Maurice Gobin, Paris
Ernest Rouart, Paris
Sale: Drouot-Richelieu, Paris, 17th December 1993, lot 13
Purchased at the above sale by the present owner

Ludovic R. Pissarro & Lionello Venturi, C. Pissarro, son art, son œuvre, Paris, 1939, vol. I, no. 1359, illustrated pl. 265; vol. II, listed no. 1359

Executed on fine linen, laid down on paper which is laid down on board. The linen has been unevenly cut and there are artist's pinholes intermittently along the upper edge. There are some losses and abrasions to the sheet from previous mounting, not visible when framed. This work appears to be in good overall 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."

Executed in 1882, this wonderfully atmospheric work is a candid depiction of peasant life and farming tradition, themes that Camille Pissarro returned to frequently throughout his career. He lived in the rural countryside around Pontoise, north of Paris, from 1866 to 1868 and again from 1872 to 1882 where he enjoyed the simple, quotidian life. In his essay accompanying the retrospective held at Durand-Ruel Gallery five months after Pissarro’s death, Octave Mirbeau summarises the artist’s œuvre: ‘It’s the life of the land that Camille Pissarro expresses, without resorting to sentimentality or extraordinary effects. More than any other, he will have been truly the painter of the soil and of our soil… When he paints figures in scenes of agrarian life, man always takes his proper place within a vast earthly harmony’ (quoted in Karen Levitov & Richard Shiff, Camille Pissarro, Impressions of City & Country (exhibition catalogue), The Jewish Museum, New York, 2008, p. 15-16). Although commanding the composition in terms of scale, the three figures in the foreground are encompassed by the fertile green field that they harvest, highlighting Pissarro’s focus on the harmonious coexistence of man and nature.

The present work is an exquisite example of Pissarro’s mastery of pastel and gouache; his lively application of medium in quick strokes in the foreground and long, horizontal lines in the background is complemented by the calming effect of the slow recession into space. The earthy tones of the background fused with the vibrant green palette of the dense foliage evokes a sensory reaction that is perfectly described by Octave Mirbeau in a review of 1887: ‘He paints the smell of the earth’ (quoted in Karen Levitov & Richard Shiff, ibid, p. 19). Les Sarcleurs is a delightful example of Pis🌸sarro’s 𓃲honest renderings of arable life and truly captures the spirit of the rural landscape that the artist so enjoyed. 

The illustrious provenance of thꦏis work traces back to Ernest Rouart, the Impressionist painter and art collector, son of Henri Rouart, who married Berthe Morisot and Eugène Manet's daughter Julie Manet.ඣ He was one of the principal supporters of Impressionist art, donating a Manet to the Musée D'Orsay and a Morisot to the Musée du Louvre.