Auguste Herbin

Galerie L'Éffort Moderne (Léonce Rosenberg), Paris
Collection Friedrich, Zurich
Galerie Carl Laszlo, Basel
Sale: Christie's, Paris, December 1, 2009, lot 132
Acquired at the above sale

Amsterdam, Stedelijk Museum, Herbin 1882-1960, 1963, no. 46 (titled l'Arbre)
Hanover, Kestner-Gesellschaft, Auguste Herbin, 1967, no. 49
Dusseldorf, Kunstverein für die Rheinlande und Westfalen, Auguste Herbin, 1967-68, no. 45

Geneviève Claisse, Herbin: Catalogue raisonné de l'oeuvre peint, Paris, 1993, no. 506, illustrated p. 368

The canvas is not lined. Close inspection reveals some minor abrasion to the extreme edges and several minuscule pinholes: in the upper left corner, the centre of the upper edge, near the upper right corner and in the lower right corner. Under UV light, thin intermittent strips fluoresce along the lower part of the left and right edges. There is also a 8cm horizontal band of retouching 3cm from the centre of the lower edge and a 6cm diagonal band towards the lower left corner. 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.
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.

Herbin embraced a broad range of very different styles and subjects throughout his artistic life, and the present work is one of the most significant and impressive examples of the naturalistic segment of his oeuvre. Painted in 1923, it demonstrates Herbin’s interpretation of the "rappel à l’ordre," a return to order that came in the wake of World War I, and which was associated with a revival of classicism and realistic painting. Picasso was probably the most famous proponent of this new style, though this return to figuration was widespread amongst many avant-garde artists during this period. This general move away from more experimental styles and approaches has been considered a response to the grotesque violence and instability of the war, after which time figurative styles were judged to be more legible, stable and reassuring.

With its planar background separated by bands of vivid greens and pinks, Le Grand chêne demonstrates Herbin’s undeniable talent for defining volumetric space and handling vivid blocks of color. Herbin uses a lush color palette to depict the vitality of nature, and he expertly varies his tonalities and sharpness of line to romanticize the figureless scene, characteristics that are emblematic of his work during this period (see fig. 1). Herbin’s skillful execution of Classicist aesthetics combined with the achievements of Cubism demonstrates his technical virtuosity as well as the variety of his artistic influences.