PAUL SÉRUSIER | Sous-bois à Huelgoat - rectoPersonnages - verso

Galerie Doyen, Vannes
Sale: Thierry-Lannon, Brest, 14th December 2013, lot 254
Purchased at the above sale by the present owner

Executed on fibrous brown card, not laid down. The work is taped to a sheet of perspex along all four edges and is gently undulating. Recto: Examination under UV light reveals fluorescence to some of the pigments however these do not appear to be signs of retouching. There is an artist's pinhole to the centre of the upper edge. There is a small spot of pigment loss to the dark red beneath the centre of the composition, on the recto, and a repaired tear of approximately 6cm. to the lower part of the right edge which is partially visible when framed. Verso: There are scattered stains to the verso, noticeably towards the right hand edge and along the lower edge. There is some minor surface rubbing towards the centre of the composition, to the right of the central figure's head, which is not disturbing and possibly inherent to the artist's technique. 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."

Sous-bois à Huelgoat is a composition Paul Sérusier completed in Brittany, where he worked closely with Paul Gauguin and Émile Bernard, as well as other artists known collectively as the Pont Aven School. The Breton towns of Pont Aven and nearby Le Pouldu were unique for the distinctive culture of the local people and their timeless way of life, and offered a dramatic contrast to the modernity of Paris at the turn of the century. Sérusier and his colleagues were fascinated with the simplicity and rustic beauty of this region and depicted the daily activities of the local peasants in many of their compositions. Maurice Denis noted how Gauguin initially explained to Sérusier his ideas about painting: ‘What colour do you see that tree? Is it green? Then use green, the finest green in your palette. And that shadow? It’s blue, if anything? Don’t be afraid to paint it as blue as you possibly can’ (Maurice Denis, ‘L’Influence de Paul Gauguin’, in L’Occidente, October 1903).

The authenticity of this work has been confirmed by the Comité Paul Sérusier.