Gustave Loiseau

We wish to thank Mr. Didier Imbert for confirming the authenticity of the present Lot, which will be accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity.

Please note this work will be on view at our New York City office, at 32 E. 67th Street, from October 24th to October 26th (included), 9am-5pm.

Provenance:
Durand-Ruel & Co., Paris.
Prince Starhenberg, Paris.
Wally Findlay Galleries, New York, New York.
Acquired directly from the above by the present owner.

Lot Essay:
In the 1920s, Loiseau started painting multiple still lifes featuring porcelain statuettes of the Virgin, which he would purchase directly from his friend Le Coedon, then Pont-Aven's leading antique dealer. In his still lifes, which often adopt a tight crop, Loiseau adopts a broader touch, which accentuates masses and gives life to inanimate objects.

The present work was executed on August 15, the day of the Assumption, hence the presence of the Virgin at center. Loiseau particularly liked such popular sculptures called vierges d'accouchées, as their holy head was meant to hold a candle one would burn as soon as the mother's first contractions began. As such, the present work speaks to the traditions, and the folklore associated with Brittany at the end of the 19th century.