Eugène Boudin (1824-1898), Brussels, the canal of Louvain , 1871, oil on panel, signed and dated, 27,5x41 cm Provenance: Galerie Durand-Ruel, Paris, (acquired on 31 July 1891), Collection M. Mayer, Paris, (acquired directly from the previous provenance, on 3 November 1891), Collection Tédesco, Paris, Sale Palais Galliera, 2 to 3 March 1977, lot 49, Collection of an art lover close to the Picasso heirs Bibliography: Robert Schmit, Catalogue raisonné des peintures d'Eugène Boudin, Paris, 1973, vol. I, p. 231, no. 640, ill. b/w On verso: Label Durand-Ruel, Paris, with inscriptions Boudin, N°1101, [...] moss Very good condition Old cleaning with minor abrasions Eugène Boudin (1824-1898), Brussels, the Louvain canal, 1871 A pioneering artist of plein air painting, Eugène Boudin was one of the major precursors of Impressionism. Admired by his contemporaries - notably Monet, who considered him his master - Boudin paved the way for a new approach to light and atmosphere in landscape painting. This work was produced in 1871, at a pivotal moment in Boudin's career: settled in Brussels during the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871), he continued his exploration of northern light and atmospheric effects despite his exile. His choice of the Louvain canal as a motif testifies to his abiding interest in places of passage and humble landscapes, always captured in their everyday truth. Boudin's supple brushwork, lively skies and ability to capture the changing effects of light set him apart from his contemporaries. Unlike many of his academic contemporaries, he favoured fleeting impressions and spontaneity of gesture, anticipating the pictorial liberation that would mark the end of the century. In Bruxelles, le canal de Louvain, the attention paid to the nuances of the sky and the vibration of the water lends this urban scene a singular luminous poetry. Boudin's eye transcends the apparent banality of the subject, making it a vibrant manifesto of the pictorial modernity of his time. Collection of an amateur close to the Picasso heirs Maison Piguet is honoured to be able to offer you remarkable works of exceptional provenance. Lots 37 to 51 and 2932 to 2934 marked in blue in the printed catalogue come from the collection of an art lover who had privileged contacts with some of Pablo Picasso's heirs. As a token of friendship and gratitude, they offered him the two drawings and 7 ceramics by their father that are included in this catalogue. These unique and unpublished works have remained in the family by descent to this day. All these lots can be found on our website Piguet.com and in the e-catalogue dedicated to this collection.