皮耶·奧古斯特·雷諾瓦

Galerie Ambroise Vollard, Paris

Mouradian et Vallotton, Paris

Mrs. Neville Blond, O.B.E. (sold: Christie's, London, June 24, 1986, lot 115)

Private Collection (acquired at the above sale, thence by descent and sold: Christie's, London, February 5, 2008, lot 266)

Richard Green Gallery, London

Acquired from the above

The canvas is strip-lined and has been placed on a new stretcher. There is no evidence of retouching visible under ultra-violet light. Apart from a tiny paint loss on the rim of the blue bowl, this work is in very 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.
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.

A vibrant still life with fruit is the subject of Renoir's richly-painted composition from the early twentieth century.  By this point in his career,  Renoir could paint at leisure, no longer heavily dependant on client commissions or the expectations of his dealers. Women and still-lifes occupied his production during these later years, when the pursuit of beauty was first and foremost this artistic priority.  

The present work, which depicts an arrangement of apples on a table, belies a consciousness of Renoir's contemporaries and the leanings of the avant-garde at this important moment in history.  The methodical arrangement of the pictorial elements calls to mind the still-lifes of Paul Cézanne, whose exploration of geometry and spatial perspective would change the direction of modern art.  Renoir has similarly concentrated on the relationships among heavy cylindrical outines of the apples and the porcelain bowl, while remaining true to the softness of his original Impressionist palette.