Paul Cézanne

Paul Cézanne Fils, Paris
Renon & Payet, Paris
Acquired from the above in 1952 and thence by descent

New York, Fine Arts Associates, Cézanne, Rarely Shown Works, 1952, no. 2 (watercolors), illustrated in the catalogue

Lionello Venturi, Cézanne, Son oeuvre, vols. I & II, Paris, 1936, no. 1190, illustrated pl. 336
France Illustration, Le monde illustré, July 1953, p. 98
Adrien Chappuis, The Drawings of Paul Cézanne: A Catalogue Raisonné, vol. I, Greenwich, 1973, no. 224

Overall this pastel on paper is in good structural condition and shows no sign of tears, paper losses, or planar distortions. Visually some very subtle residuals of water marks can be observed throughout the work which can be attributed to the artists hands or treatment at the time of execution. In the upper left quadrant one of the more noticeable ones can be seen, as well as a very small darker spot of the same, but more condensed. These very subtle disturbances do not interfere aesthetically with the image. The above report was prepared by Alvarez Fine Art Services Inc, an independent conservator who is not an employee of Sotheby's.
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.

Autour de la table may be counted among the very rare, finished studies the artist completed early in the 1870s, typically in prepartion for larger oil paintings. Executed during his stay in Auvers-sur-Oise with Paul Gachet, the offered work is particularly extraordinary for Cézanne's selection of medium—he is known to have created only three pastels during his entire career.

 

 

Fig. 1 Paul Cézanne, Les Ivrognes, 1872-75, oil on canvas, Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Tel Aviv