- 16
Hugues Merle
Estimate
70,000 - 90,000 USD
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Description
- Hugues Merle
- Baigneuse
- signed Hugues Merle and dated 1870 (lower left)
- oil on canvas
- 45 7/8 by 32 1/8 in.
- 116.5 by 81.6 cm
Provenance
Lorraine R. Langer, Chicago (sold by her estate, Sotheby's, New York, November 4, 2010, lot 55, illustrated)
Acquired at the above sale
Acquired at the above sale
Exhibited
Possibly, Paris, Salon, 1870, no. 1947
Condition
Lined. Under UV: Isolated retouches in the background around the right arm and to address a diagonal scratch in the upper left background. Possible remnants of a light glaze from an earlier restoration are visible in the chin and face, but they do not seem to correspond with any recent retouches.
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.
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.
Catalogue Note
Hugues Merle was most often associated with his friend and rival, William Bouguereau, not only because they depicted similar subjects but also employed a high degree of finish and naturalistic technique. Merle was just two years older than Bouguereau, and their thematic and artistic similarities begged comparison from critics and collectors alike. In the present work, Merle depicts a beautiful wood nymph emerging from her bath; her fingers are entwined in her hair that still glistens with tiny drops of water from the pool below.