Galerie Louis Carré, Paris
Acquired by the father of the present owner before 1950

Lugano, Museo d'Arte Moderna, Georges Rouault, 1997, no. 58, illustrated in colour in the catalogue

Pierre Courthion & Isabelle Rouault, Rouault, London, 1962, no. 424, illustrated p. 444
Bernard Dorival & Isabelle Rouault, Rouault, L'œuvre peint, Monte-Carlo, 1988, vol. II, no. 2334, illustrated p. 230

The board is stable and laid down on canvas. There is a 4cm. line of fluorescence at the left of the upper edge visible under UV light, possibly retouching and probably due to frame rubbing. There are other minor areas of fluorescence visible under UV light in the green frame which are most liklely to be intrinsic to the artist's material. Apart from few fly spots in the centre near the figures and a slight crack to the paint surface with an associated tiny paint loss along the black lower horizontal border, this work is in 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."

Between the years 1930 and 1950, Rouault painted a substantial number of landscapes categorised as Paysages bibliques and Paysages animés. Created from his imagination rather than direct observation, his landscapes are renowned for the subtle placing of huddled groups of figures in urban settings. With an emphasis on pure colour, these pictures demonstrate a serene atmospheric calm. The artist's strong religious faith was the direct and overwhelming influence on these pictures. Rouault proclaimed: 'I was like a peasant in the field, attached to my pictorial soil, like the man hanged by his own hempen rope, like an ox under the yoke. Though terribly restless, I never took my nose out of my work save to ascertain the light, the shadow, the half-tint, the curious features of certain pilgrims' faces. I noted forms, colours, fleeting harmonies until I was sure they were so indelibly impressed in my memory that they would stay with me beyond the grave' (the artist quoted in Soliloques, Neuchâtel, 1944, n.p.).

With Rouault's words in mind, Pierre Courthion's insightful comments about the artist's technique are especially apt: 'when we examine a Rouault, what strikes us first? Above all, the way the paint has been applied: very thickly and with passion, with great sureness, and with spontaneity... the thickly applied pigment achieves a hitherto unknown degree of energy; every form seems to flow directly from the artist's hand into our own sensibility' (Pierre Courthion, Georges Rouault, New York, 1961, p. 234).