Jules Bastien-Lepage

Unlined. Faint craquelure visible and thinly painted in some areas. Under UV: No inpainting apparent, varnish fluoresces green.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

While Bastien-Lepage achieved international renown for his paintings of peasant children, his child portraits are much rarer. Because these ‘souvenirs’ went immediately into private collections where they remained through several generations, they resurface as additions to the canon. The Portrait of a young boy is one such example , sitting alongside Le petit Lord (1880, Private Collection) and L’Enfant au bilboquet (wherabouts unknown), both of which, although autograph, are essentially unexplained. The latter ‘bilboquet’ picture also shows a boy in sailor costume – a common form of dress at the period. In the present work, however, the sitter may actually be a naval cadet since his uniform is more elaborate.

We are grateful to Professor Kenneth McConkey for his assistance in cataloguing this lot.