Galerie Louis Carré, Paris
Mrs. Ernest W. Boissevain, of Brattleboro, Vermont (and sold: Sotheby's, London, March 30, 1977, lot 14)
Pétridès Gallery, Paris
Hilda Gerst Fine Art, New York
Acquired from the above by the present owner circa 1989

Maurice Laffaille, Raoul Dufy, Catalogue Raisonné de l'Oeuvre Peint, Geneva, vol. III, no. 1202, illustrated p. 266

Very good condition. Work has a wax lining. Surface is slightly dirty. Under UV light, no inpainting is apparent.
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.

The present work is a remarkable example of the bright palette Dufy mastered during the 1940s, with the vivid orange tone of the background forming a dynamic contrast with the pictures on the wall and the open window. Atelier de la rue Jeanne-d'Arc depicts the first of two studios that Dufy occupied in Perpignan du♍ring the 1940s. The theme of the studio as a subject recurs in Dufy's paintings at regular intervals, marking through time and place the various stages in the development of his œuvre.

The draped sculpture is a recognizable element among the objects in Dufy's studio.  Dora Perez-Tibi writes, "The 'Frileuse' occupies a privileged place in the Perpignan studios.  This sculpture is not made of clay, but is a nineteenth-century plaster cast, which had been kept in Dr. Nicolau's family for generations.  Dufy adopted it and depicted it, not as an archetype of the plaster-cast--the emblem of all classical representations of studios--but in order to accord it the same interest as the nude model" (Dufy, Paris, 1989, p. 246).  

Startling in composition as well as in palette, Atelier de la rue Jeanne-d'Arc presents a wonderful balance of fresh colors injected by lines of speed and precision, imbuing the painting with the beauty and joie de vivre characteristic of the artist's finest work.