CLAUDE MONET (Paris 1840-1926 Giverny) Le bassin d'Argenteuil. 1875. Oil on canvas. Dated and signed lower right: 75 Claude Monet. 54 × 74 cm. Provenance: - With Galerie Bernheim-Jeune, Paris, no. 12161 (label verso). - Collection of Oskar Schmitz, Dresden, 1904. - Kunsthaus Zürich, loan from 1931 (lender: Oskar Schmitz). - Kunstmuseum Basel, loan from 1934 (lender: Oskar Schmitz estate). - With Wildenstein & Co, London, from 1936. - Mr E.W. Fattorini, Great Britain, 1940. - Sale Sotheby's, London, 16 April 1975, lot 25. - Private collection, England. - Sale Sotheby's, London, 3.12.1991, lot 22. - Private collection, London, acquired at the above auction and then in family collection. Exhibited: - Zurich 1932, Oscar Schmitz Collection, Kunsthaus Zurich, 14 January - 14 February 1932, no. 35/47. - Ballingen 1992, Claude Monet, Stadthalle, 18 June-31 August 1992, no. 6. - Washington DC 1996/97, Impressionists on the Seine: A Celebration of Renoir's "Luncheon of Boating Party", Phillips Museum of Modern Art, 21 Sept. 1996-23 Feb. 1997, no. 39 (label verso). Literature: - Daniel Wildenstein: Monet. Catalogue raisonné. Catalogue raisonné, Bonn 1996, vol. II, p. 153, no. 371 (with ill.). - Paul Fechter: Die Sammlung Schmitz, in: "Kunst und Künstler: Illustrierte Monatsschrift für bildende Kunst und Kunstgewerbe", Berlin October 1909, p. 21. - Karl Scheffler: Die Sammlung Oskar Schmitz in Dresden, in: "Kunst und Künstler: Illustrierte Monatsschrift für bildende Kunst und Kunstgewerbe", Berlin 1920/21, p. 186. - Marie Dormoy: La collection Schmitz à Dresde, in: "L'Amour de l'art", Paris October 1926, p. 342. - Daniel Wildenstein: Monet, vie et œuvre, Lausanne/Paris 1974, vol. I, p. 272 (with ill. p. 237). - Joel Isaacson: Observation and Reflection. Cl. Monet, Oxford 1978, p. 207 (with ill. p. 95). - Paul Hayes Tucker: Monet at Argenteuil, New Haven/London 1982, p. 120 (with ill. XXI). - Daniel Wildenstein: Monet, vie et œuvre, Lausanne/Paris 1991, vol. V, p. 30 (with ill.). MONET IN ARGENTEUIL The small town of Argenteuil, which lies eleven kilometres west of Paris on the right bank of the Seine and where Claude Monet made this lively painting, is often associated with the beginnings of Impressionism today. At the beginning of the 1870s, the town was a thriving suburb with around 8,000 inhabitants. Known locally as the "agréable petite ville," it was a popular Sunday refuge from the hectic city for many Parisians. Despite the rapid industrialisation that began with the construction of the railway bridge a few years earlier, the town still retained the charm of a postcard idyll. The suburb was particularly popular with those seeking relaxation who indulged in the newly fashionable passion for sailing. Thanks to contacts made by his artist friend Édouard Manet, Monet was able to rent a house for himself and his family in Argenteuil towards the end of 1871. He set up a studio in the spacious glazed extension to his house, which is only a few minutes' walk from the Seine. "I have met Monet often recently," Boudin wrote to his art dealer in January 1872. "He has settled in well and seems determined to make a name for himself. I believe he is destined to take one of the leading positions in our school of painting." (Tucker, 1995, p. 53) "The fertile period of Argenteuil, which was to become the golden age of Impressionist painting," (Wildenstein, 1996, p. 93) was initiated by Monet's arrival, and when other painters such as Manet, Renoir, Sisley and Caillebotte followed Monet's call, the city finally became the true centre of the "New Painting", its radical fault lines challenging the traditional norms of Parisian salons. In the following years - Monet stayed in Argenteuil until 1878 - he quickly developed the innovative vocabulary of Impressionism. He dispensed with conventional techniques of modelling and elaboration of details and created works with the liveliness and energy of sketches. His quick, loose brushstrokes consciously captured the fleeting moments of nature and the rapidly changing light conditions, which he conjured up in his atmospheric canvases "en plein air", using a vibrant colour palette. During his time in Argenteuil, Monet found many different subjects, but the