HENRI MARTIN | La Pergola (Gloriette)

Sale: Christie's, London, 19th June 2007, lot 402
Purchased at the above sale by the present owner

The canvas is not lined, and inspection under UV light reveals no signs of retouching. There is some very minor frame abrasion to the edges which is not visible when framed. This work is in overall 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. 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."

Glowing with a luminous and vibrant light, La Pergola (Gloriette) depicts the gardens of Marquayrol, the house that Henri Martin bought in a small village near Toulouse in 1900. Martin became extremely attached to this property that its acquisition marked a turning point in his career, encouraging him to abandon the allegorical and mythical subjects which had dominated his earlier œuvre to devote himself to the representation of nature. Martin declared that: ‘My preoccupation with rendering atmospheric effects increased later, after three months in the country, face to face with nature. Trying to capture its diverse effects, I was compelled to paint it differently. The natural light, now brilliant, then diffuse, which softened the contours of figures and landscape, powerfully obliged me to translate it any way I could, but other than using a loaded brush, through pointillé and the breaking up of tone’ (quoted in Petra ten-Doesschate Chu, Eden Close at Hand: The Paintings of Henri Martin, 1860-1943, 2005, p. 26).

In Marquayrol, the landscape and surroundings served as a constant source of inspiration to Martin and he was determined to capture the change in light and tones which occurred during the day and throughout the seasons. Depictions of the foliage-covered pergola at Marquayrol are amongst some of the most celebrated and appealing of Martin’s entire corpus, and the artist returned to the scene on a regular basis, recording the captivating play of sunlight on the warm stone of the bench and the abundantly adorned columns. Martin’s canvases are characteristically joyous expressions of light, colour and texture.  His depictions of landscapes and architecture open a window to turn-of-the-century France animated by vivid palettes. Jac Martin-Ferrières, the artist's son, notes that: ‘Henri Martin was without contest an Impressionist and one who had the deepest sensitivity, certainly equal to that of Monet, whom he most admired. Their interpretation of nature is certainly owing to their utmost sensitivity and not through research of a technical process, a poetical evocation hued by a thousand colours which can undoubtedly be called a work of art’ (Jac Martin-Ferrières, Henri Martin, Paris, 1967, p. 35).



This work is accompanied by a statement of inclusion in the artist's archives and will be included in the Henri Martin Catalogue raisonné currently in preparation by Marie Anne Destrebecq-Martin.