HENRI FANTIN-LATOUR | Pêches

Henri Duhem, Douai
John T. Dorrance, Jr. (sale: Sotheby's, New York, The Collection of John T. Dorrance, Jr., 19th October 1989, lot 95)
Purchased at the above sale by the present owner

Madame Fantin-Latour, Catalogue de l'œuvre complet de Fantin-Latour, Paris, 1911, no. 2006, p. 214 (titled Fruits)
Hardouin-Fugier, Les peintres de natures mortes en France au XIXe siècle, les éditions de l'amateur, Paris, 1998, illustrated p. 22

The canvas is lined. Inspection under UV light reveals a thick varnish preventing the UV light from fully penetrating, however there appears to be retouching at the extreme edges notably at the left part of the upper edge. There is minor frame abrasion to the corners with associated pin dot pigment losses, a larger pigment loss to the centre of the right edge (measuring approx. 1cm.) and a minor scratch at the centre of the upper edge. 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."

Fantin-Latour’s remarkably sharp eye for detail can be attributed to his early years working as a portrait painter. Following a trip to England in 1861, the artist began to move away from portraiture and apply this attention to detail to the traditional subject matter of the still life. Fantin-Latour drew considerable inspiration from the academic paintings of the Old Masters such as J. S. Chardin, whose work he became familiar with during his time spent studying at the Louvre, and he delighted in experimenting with academic ideas surrounding canonical subject matter.

In the present work, the artist's perceptivity translates beautifully into the playful arrangement of the peaches, imbuing the fruit with a three-dimensional anthropomorphous quality. The precision of his technique allowed Fantin-Latour to capture the texture and varying colours of the fruit in a deceptively life-like manner. Bright orbs of colour nestled in their green foliage, they are testament to the artist’s talent for trompe l'œil.

The popularity of Henri Fantin-Latour's still lifes can be partly ascribed to the patronage and promotion of artist and collector Mr. Edwin Edwards, whose longstanding faith in the artist allowed him to continue to experiment with the genre and provided him with numerous commissions. Pêches is testament to the vivid nature mortes that captivated Fantin-Latour’s public as he immortalizes the ephemeral nature of the delicate fleshy fruit so frequently depicted.

This painting will be included in the Catalogue raisonné of Fantin-Latour’s paintings and pastels by Galerie Brame & Lorenceau now in preparation.