Ambroise Vollard, Paris
Galerie Druet, Paris
Acquired by the family of the present owners in 1950 and theꦿnce by descent

The canvas is not lined. UV examination reveals an intermittent line of retouching to the upper edge and some further spots to the upper part of the right edge. There are some minute paint losses to the greenery. Otherwise, this work is in overall 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."

Many of Vlaminck's masterpieces were views of the waterways🏅 of France: the tugboats, barges, yachts, bridges and sailboats seen at Charon, Bougival, Argent𝕴euil and Pecq. From 1908, like most of his Fauve friends, Vlaminck had begun to move away from the violence of pure colour and turn towards more muted tonalities and a more sober and rigorous composition.

Here the artist offers us a subtle representation of a peaceful summer day with brilliant colours. During the transition♒al period between Fauvism and the more familiar output of his later years, the influence of Cézanne led to a major modification in Vlaminck's style. At first glance, the austere and tender beauty of Cézanne's evocations of his native landscape would seem to be diametrically opposed to Vlaminck's aggressive and confrontational early works. Yet within this later development in his art there is an undeniable continuity with his early experiments with colour.

At the centre of Cézanne's landscapes lay a desire to render nature and volume through colour: 'To read nature is to see it...by means of colour patches, following upon each other to a law of harmony. Nature's broad colouration is thus analysed by modulations. To paint is to record one's sensations of colour' (Cezanne in Provence (exhibition catalogue), Washington, 2006, p. 23). Vlaminck's decision to study the work of the master of Aix-en-Provence was motivated less by a reaction to the excesses of his youth than a desire to achieve a more measured and mature approach to his central preoccupation, the artistic possibilities of colour. The high-pitched colour and slashing strokes of the Fauve years were balanced by more subdued tones and a smoother application of paint. Although the present work reveals a tempered palette compared to that of the artist's Fauve period, the use of brighter blues and greens in the present work reveals the sustained energy of the Fauvist palette.  This new style would earn him this glowing review from Guillaume Apollinaire: 'Maurice de Vlaminck is one of the most gifted painters of his generation.  His vision is large, powerful: his sober and intense technique allows lines to retain all of their freedom, shapes all of their relief, colours all of their clarity, all of their beauty' (G. Apollinaire, L'intransigeant, March 16th, 1910).