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Lot Essay
In 1880, when Dagnan-Bouveret completed this painting, an important, captivating, and until now completely unknown work characteristic of the artists early genre manner, was establishing himself as a recorder of Parisian scenes populated by a broad range of Parisian types. Whether in his The Bird Charmer in the Tuileries Garden, 1879 (brown ink drawing, Chrysler Museum of Art) or in the painting of an exhausted washerwoman resting along the Quai near the Seine (The Laundress, 1880) Dagnan-Bouveret was moving away from traditional academic themes to embrace contemporary life made popular by the writings of Alphonse Daudet and Emile Zola. Undoubtedly, Dagnan-Bouveret was also inspired by the discussions he was having with artistic colleagues from the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, including his long-time friend, the romantic academic painter Gustave Courtois.
In the painting we see a well-appointed atelier, with a bearskin rug on the floor, and a screen decorated with flowers. The elegantly dressed painter, holding his palette and mahl-stick, is relaxing on a sofa; at the other end of the sofa sits a young woman, dressed in black, who is separated from the artist both in actuality and in demeanor. Exactly what the relationship is between these two participants remains unclear. Although they don't seem to be communicating with one another, and they each exist in their own worlds, there is a distinct possibility that the scene represents a painter and his model or subject. There is also little or no doubt that the painter is Dagnan-Bouveret's friend Courtois in his own atelier resting during a posing session with his model. Another portrait of Courtois by Dagnan-Bouveret (1884) strongly suggests this. If Bouderie is the true title of the work it could it be that the woman is the one sulking because she is unhappy with her likeness. Another proof that the work is a portrait of Courtois is that the painting reflected in the large mirror, in the central part of the composition, closely recalls a work that Courtois was completing at this moment in time, Portrait of Mme Rochetaillie (1877).
The atmosphere of boredom, of ennui, that permeates the composition suggests that Dagnan-Bouveret was skilled at capturing the social mores of his time in a work that would have brought him increased attention if it had been exhibited at the Paris Salon. As a fashionable portrait painter, adept at securing commissions from wealthy clients, Gustave Courtois followed a career path that was frequently advocated by teachers at the Ecole such as Jéan-Léon Gerôme or by many younger artists who wanted an official career. While Dagnan-Bouveret was open to the examination of the hardships affecting the poor both in the city and the country, Gustave Courtois remained more conservative in orientation. La Bouderie (Sulking), the painting for sale here, if it is its title, is an attractive example of the artists anecdotal scenes of Parisian or urban life such as Wedding at the Photographer (1878-79) or the Laundress (1880), before the artist turned to more naturalistic subjects in inspiration and painting technique.
While the original collector for this painting remains uncertain, the work may have attracted the attention of Samuel Avery, a legendary American dealer, who was in Paris helping to secure works for American clients. If this were the case it would attest to the reason why this work remained in American collections for a long period of time, becoming one of the paintings by Dagnan-Bouveret that entered an international collection during the lifetime of the artist.
Since Dagnan-Bouveret was to have an outstanding career, to become a member of the Institut, and to receive numerous awards and honors, this work helps establish the originality of his early direction when he was using contemporary themes to broaden his outlook and to help him move toward finding clients and advocates for his own work.
We are grateful to Dr. Gabriel P. Weisberg of University of Minnesota for preparing this catalogue entry.
In the painting we see a well-appointed atelier, with a bearskin rug on the floor, and a screen decorated with flowers. The elegantly dressed painter, holding his palette and mahl-stick, is relaxing on a sofa; at the other end of the sofa sits a young woman, dressed in black, who is separated from the artist both in actuality and in demeanor. Exactly what the relationship is between these two participants remains unclear. Although they don't seem to be communicating with one another, and they each exist in their own worlds, there is a distinct possibility that the scene represents a painter and his model or subject. There is also little or no doubt that the painter is Dagnan-Bouveret's friend Courtois in his own atelier resting during a posing session with his model. Another portrait of Courtois by Dagnan-Bouveret (1884) strongly suggests this. If Bouderie is the true title of the work it could it be that the woman is the one sulking because she is unhappy with her likeness. Another proof that the work is a portrait of Courtois is that the painting reflected in the large mirror, in the central part of the composition, closely recalls a work that Courtois was completing at this moment in time, Portrait of Mme Rochetaillie (1877).
The atmosphere of boredom, of ennui, that permeates the composition suggests that Dagnan-Bouveret was skilled at capturing the social mores of his time in a work that would have brought him increased attention if it had been exhibited at the Paris Salon. As a fashionable portrait painter, adept at securing commissions from wealthy clients, Gustave Courtois followed a career path that was frequently advocated by teachers at the Ecole such as Jéan-Léon Gerôme or by many younger artists who wanted an official career. While Dagnan-Bouveret was open to the examination of the hardships affecting the poor both in the city and the country, Gustave Courtois remained more conservative in orientation. La Bouderie (Sulking), the painting for sale here, if it is its title, is an attractive example of the artists anecdotal scenes of Parisian or urban life such as Wedding at the Photographer (1878-79) or the Laundress (1880), before the artist turned to more naturalistic subjects in inspiration and painting technique.
While the original collector for this painting remains uncertain, the work may have attracted the attention of Samuel Avery, a legendary American dealer, who was in Paris helping to secure works for American clients. If this were the case it would attest to the reason why this work remained in American collections for a long period of time, becoming one of the paintings by Dagnan-Bouveret that entered an international collection during the lifetime of the artist.
Since Dagnan-Bouveret was to have an outstanding career, to become a member of the Institut, and to receive numerous awards and honors, this work helps establish the originality of his early direction when he was using contemporary themes to broaden his outlook and to help him move toward finding clients and advocates for his own work.
We are grateful to Dr. Gabriel P. Weisberg of University of Minnesota for preparing this catalogue entry.