CÉSAR PATTEIN | Les blés

Private Collection, Paris (and sold, Sotheby's, New York, May 9, 2014, lot 61, illustrated)
Acquired at the above sale

Probably, Paris, Salon des Artistes Français, 1891, no. 1278

This work is in its original unlined state but with a new stretcher. Fine craquelure visible throughout. There is a small scratch with minor associated loss in the sky above the wheat. Under UV: broad areas of brushy retouching in the upper left and upper right corners; further retouching fluoresces to address frame abrasion. A collection of spots of inpainting is visible around the figure's dress and the wheat behind her. Two horizontal lines of inpainting, each approximately 5 inches long, fluoresce in the sky at upper left. Finely applied inpainting visible to address craquelure in isolated areas throughout.
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.

Born in Steenvoorde, in northern France, Pattein was raised among farmers and maintained a close connection to the rural region throughout his life. He seldom traveled much further than Lille, with the occasional journey to Paris when exhibiting at the Salon. While he experimented in his early career with portraiture and historical and religious subjects, Pattein was apt to represent agrarian traditions and rustic rituals, particularly those involving the harvest or other celebrations of agrarian abundance; this eventually led him to the atelier of Jules Breton in the mid-1880s.