Pierre Dubreuil

oil print, the photographer's monogram on the image, mounted, titled in pencil on the mount, signed 'P. Dubreuil, M. L. S. P' in pencil, inscribed '12. Lt. C. A. C. Officier Argentin' in ink, and with the photographer's red 'DB 69' stamp on the reverse, circa 1929

Collection of Tom Jacobson, San Diego

Paris, Musée d'Art Moderne, Centre Georges Pompidou, Pierre Dubreuil, Photographs 1896 - 1935, 1987

San Diego, The Museum of Photographic Arts, Pierre Dubreuil Rediscovered, 1988; and thereafter to Alliance Française, New York, 1989; and The Detroit Institute of Arts, 1990

This dramatic oil print, on double-weight paper with a very matte surface, is in generally very good to excellent condition. The print is trimmed to the image, and there are small glossy and yellowed adhesive deposits at the periphery, likely remnants from when the print was affixed to the mount. The following are visible only after careful examination: two small, sharp creases to the lower right corner of the print (measuring no longer than 1-1/2-inches); a small, very soft crease along the right edge; and a few tiny matte deposits, likely original retouching. The photograph is affixed to a textured, cream-colored paper mount, and it is lightly soiled on the front and reverse from handling. There are 3 tack-holes along the upper edge of the mount. Along the upper edge on the reverse of the mount is a thin yellowed adhesive remnant, suggesting that the mount was previously affixed to a secondary mount. Also on the reverse, '33' [circled] and 'D103M' are written in an unidentified hand in pencil.
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.
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The photograph offered here is believed to be one of only two known prints of this image and was included in the two major modern exhibitions of Pierre Dubreuil’s work – Pierre Dubreuil, Photographs 1896 - 1935, at the Centre Pompidou in 1987; and the traveling exhibition, Pierre Dubreuil Rediscovered, originating at San Diego's Museum of Photographic Arts in 1988.  The other, titled Teniente C. A. Cattaneo, also an oil print, was sold in the sale of the Marie-Thérèse and André Jammes Collection at Sotheby’s London in 1999 (Sale 9316, Lot 229). 

Dubreuil was one of the most inventive photographers of his day: a technical master of the medium and a brilliant aesthetic innovator.  Like many photographers working in the early decades of the 20^th century, Dubreuil experimented with the full range of photographic processes then available, including platinum, carbon, and gum bichromate.   In 1904, he discovered the Rawlins oil process.  While this process was a demanding one, it had the advantage of allowing Dubreuil a great deal of control over the final appearance of his photographs; the resultant prints had the added benefit of being permanent.  Dubreuil quickly mastered the intricacies of the process, and used it throughout his career.   

Dubreuil’s body of work is characterized by novel imagery, unexpected composition, and unusual perspective.  The present image captures the essence of Dubreuil’s aesthetic -- the sword’s grip and knuckle guard provide an unconventional and visually daring frame for the extreme close-up portrait of the subject.  The sitter is likely C. A. Cattaneo, an Argentinian officer who lived his later years in Brussels. 

While Dubreuil’s work was widely exhibited during his lifetime, there are exceedingly few surviving examples of his work.  On the eve of the second World War, experiencing financial difficulties and concerned for the safety of his life's work, Dubreuil sold his negatives and many of his prints to the Gevaert photographic company in Belgium.  The Gevaert factory was subsequently bombed during the war, and its holdings of Dubreuil's work were completely destroyed.