Daniel Carasso, France (and sold: Piasa, Paris, March 19, 2010, lot 94)

The canvas is not lined and the surface is clean. Under UV light: there are a few strokes of inpainting around extreme perimeter, mostly near upper corners, to address prior frame abrasion. There are also a few small spots of retouching in the water near the lower left corner and in the adjacent boat. A 3 inch scrape in the paint layer which appears to have been done by the artist also fluoresces and may have been filed in. Otherwise fine, the 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.

L’Estaque, a small French fishing village on the bay of Marseilles, captured the imagination of artists and writers alike. Paul Cézanne painted a series of views of the water and explored the luxuriant rewards of painting en plein air while directly soaking up the beauty of the bay and its vital atmosphere. Pierre-Auguste Renoir raved about the village "How beautiful it is! It’s certainly the most beautiful place in the world and not yet inhabited… there are only some fishermen and the mountains… so there are no walls, no properties or few… here I have the true countryside at my doorstep" (quoted in John House, Renoir, London, 1985, p. 233). Émile Zola too put pen to paper to express the impact that L’Estaque had on him: "the countryside is superb… Nothing equals the wild majesty of those gorges hollowed out between the hills, narrow paths twisting at the bottom of an abyss, arid slopes covered with pines and with walls the colour of rust and blood…when this dried out country gets thoroughly wet, it takes on colours…of great violence: the red earth bleeds, the pines have an emerald reflection, the rocks are bright with the whiteness of fresh laundry" (quoted in John Rewald, Cézanne, A Biography, New York, 1986, p. 93).

Marquet adds to the list of eminent artists who were inspired by L’Estaque. The village which was nestled between sea and mountain provided the perfect opportunity for the artist to experiment with his supreme handling of color and form. The jutting boat in the foreground of the work acts as a pathway into the world of the bay. It directs the viewer’s gaze onward and into the horizon, creating a liberating sense of space despite the bustle of boats and reflections. The strong pastel orange of the rooftops and their reflections enliven the natural stone browns and greens of the landscape while the impression of spontaneity achieved with Marquet’s rough brushwork for sea and sky evokes the liveliness of the great outdoors. This work invites us to enjoy Marquet’s own personal vision of the picturesque landscape, where he found water, land, mountain and sky convergin🔯g in harmonious  majesty.