the stillness and peace infused by the enchanting scenery, while his expressive brushwork enhances the suggestion of a fleeting passage of time. Vuillard not only seeks to depict a moment of fraternal play, he equally attempts to highlight the fleeting and extraordinary moment of youth.