river remained his greatest source of inspiration. Between 1872 and 1875 he painted over fifty pictures portraying different areas of the Seine. Although the moods of these works range from calm to lively, they all have one thing in common: they offer him the chance to explore the theme of an orderly, modern suburb in which man and nature merge harmoniously. "Le bassin d'Argenteuil" was completed in the late spring or summer of 1875, just one year after the groundbreaking first Impressionist exhibition, which introduced revolutionary plein air painting to a wide audience for the first time. On this warm day, Monet is walking along the Seine, where he chooses a quiet place to capture the atmosphere of the afternoon. Monet opts for an interesting view downstream from the Argenteuil harbour basin. On the left side you can see the lush green bank of Petit-Gennevilliers and at right a building that houses a boat rental business. A small bridge connects the two banks towards the front of the painting and sailing boats lie still in the harbour basin, their masts towering high. With expertly controlled brushwork, Monet creates a calm though animated landscape, forming a thoroughly wonderful picture through the various colours of his rapid brushstrokes. The yellowish-pink rays of sunlight push through the slightly cloudy sky and are reflected glitteringly in the water, while the area behind the building at right is in shadow, and the green bank is illuminated by the sun: a testament to Monet's masterful use of light. THE COLLECTOR OSKAR SCHMITZ In addition to the technical features and the importance of this painting for Impressionism, the work also has strong provenance. "Le bassin d'Argenteuil" was sold to the important Dresden collector Oskar Schmitz via the Paris dealer Bernheim-Jeune. "People came to Dresden to see the old gallery and the Schmitz collection on Emser Allee, by far the highest quality collection of French masters in Germany." (Meier Graefe, Frankfurter Zeitung, 1932). Initially for investment reasons, later out of passion that turned into exceptional connoisseurship, Oskar Schmitz began to build up a significant art collection, beginning in the late 1890s, over a period of about 20 years. The focus was French art from the second half of the 19th century. Starting with Boudin, Courbet and Delacroix, through Monet, Renoir and Sisley, to van Gogh, Cézanne and Gauguin, his collection brings together all the great names of this era. He later expanded his collection to include German artists, Liebermann playing an important role among them. The collection, which comprises 96 works of art, was displayed in his own villa and could be viewed by the public. Much was written about the collection during the patron's lifetime, and it is considered to be of particularly high quality both nationally and internationally. "No tentative attempts were made, there was no experimentation, and there is no revolutionary spirit. Rather, the collection is dominated by a lively conservative attitude. In other words, it has endeavoured to bring together what has lasting validity." (Scheffler, 1921, p. 190) Due to tax harassment, Schmitz left Germany in 1931 and moved to Switzerland with his collection. He loaned a large number of the works, especially the important paintings by the French masters, to the Kunsthaus Zurich. "Le bassin d'Argenteuil" is one of five works by Claude Monet that Schmitz bought for his collection. The work was exhibited in the Kunsthaus in 1932 together with other works from Schmitz. When the collector died unexpectedly in 1933, all the works were sent by his heirs to the Kunstmuseum Basel, where the collection remained until around 1936. Wildenstein then took over 62 works and organised a collection auction. In this context, the present painting was sold to a private collection in England. * The full tax is charged on this item marked * in the auction catalogue, i.e. VAT is charged on the sum of the bid price plus the surcharge for those items. The VAT will be refunded to Purchasers providing a validly stamped export declaration. ------------------------------------------------- CLAUDE MONET (Paris 1840-1926 Giverny) Le bassin d'Argenteuil. 