Private Collection, France (acquired circa 1930s)

Paul Pétridès, L'oeuvre complet de Maurice Utrillo, vol. I, Paris, 1962, no. 138, catalogued p. 188, illustrated p. 189
Jean Fabris & Cédric Paillier, L'oeuvre complet de Maurice Utrillo, vol. I, Paris, 2009, no. 82, illustrated p. 139

Canvas has not been lined. There is a layer of varnish on the surface and surface is slightly dirty. Canvas is buckling slightly at upper left and lower right corners. Areas of stable cracking in foreground to left and right of center, and 2-3 in from centers of left and right edges. Under UV light: no inpainting is apparent. Work is in 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.
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.

In describing the artist's 'White Period', Adolphe Tabarant wrote: "He has become obsessed with white - an incredible white! Dissatisfied with the effects obtainable with zinc white, he tries combining it with plaster, in an effort to reproduce the whites of his beloved walls. In a frenzy of realism, he would like to go so far as to put real moss on the old stones...At this time Utrillo uses a palette of many whites, but these never become chalky or dull. He surrounds them with soft greys, delicate pinks, deep blues, or else contrasts them with sonorous browns and blacks. It is during this period that he achieves his most striking work... With each new work he rises to further heights and, with the most delicate sensitivity, he clothes in splendour all that the casual eye of the passerby neglects" (Adolphe Tabarant, Utrillo, Paris, 1926).