Francis Picabia

Sale: Palais Galliéra, Paris, June 11, 1974, lot 22
Didier Imbert, Paris (acquired by 1981 and until 1986)
Private Collection (acquired by 1989 and until 1991)
Galerie 1900-2000, Paris (acquired by 2006)
Private Collection (acquired from the above in 2007)
Heather James Fine Art, Palm Desert, California
Acquired from the above in May 2009

(Probably) Paris, Société des Artistes Français, Le Salon d'automne, 1904, no. 1426
(Probably) Paris, Galerie Haussmann, no. 36
Madrid, Salas Pablo Ruiz Picasso del Ministerio de Cultura, 1985, no. 4, illustrated in the catalogue
Nîmes, Musée des Beaux-Arts, Francis Picabia, 1986, nos. 2 & 29, illustrated in the catalogue
Paris, Musée Jacquemart André, L'Europe des Grands Maîtres 1870-1970, quand ils étaient jeunes, 1989, illustrated in the catalogue

Maria Lluïsa Borrà, Picabia, New York, 1985, no. 126, illustrated p. 63
William A. Camfield, Beverley Calté, Candace Clements, Arnauld Pierre & Pierre Calté, Francis Picabia, Catalogue Raisonné, 1898-1914, vol. I, New Haven & London, 2014, no. 117, illustrated p. 200

This work is in good condition. Canvas is lined. Pigments are bright and fresh. The surface is richly textured. Some scattered fine craquelure throughout the lighter pigments. The upper right corner buckles slightly. Under UV light some scattered areas of inpainting are visible, most notably in the sky. Otherwise fine.
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.

The current work dates from Picabia's early years—a period marked by eager exploration of Impressionist technique and indicative of a wide range of talent. As his career progressed, Picabia consistently defied categorization, repeatedly aligning himself with myriad artistic movements and subsequently separating himself from any restrictive edicts. Although perhaps most famous for his Dada and Surrealist output, his art from the late nineteenth and first decade of the twentieth centuries offers an exquisite array of Impressionist and Neo-Impressionist imagery of the highest caliber. As William Camfield highlights: "Picabia's image has been so dominated by his dada activities that even some friends have found it difficult to believe that he once was an impressionist. Their surprise notwithstanding, virtually every artist who contributed to 'modern' art during the first decade of the twentieth century passed through an impressionist or neo-impressionist phase early in his career; Picabia is exceptional only in the fact that for him Impressionism was not merely a passing phase but a major period" (William Camfield, Francis Picabia: His Art, Life and Times, New York, 1979, p. 8).

In the present work, Picabia captures the scenery and atmosphere of the banks of the river Loing in monumental scale. This particular river served as an important and deeply studied subject for many masters of Impressionism, and above all Alfred Sisley. Although Picabia employs a Impressionist-inspired method in his depiction of these banks, he uses a freer hand than the specific requirements that style might dictate. The result is a supreme example of his mastery of technique and unbridled expression, a true pièce de résistance by one of the most broadly talented and idiosyncratic figures in the history of Impressionist and Modern art.

The authors of the Picabia catalogue raisonné believe this work was likely the artist's entry into the 1904 Salon d'automne.