1875. Oil on canvas. Dated and signed lower right: 75 Claude Monet. 54 × 74 cm. Provenance: - Galerie Bernheim-Jeune, Paris, no. 12161 (label on verso). - Collection Oskar Schmitz, Dresden, 1904. - Kunsthaus Zürich, loan from 1931 (lender Oskar Schmitz). - Kunstmuseum Basel, on loan from 1934 (lender: Oskar Schmitz estate). - Wildenstein & Co, London, from 1936. - Mr E.W. Fattorini, Great Britain, 1940. - Sotheby's auction, London, 16 April 1975, lot 25. - Privately owned England. - Auction Sotheby's, London, 3.12.1991, lot 22. - Private collection London, acquired at the above auction and since then in family ownership. Exhibitions: - Zurich 1932, Oscar Schmitz Collection, Kunsthaus Zurich, 14 Jan - 14 Feb 1932, no. 35/47. - Ballingen 1992, Claude Monet, Stadthalle, 18 June-31 August 1992, no. 6. - Washington DC 1996/97, Impressionists on the Seine: A Celebration of Renoir's "Luncheon of Boating Party", Phillips Museum of Modern Art, 21 Sept. 1996-23 Feb. 1997, no. 39 (label on verso). Literature: - Daniel Wildenstein: Monet. Catalogue raisonné. Catalogue raisonné, Bonn 1996, vol. II, p. 153, no. 371 (with illus.). - Paul Fechter: Die Sammlung Schmitz, in: "Kunst und Künstler: Illustrierte Monatsschrift für bildende Kunst und Kunstgewerbe", Berlin October 1909, p. 21. - Karl Scheffler: Die Sammlung Oskar Schmitz in Dresden, in: "Kunst und Künstler: Illustrierte Monatsschrift für bildende Kunst und Kunstgewerbe", Berlin 1920/21, p. 186. - Marie Dormoy: La collection Schmitz à Dresde, in: "L'Amour de l'art", Paris October 1926, p. 342. - Daniel Wildenstein: Monet, vie et œuvre, Lausanne/Paris 1974, vol. I, p. 272 (with illus. p. 237). - Joel Isaacson: Observation and Reflection. Cl. Monet, Oxford 1978, p. 207 (with illus. p. 95). - Paul Hayes Tucker: Monet at Argenteuil, New Haven/London 1982, p. 120 (with illus. p. XXI). - Daniel Wildenstein: Monet, vie et œuvre, Lausanne/Paris 1991, vol. V, p. 30 (with illus.). MONET IN ARGENTEUIL The small town of Argenteuil, which lies eleven kilometres west of Paris on the right bank of the Seine and where Claude Monet painted this lively picture, is today almost always associated with the beginnings of Impressionism. At the beginning of the 1870s, the town was a thriving suburb with around 8,000 inhabitants. Known locally as the "agréable petite ville", it was a favourite Sunday escape from the hectic city for many Parisians. Despite the rapid progress of industrialisation, which began with the construction of the railway bridge a few years earlier, the town still retains the charm of a postcard idyll. The suburb is particularly popular with holidaymakers who indulge in the newly fashionable passion for sailing. Through the contacts of his artist friend Édouard Manet, Monet had the opportunity to rent a cottage for himself and his family in Argenteuil towards the end of 1971. He set up a studio in the spacious glass extension to his house, which was just a few minutes' walk from the Seine. "I have often met Monet recently," Boudin wrote to his art dealer in January 1872. "He has settled in well and seems determined to make a name for himself. I believe he is destined to occupy one of the leading positions in our school of painting." (Paul Hayes Tucker, Yale University Press (ed.), 1992, p. 53). "The fertile period of Argenteuil, which was to become the golden age of Impressionist painting" (Daniel Wildenstein, 1996, p. 93) was initiated by Monet's arrival, and when other painters such as Manet, Renoir, Sisley and Caillebotte later followed Monet's call, the town definitively became the main centre of the "New Painting", which challenged the traditional norms of the Paris Salons with its radical fault lines. In the following years - Monet remained in Argenteuil until 1878 - he quickly developed the new innovative vocabulary of Impressionism. He dispensed with conventional modelling techniques and elaborate detailing and created works with the vibrancy and energy of sketches. His quick, loose brushstrokes consciously capture the fleeting moments of nature and the rapidly changing light conditions, which he conjures up atmospherically on his canvases with a luminous colour palette. During his time in Argenteuil, Monet found many different motifs, but the