GUSTAVE LOISEAU | Rivière en Normandie

Galerie Félix Vercel, Paris
Private Collection, Paris (acquired from the above)
Private Collection (by descent from the above; sale: Artcurial, Paris, 4th December 2012, lot 65)
Purchased at the above sale by the present owner

The canvas is not lined. Examination under UV light reveals some scattered minor areas of retouching, including one to the centre of the right edge approximately 3.5cm in length and another to the upper right of the composition measuring approx 2cm. in length. There are a few areas of shrinkage to the paint most notably to the centre right of the composition and there is some minor frame rubbing to the extreme edges. 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."

Gustave Loiseau has been called ‘the historiographer of the Seine’: he travelled its banks relentlessly, capturing fleeting atmospheric effects and the vibrant fluctuations of changing seasons (Gustave Loiseau (exhibition catalogue), Galerie Didier Imbert, Paris, 1985, n.p.). Promoted by the influential Galerie Durand-Ruel, Loiseau’s works became highly coveted among collectors from the 1890s, and this provided him with a certain financial independence which allowed him to travel more extensively and seek artistic inspiration from an increasingly varied range of subjects. The present work is a beautiful demonstration of how Loiseau’s style matured in tandem with his developing repertoire of subjects, moving away from his early stylistic inspirations and towards a very personal, poetic language which reached its zenith in his depictions of the landscape of northern France. Rivière en Normandie comes from an important series, which depict the flow and banks of the River Eure under varying atmospheric conditions. Inspired by Claude Monet’s series depicting poplar trees beside the river Epte, Loiseau explored the waterways near his Normandy home at Saint-Cyr-du-Vaudreuil. The composition is centred on a group of poplar trees, the foreground built up with bold vertical brushstrokes evoking the rich vegetation. Loiseau applied his paint in thick wide strokes employing remarkable nuances of colouration. Indeed, much of Loiseau’s technical virtuosity derives from his subtlety as a colourist. Rivière en Normandie features the gentle gradations of tones that typify his finest works: shades of mauve, verdant greens and instances of pink and blue give an ethereal magic to the violet light of the afternoon.



This work will be included in the forthcoming Catalogue raisonné of the Works of Gustave Loiseau being prepared by Didier Imbert.