Henri Le Sidaner

Galerie Georges Petit, Paris
Private Collection, Montreal (and sold: Sotheby's, New York, February 26, 1990, lot 70)
Acquired at the above sale

Yann Farinaux-Le Sidaner, Le Sidaner, L'oeuvre peint et gravé, Paris, 1989, no. 390, illustrated p. 156

In excellent condition. The canvas is unlined. The surface is clean with a rich impasto. A tiny spec of paint loss is visible along the upper edge of the painting. Under UV light a few strokes of inpainting on the extreme right edge to fix frame abrasion.
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.

This charming view of Moret-sur-Loing was painted at the height of the artist's career. The commune was a great source of inspiration for other great Impressionist painters, including Monet, Renoir and Sisley (see fig. 1), and indeed Matin gris, Moret features Le Sidaner's own signature Impressionistic style which he adopted in 1898. The canvas, which underscores Monet's great influence on the artist, presents us a romantic view of a river bank and a bridge in the town of Moret. In this particular scene, Le Sidaner successfully explores the light effect of the early morning mist on the river, soothing the viewer's gaze and conveying a sense of tranquility. As Paul Signac stated, "Le Sidaner's entire work is influenced by a taste for tender, soft and silent atmospheres" (quoted in Yann Farinaux-Le Sidaner, op. cit., p. 31).

Fig. 1 Alfred Sisley, Moret-sur-Loing, 1893, oil on canvas. Musée d'Orsay, Paris