Georges Seurat

Bela Hein, Paris
Private Collection, Paris (acquired in the 1950s; sale: Christie's, London, 7th February 2005, lot 3)
Purchased at the above sale by the late owner

Brussels, Palais des Beaux-Arts, De Toulouse-Lautrec à Chagall, 1956, no. 164, illustrated in the catalogue

César M. de Hauke, Seurat et son œuvre, Paris, 1961, vol. II, no. 492, illustrated p. 95

Executed on cream laid paper, laid down on card which is taped to the over mount along the upper edge. The left edge is deckled and the lower edge is slightly unevenly cut. There is a very slight paper loss to the extreme right lower edge. Otherwise this work is in overall good original 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."

Georges Seurat was a self-contained man who lived a relatively short and secluded life: he abstained from drinking and refrained from frequent socialising, preferring instead to focus on his work, before sadly dying at the premature age of 31, with the cause recorded as exhaustion. The one relationship he maintained and treasured throughout his life was that with his mother. He had grown up virtually alone with her, as his elder siblings had left home and his travelling father visited only once a week. Even after leaving home to attend the art academy, he dined with his mother almost every night. The present work dates to circa 1882, a few years after he had left home. Between 1882 and 1884, Seurat executed a series of drawings of his mother, perhaps stimulated by their relative separation. The present work is a wonderful illustration of Seurat’s skill with conté crayon: the tonal variation beautifully outlines his mother’s form with virtually no use of line. Another excellent example of Seurat’s expert use of conté crayon to depict his mother, Broderie (La mère de I'artiste), can be found in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. This specific medium, with its wonderful velvety texture, heightens the sense of longing in the work, as his mother’s contours get lost to the shadowy materials and surroundings.