PIERRE-AUGUSTE RENOIR | Paysage à Cagnes

Private Collection, Europe (and sold by the estate: Christie's, London, November 28, 1989, lot 275)
Private Collection, France (acquired circa 1990)
Private Collection, France (by descent from the above and sold: Christie's, New York, May 16, 2017, lot 380)
Acquired at the above sale

Ambroise Vollard, Tableaux, pastels et dessins de Pierre-Auguste Renoir, vol. II, Paris, 1918, illustrated p. 9 
Guy-Patrice & Michel Dauberville, Renoir, Catalogue raisonné des tableaux, pastels, dessins et aquarelles, vol. IV, Paris, 2012, no. 3102, illustrated p. 241

The work is in very good condition. The canvas is not lined. The impasto is well-preserved and the medium presents nicely. There is a pindot sized loss in the upper right corner. Under UV inspection, there are a few strokes of inpainting along the lower edge toward the lower right corner.
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.

Paysage à Cagnes is a quintessential example of Renoir’s late scenes of southern French towns and the surrounding countryside, which are characterized by vibrant colors and swift brushstrokes that express both a visceral technique and idyllic environment. The present work in particular illustrates Renoir’s avant-garde style—the quick slashes in his brushstroke—which are informal yet carefully composed of shades of green and hints of yellow. By the turn of the twentieth century, Renoir had garnered recognition amongst the stable of Impressionist painter. The continued support of his dealer Durand-Ruel offered Renoir financial security, enabling the artist to explore new areas of creative interest. Renoir sought to move beyond portraiture and began to explore painting en plein air, finding the freshness of natural light preferable to that of his studio.

Renoir adored the South of France and spent an increasing amount of time there before moving permanently to the area in 1897. Having suffered from the effects of rheumatoid arthritis prior to his move, Renoir found the warmth and sunlight of this more benign climate beneficial to his health, and produced some of the most charming and attractive landscapes of his entire career from the mid-1890s onward which depict the southern Midi region. Renoir further cemented his close connection to the South of France with the purchase of a countryside property near Cagnes in 1907, Les Colettes, where the artist and his family enjoyed a relaxed and happy existence (see fig. 1). Through the lively brushwork and calming palette the present work is a fiercely optimistic pastoral image that “compensated for his own sickness, emaciation and physical paralysis” (Barbara Ehrlich White, Renoir, His Life, Art and Letters, New York, 1984, p. 229).

This work is accompanied by an Attestation of Inclusion from the Wildenstein Institute, and it will be included in the forthcoming Renoir Digital Catalogue Raisonné, currently being prepared under the sponsorship of the Wildenstein Plattner Institute, Inc.