Albert Marquet

Galerie Georges Moos, Genève
Private Collection, Europe (acquired from the above circa the 1960s)
By descent and sold: Christie's, London, 24th June 2008, lot 43
Acquired at the above sale

Lausanne, Musée cantonal des Beaux-Arts, Rythmes et Couleurs, 1952, no. 39
Geneva, Musée Rath, Trésors des collections romandes (Écoles étrangères), 1954, no. 166 (titled Le Havre)
Geneva, Musée de L'Athénée, De L'Impressionnisme à l'École de Paris, 1960, no. 44

The canvas is lined, but has retained a lot of its original texture. UV examination reveals a few small spots of minor retouching in places in the sky and a spot to the lower part of the left edge. There are a few very fine lines of stable craquelure to some of the white pigments. Otherwise this work is in overall very 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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Albert Marquet discovered Le Havre with his friend Raoul Dufy, a native of the coastal city, during the summer of 1906. During this visit, Marquet painted a series of paintings including his famous canvas La Fête foraine au Havre, now in the collection of the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Bordeaux. This view of Le Havre belongs to this series of paintings executed around the harbour at the time of the Bastille Day festivities in July 1906. The quai illuminated by sunlight on the left is the Quai Notre-Dame, whose waters are reflected in the outer harbour (now known as the Bassin du Roy). In the shadow in the foreground, we can make out the Quai Videcoq and the Place de l’Arsenal with the bridge Notre-Dame beginning on the left. It is highly likely that Marquet painted this view from the Ruban Bleu hotel.

At the height of Fauvism, two years after the 1905 Salon d'Automne during which Louis Vauxelles, scandalised, had in spite of himself coined the term "Fauves", the chromatic experiments of the group became more and more innovative. In Le Havre, Le Bassin  the visual references of Impressionism have been left far behind.  The Fauve vocabulary expresses itself completely through an arbitrary choice of sometimes pure colours, applied with broad, contrasting brushstrokes. Even figures are represented by patches of colour, and the whole scene is presented from an audacious perspective.

The theme of ports was a wonderful source of inspiration for the Fauves; the presence of water and of bustling activity were at the heart of many of their formal and aesthetic experiments. Othon-Friesz, Raoul Dufy, Georges Braque and André Derain were all fascinated by the harbour city and its surroundings. Just like Antwerp, Collioure or L'Estaque, Le Havre became one of their favourite destinations. Merchant traders had indeed enriched the maritime city and enthusiastically encouraged artistic creation. In 1906, a group of collectors and artists formed Le Cercle de l'Art Moderne to promote Modern Art in Le Havre, with whom Albert Marquet exhibited several paintings.