Camille Martin

Private Collection, Honfleur (and sold: Christie's, Paris, June 21, 2011, lot 124)
Acquired at the above sale by the present owner

(possibly) Nancy, Salle Poirel, Galerie Sud, Exposition Camille Martin, 1899
Nancy, Musée de l'Ecole de Nancy, Camille Martin, Le Sentiment de la nature, 2010, no. 24, illustrated in the catalogue

The canvas has been strip-lined. The colors are fresh and bright. A stable hairline crack is visible at the bottom left corner, and light surface dirt is visible to the foreground. There are repairs to the canvas visible on the reverse, including two patches toward the top left corner, three at bottom right, and a couple very small spots at top center. Under UV light: the pinks in the foreground fluoresce lightly and small strokes of inpainting correspond with the aforementioned repairs. Overall the areas of inpainting appear conservative, with only a couple 1.5-inch strokes fluorescing clearly toward the bottom right corner. The work is in good condition.
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.

Camille Martin was born in Nancy in 1861. During his short life (he died when he was only 37 years old) he created a diverse oeuvre comprising paintings, posters, enamels, ceramics and designed leather amongst other media. Considered part of the École de Nancy, he directly contributed to the future legacy of Art Nouveau production in the heart of one of the economic centers of France.

In 1881, after attending the École des Beaux-Arts in Nancy, Martin was awarded the prestigious Prix Jacqout which allowed him to travel to Paris and study at the École des Arts Décoratifs. Returning to Nancy in 1884 he continued to be inspired by the verdant landscape there, soon earning the nickname peintre des sapins, the painter of fir trees.  

In Scène dans un jardin a large tree dominates the composition, controlling the play of sunlight and shade on the dappled outdoor scene. A female figure sits beyond the reach of the branches' shade on a bench in the background, and the suggestion of another figure can be found in the coat draped across the bench in the foreground. Remarking on Martin's use of human figures in his paintings, Valérie Thomas notes, "The works of the 1880s indeed show this tendency to melancholy and silent landscapes, both in their color and their composition in which the human figure is often absent or an accessory. This atmosphere is discernible in both the representations of the countryside of Lorrain and in the views of Paris" (Camille Martin artiste de l'Ecole de Nancy, le sentiment de la nature (exhibition catalogue), Musée de l'École de Nancy, 2010, p. 30, translated from the French).

This work was likely painted in the private garden of Martin's family in Nancy. Prior to his time in Paris, Martin had converted the conservatory at this house into his studio, upon his return he also placed his studio in the garden of his new residence.