Private Collection, France
Private Collection, Netherlands (sale: Sotheby's, New York, 10th November 2000, lot 312)
Private Collection (sale: Sotheby's, London, 6th February 2007, lot 512)
Purchased at the above sale by the present owner

The canvas is not lined. There are some areas of fluorescence visible under UV light around the figure in the foreground, which is most probably pigment. This work is in good original condition. Colours: Overall fairly accurate in the catalogue illustration, although the colours are fresher and the pinks in the foreground area are softer in the original.
"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."

Emulating the holiday culture pursued by the Impressionists before him, Van Dongen spent his summers from 1900 to 1906 working near Fontainebleau, Barbizon and the Normandy coast. Van Dongen had visited Paris for the first time in 1897 where he had met his mistress Jasmy Jacob and been introduced to the Parisian beau monde. Straight away the Dutch artist's paintings became brighter and more colourful, and in the work of the period 1900 to 1906 Van Dongen's interest in shimmering light and atmosphere starts to grow.

Van Dongen was little known to the public as a painter until his contribution to the sensational Salon d'Automne of 1905 brought him to their notice. It was at the sight of the brilliant colours and free forms of Matisse, Derain, Vlaminck and others, including Van Dongen, that the critics and the press coin🎃ed the term 'Fauvism'. The artists branded Fauvists were disposed to vivid hues, strong contrasts, simplified shapes and bold motifs.

The present work was probably painted durinౠg one of his summer sojourns on the French coast. Van Dongen playfully captures the image as it appears in a brief moment, and depicts it with a directness and simplicity. The colour is deployed freely, the con🥃trasts are sharp - it is, in his earlier Fauvist manner, a lively and vibrant pictorial interpretation of the visual reality of the landscape.   

FIG. 1, Kees van Dongen in Biarritz in 1930 (photogr🉐aphy by Jacques Henri Lartigue)