Chaïm Soutine

Jonas Netter, Paris (acquired by circa 1925)

Private Collection (acquired by 1946)

Sale: Christie's, London, June 25, 1984, lot 19

Jacob Baal-Teshuva, New York (acquired at the above sale)

Private Collection (and sold: Sotheby's, New York, November 12, 1988, lot 353)

Private Collection, Greenwich, Connecticut (and sold: Christie's, London, February 7, 2007, lot 351)

Acquired at the above sale

(Possibly) Paris, Les Expositions de "Beaux Arts" et de "La Gazette des Beaux-Arts," Peintres instinctifs, Naissance de l'expressionnisme, 1935-36, no. 141

Paris, Petit Palais, Les Maîtres de l'art indépendent, 1895-1937, 1937, no. 57

Pierre Courthion, Soutine, Peintre du déchirant, Lausanne, 1972, no. E, illustrated p. 178

Maurice Tuchman, Esti Dunow & Klaus Perls, Chaïm Soutine, Catalogue raisonné, vol. II, Cologne, 1993, no. 17, illustrated p. 546

Very good condition. The canvas is lined. No evidence of retouching visible under UV light. Small paint loss to the center of the upper left quadrant.
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.

Portrait de Madame X - Portrait Rose exemplifies the extraordinary talents of Chaim Soutine, one of the most innovative portraitists of the early twentieth century. Rather than seeking glamorous models of high social status, Soutine instead turned to everyday people as a source of inspiration for his most successful works. In his wildly expressive and eccentric depictions of these figures, Soutine is able to transform the appearance of his models from the commonplace to the truly outstanding. The present work does just that, Soutine has taken his sitter, the anonymous Madame X, and fervently painted her in a bright red dress with rosy cheeks and blood-red lips, even signing the portrait in the same hue, thus creating a distinctive persona and a previously unattainable sense of bravura. Paintings such as Portrait de Madame X - Portrait Rose that were emotionally charged and focused on hauntingly sensuous subjects astounded Soutine’s contemporaries. Whether portraits of the working class, depictions of local monuments, landscapes or dead animals, he was able to invest vernacular subjects with a raw beauty that set him apart from the rest of the avant-garde.

Portrait de Madame X - Portrait Rose epitomizes Soutine's portraiture of the 1920s, which was characterized by a great expressiveness of pose, rhythmically charged brushstrokes and strong color contrasts. Regardless of the age, social status or the artist's personal involvement with the sitter, Soutine's portraits are imbued with a strong physical presence, as well as with a uniqueness and individuality of his subjects. As the authors of the catalogue raisonné of Soutine's work have commented, "While his portraits do convey inner realities and make spiritual statements, they are primarily rooted in concrete perception. Though Soutine may project his inner turbulence and most personal feelings onto his subjects, the viewer never loses sight of a particular physical entity being carefully observed and experienced. Even the distortions and exaggerations of facial features and the shiftings and dislocations of body parts do not destroy the essential recognition in each painting of a certain person and a reality specific to him or her" (Maurice Tuchman, Esti Dunow & Klaus Perls, op. cit., p. 509).