MAURICE DENIS | Visite dans la chambre violette

Estate of the artist
Madeleine Denis-Follain, Paris (the daughter of the artist; acquired by descent in 1943)
Antoine Poncet, Paris (by descent from the above)
Acquired after 1992

Albi, Musée Toulouse-Lautrec, Maurice Denis, 1963, no. 89
Paris, Galerie Beaux Arts, Maurice Denis, 1870-1943, 1963, no. 98
Milan, Galleria del Levante, Maurice Denis, 1966, no. 4, illustrated in the catalogue
Paris, Musée de l'Orangerie, Maurice Denis, 1970, no. 189, illustrated in the catalogue
Tokyo, Musée national d'art occidental, Maurice Denis, 1981, no. 65
Paris, Galerie Hugette Bérès, Paris, Maurice Denis: 1870-1943, 1992, no. 63

The canvas is unlined. A stamp of the artist's monogram is visible on the reverse. There is some undulation to the canvas throughout. There are some minor accretions in the upper right corner and some pindot stains scattered throughout. Under UV, no inpainting is apparent. The work is in 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.

Maurice Denis was a member of the Nabis—meaning "prophets" in Hebrew—a group of vanguard artists who met at the Académie Julian in Paris, including Pierre Bonnard, Henri Ibels, Paul Ransom, Paul Sérusier, Ker-Xavier Roussel and Édouard Vuillard. Denis observed that “It was the materialism of our teachers that led us, in reaction, to seek beauty outside nature, nature through science and art in theories” (quoted in Maurice Denis (exhibition catalogue), Musée des Beaux-Arts, Lyon, 1994, p. 115). Denis published “Definition du Néo-traditionnisme” in 1890, when he was just nineteen years old. In it he states, "Remember that a painting, before it is a war horse, a female nude or some little genre scene, is primarily a flat surface covered with colors arranged in a certain order" (quoted in ibid., p. 116). This observation would ultimately become one of the more celebrated remarks on the burgeoning stratum of Modern art. Denis was deeply religious from an early age. Fascinated with the Renaissance and the works of Fra Angelico and other Quattrocento artists, he was drawn to the subject matter of mother and child throughout his career (see fig. 1). Here, he renders a visitation. A woman in contemporary fashion cradles a newborn baby while both a young child and the newborn’s mother look on affectionately. Denis imbues the room with a warm light, and the vibrant purple hue of the back wall further enlivens the scene. In actuality, this work depicts his wife Marthe welcoming visitors before the birth of their second daughter, Bernadette.  

A harbinger of the Fauve movement soon to be developed by Henri Matisse, Henri Manguin and Albert Marquet among others, La Chambre violette has a sensibility more in line with Denis’ traditional devout principles, yet his use of color attests to his awareness and willingness to embrace certain elements of more revolutionary styles.



To be included in the forthcoming Maurice Denis Catalogue raisonné being prepared by Claire Denis and Fabienne Stahl.