Maurice Denis

Georges Moreau (acquired directly from the artist in 1894)
Maître Sineau, M. Gout-Werner, Auxerre, April 7, 1991

Paris, Huguette Berès, Maurice Denis 1870-1943, 1992, no. 32

Maurice Denis 1870-1943, exhibition catalogue, Paris, Huguette Berès, Paris, 1992, illustrated

The canvas is not lined and is slightly undulating. There are some areas of thin lines of craquelure in places, notably to the yellow pigment of the trunk and the seated models. There is some frame rubbing along the extreme edges. Examination under UV light reveals some intermittent dots of retouching along the right edge and to the right part of the upper edge. There are a few further small dots of retouching to the upper left corner and to the left part of the lower edge possibly related to frame rubbing. This work is in very good original 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."

This work will be included in the forthcoming Catalogue raisonné de l'œuvre de Maurice Denis being prepared by Claire Denis and Fabienne Stahl.

In 1984, the date of the present painting, Denis had recently moved with his new wife Marthe Meurier to Montrouge Villa in Saint Germain-en-Laye where the painter had set up his studio. The subject of the woman in the forest refers to one of the classic themes of Nabi paintings. In these woods surrounding Saint Germain-en-Laye can be found the echo of the Breton woods in Pont-Aven and in particular the “Bois d’Amour”, the subject of the famous Talisman by Paul Sérusier and founding work of the Nabi movement.

The nude women on the left are drawn from the Symbolist world whilst the woman in a dress refers to the painter’s fascination for everyday activities which became one of his main subjects in the 1890s. It was moreover in 1894 that Marthe became pregnant which triggered the famous maternity and visitation series.

In Femmes assises en forêt, the ambiguity is deliberate: are the nude women real people or apparitions arising from the reader’s thoughts? The scene is mysterious, and the role of the silhouettes occupying the back of the woods is difficult to determine. Evidently, a symbolist dimension endures: the typically Nabi decorative elements unify the composition and contribute to the specific atmosphere of Maurice Denis’s work. A certain displaced classicism and the artist’s growing fascination with intimate subjects characterize this composition.