Henri Edmond Cross

Mme Henri Edmond Cross, Paris

Galerie Bernheim-Jeune, Paris

Sale: Hôtel Drouot, Paris, 3rd December 1947, lot 79

Private Collection, Switzerland (acquired by 1964)

Sale: Sotheby's, London, 2nd July 1969, lot 45

Edgardo Acosta Gallery, Beverly Hills (purchased at the above sale)

Wally Findlay, New York (acquired by 1981)

Sale: Sotheby's, New York, 9th May 1989, lot 25

Acquired by the present owner in 1993

Paris, Société des Artistes Indépendants, 1903, no. 572

Munich, Kunstverein; Frankfurt, Kunstverein; Dresden, Galerie Arnold; Karlsruhe, Kunstverein & Stuttgart, Kunstverein, Französische Künstler, 1906-07, no. 19

Paris, Galerie Bernheim-Jeune, Exposition Henri Edmond Cross, 1910, no. 1

London, Grafton Galleries, Manet and the Post-Impressionists, 1910-11, no. 58 (titled Coup de vent d'Est)

Brussels, La Libre Esthétique, Rétrospective H.E. Cross, 1911, no. 28

Paris, Galerie Bernheim-Jeune, H.E. Cross, 1913, no. 3

Tokyo, Isetan Museum, Wally Findlay Collection, 1981, no. 16, illustrated in colour in the catalogue

New York, Wally Findlay Galleries, The Vision of an Art Dealer. Cézanne and other Masters from the Personal Collection of Wally Findlay, 1987, illustrated in colour in the catalogue

Henri Guilbeaux, 'Exposition H.E. Cross', in Les Hommes du Jour, 29th October 1910

Lucie Cousturier, 'H.E. Cross', in L'Art Décoratif, March 1913, p. 132

Lucie Cousturier, H.E. Cross, Paris, 1932, p. 13

Isabelle Compin, H.E. Cross, Paris, 1964, no. 101, illustrated p. 197

The canvas is lined. Apart from a 17cm. long area of retouching and some further small scattered spots of retouching, visible under ultra-violet light, this work is in good condition. Colours: Overall fairly accurate in the printed catalogue illustration, although slightly fresher and more vibrant in the original.
"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."

In October 1891 Cross left Paris and settled in Cabasson in the South of France; his new surroundings had a significant impact on his painting, inspiring him to adopt brighter colours. Influenced by the luminous Mediterranean landscape, Cross painted his first divisionist canvases there. Executed in a build-up of short, uniform brushstrokes of pastel hues, Méditerranée par vent d’est resembles a carefully composed mosaic of shimmering colours. According to Isabelle Compin, this work depicts the rocks 'Les Baleines' at Saint-Clair. Rendering this coastal landscape on a windy day, Cross created a dynamic composition contrasting the warm colour of the rocks with the blue sea and white waves crashing against the shore.

Whilst remaining very close to Seurat and Signac, with whom he had founded the Neo-Impressionist group, Cross abandoned their scientific approach to painting, and adapted the pointillist style to his own more bold and rhythmic method, creating a body of work that celebrates the majestic scenery of the Mediterranean coast.