river remained his greatest source of inspiration. Between 1872 and 1875, he painted over fifty pictures of various stretches of the Seine. Although the moods of these works range from calm to lively, they all have one thing in common: they offer him the opportunity to explore the theme of a modern suburb in which man and nature merge harmoniously. "Le bassin d'Argenteuil" was painted in the late spring or summer of 1875, just one year after the groundbreaking first Impressionist exhibition, which presented the Impressionists' revolutionary plein-air painting to a wide audience for the first time. On this warm day, Monet strolls along the Seine, where he chooses a quiet spot to capture the atmosphere of the afternoon. He opted for an interesting view downstream onto the harbour basin of Argenteuil. The lush green banks of Petit-Gennevilliers can be seen on the left and the building housing the boat hire company on the right. A small bridge connects the two shores at the front, and the sailing boats lie still in the harbour basin, their masts rising high into the air. With impressively mastered brushwork, Monet creates a calm and at the same time dynamic landscape here, which produces a wonderful overall picture thanks to the variety of colours in the brushstrokes. The yellowish-pink rays of sunlight pushing through the slightly cloudy sky and glistening in the water, the right-hand part of the picture lying in shadow behind the building and the green shore illuminated by the sun bear witness to Monet's masterly handling of light. THE COLLECTOR OSKAR SCHMITZ In addition to the artistic particularities and the importance of this painting for Impressionism, the work can also boast a strong provenance. "Le bassin d'Argenteuil" was sold to the important Dresden collector Oskar Schmitz via the Parisian dealer Bernheim-Jeune. "People came to Dresden to see the old gallery and the Schmitz Collection in Emser Allee, by far the highest quality collection of French masters in Germany." (Julius Meier-Graefe: Die Sammlung Schmitz ausser Landes, in: Frankfurter Zeitung, 8 January 1932). Initially for investment reasons, later out of passion, which turned into great connoisseurship, Oscar Schmitz began to build up an important art collection over a period of around 20 years at the end of the 1890s. The focus was on French art from the second half of the 19th century. Starting with Boudin, Courbet and Delacroix, through Monet, Renoir and Sisley to van Gogh, Cézanne and Gauguin, his collection brought together all the great names of this era. He later expanded his collection to include German artists, with Liebermann playing a particularly important role. The collection of 96 works of art is presented in his personal villa and can be viewed by the public. Much was already written about the collection during the patron's lifetime and it was recognised both nationally and internationally as being of particularly high quality. "There have been no tentative attempts, no experimentation and no revolutionary spirit. Rather, the collection is dominated by a lively conservative attitude. In other words, it has endeavoured to bring together what has lasting validity." (Karl Scheffler: The Oscar Schmitz Collection in Dresden, in: Kunst und Künstler, XIX/1921, p. 190). Due to tax harassment, Schmitz left Germany in 1931 and moved to Switzerland with his collection. He lent a large part of the works, especially the important paintings by the French masters, to the Kunsthaus Zürich. "Le bassin d'Argenteuil" was one of five works by Claude Monet that Schmitz purchased for his collection. The work was exhibited at the Kunsthaus in 1932 together with other works by Schmitz. When the collector died unexpectedly in 1933, all the works were sent on by his heirs to the Kunstmuseum Basel, where the collection remained until around 1936. Wildenstein then took over 62 of the works and organised a collection auction. The present painting was also sold to a private collection in England during this auction. This object, marked with an * (asterisk), is fully subject to VAT, i.e. VAT is charged on the hammer price plus buyer's premium. Buyers who present a legally stamped export declaration will be reimbursed the VAT.