Willy Schlobach

Private Collection, France
Sale: Sotheby’s, London, 24th March 1998, lot 252
Purchased at the above sale by the present owner

The canvas is not lined. Examination under UV light reveals spots of retouching to all four corners, as well as one further spot of retouching to the sky in the upper left quadrant. There are minor spots of scattered retouchings to the sky and to the centre of the right edge. There are areas of paint shrinkage to the pale pink pigment. There is some lovely impasto. This work is in overall 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. 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."

The glistening effects of light on the sea and its sculptural surroundings mark Bord de mer as a prime example of Willy Schlobach’s œuvre. Depicting the ravenous waves crashing against the shore, Schlobach successfully captures the ever-changing landscape through a myriad of gleaming staccato brushstrokes inspired by the Pointillist technique. Trained at the Academy of Fine Arts in Brussels, the young Willy Schlobach was an active member of the avant-garde group Les XX, which he joined shortly after it was founded in October 1883. Through his involvement with the group, he met artists including James Ensor, Jan Toorop and Théo van Rysselberghe, exhibiting with them at the group salons mounted by L'Essor. These salons provided the ideal platform for Schlobach and fellow members of the new Belgian art movements to express their dissatisfaction with the traditional Parisian art scene's preoccupation with landscapes charged with an introspective quality reminiscent of Romanticism.

The brilliant coastal scene in Bord de mer is portrayed through cool and bright tones, creating an ever-changing dynamism and fluctuation throughout the composition made of crashing waves and brushtrokes. Paul Signac, Seurat's principal French follower, considered Schlobach to be the Belgian artist who most successfully espoused the spirit of Neo-Impressionism. Evident in the present work is Schlobach's masterful handling of the paint, of the effects of light, and of the Neo-Impressionist style: 'a technique as a justification for achieving greater brilliancy of effect by a daring juxtaposition of complementary colours'. (Mary Anne Stevens & Robert Hoozee (ed.) Impressionism to Symbolism, The Belgian Avant-Garde 1880-1900 (exhibition catalogue), Royal Academy of Arts, London, 1994, p. 36).