EXHIBITED:
Maurice de Vlaminck , The New Otani Art Museum, Tokyo, October 9-November 24, 1991

ILLUSTRATED:
Maurice de Vlaminck , The New Otani Art Museum, Tokyo, 1991, color illustrated, no. 29
This painting is to be sold with two certificates of authenticity issued by Galerie Gilbert et Paul Pétridès, Paris and Galerie Taménaga, Tokyo.

The exquisite "Nature morte aux fruits et à la baguette de pain", painted circa 1950s is a derivative from the fascinating interlude in the history of modern art from Vlaminck's intensely concentrated observation of a still life depiction of fruits and liquid holding vessel. The composition is rich in elements depicting a half-loaf of Baguette that dominate the foreground, leading to three bulbous luscious pears next to the liquid-holding vessel and a platter of fruits in near proximity on the frontal plane. The profuse application of pigment and the sequence of dabs and short streaks rendered in warmer tones of lighter yellowish-green further define the highlights and dimensionality on the fruits and texture of the baguette, creating an effect of great optical richness. The compositional elements is further extenuated against a sombre backdrop enhanced with bold strokes and areas of contrasting whitish-grey that illuminates the outlines of the fruits and vessel. This mastery in projecting the stark contrast between light and dark in dabs and streaks of colours conveys a sense of motion that cuts horizontally, connotative of space and brings forth the essential compositional elements in this exquisite painting. In this regard, the Art historian and critic Jean Selz had once remarked upon the way in which Vlaminck’s “striking contrasts of light and shade and introduction of more sombre tones all contribute to the harmony of Vlaminck's canvas.”

The present lot represents a masterful consolidation of form that is both enticing and anchoring. It differs and contrasts with the artist’s Fauves canvases inspired largely by works of Von Gogh whom the artist remained a key proponent of up until the 1908, after which his palette become more monochromatic largely due to the influence and response to the works of Cezanna that he had observed at an exhibition, an encounter that constituted a significant phrase of transition in Vlaminck’s artistic development. This prolific phrase subsequently extended to a fruitful personal exhibition of larger scale in 1909. In Vlaminck’s latter artistic endeavors, the artist demonstrated difficulty in accepting Cubism’s rise during the war in Paris when artistic modernism was undergoing a delicate transition from Fauvism to Cubism in France. In essence, Vlaminck sought to progress beyond a style much like Henri Matisse and Andre Derain, all whilst retaining his idiosyncratic and instinctive manner of the application of paint. In retrospect, Vlaminck had depicted various still-life in different stages during his various artistic phrases, which reflects the artist’s consistent endeavor in this genre and associated subject matter. Vlaminck’s interpretation of earlier still-life such as Apple and Still-life in 1906 with vibrant colorful attributes from the Fauves tradition contrasts with another work of Fruits and still-life executed in 1908, adorned with a cooler colour palette of icy-blues and whites further accented with areas of warmer tones that remains reminiscent of Cezanna influences. Vlaminck’s brief encounter with cubism is apparent in another work entitled still-life in 1910 with an identifiable geometric composition. Grape basket was completed in 1920 of the post World War I era and thus exhibits a slightly more delicate warmer tonal palette comparatively. It is apparent that Vlaminck had consistently explored the realms of still-life, whereby many of these works are manifestations of his reality or inner emotions in responses to his artistic indulgence during the various phrases of his artistic development at a particular point in time.

Nonetheless, "Nature morte aux fruits et à la baguette de pain" is truly an exceptional work that represents a significant period of Vlaminck’s artistic endeavor, which parallels with his later works that predicates upon the utilization of a darker more sombre palette imbued with heavy strokes of contrasting whitish pigments, as epitomized by the present lot. Furthermore, it testifies to a distinguished maturity and mastery in techniques derived from a dedicated lifetime of constant experimentations with different genres of artistic influences that ultimately lead to the fruition of a stylistic approach that remained very dear to the artist’s heart. "Nature morte aux fruits et à la baguette de pain" is truly a remarkable work, beautifully imbued with Vlaminck’s strident individual characteristics derived from a vibrant life of experiences from being a Violinist, an athlete, a writer, and a truly revolutionary and exceptional artist of the early 20th century.