FREITAG, 27. MÄRZ 2026 
From Sisley to Haring: An Eclectic Paris Auction in Focus
T he Impressionists will take centre stage at Paris Enchères – Collin du Bocage's sale on 27 March, with two major works offered at auction.
First, a pastel by Alfred Sisley entitled Le canal du Loing à Saint-Mammès, 1883 (lot 126), is estimated at between €100,000 and €150,000. In the early 1880s, Sisley had settled in the Moret-sur-Loing region, captivated by the picturesque banks of the Loing and the Seine, which meet at Saint-Mammès. The river and sky dominate the composition, rendered in vibrant blues heightened with touches of white and lavender, while red-roofed farmhouses and wooded banks anchor the scene in a soft, idyllic summer light. Held in a private collection in Paris since the 1980s, this pastel offers a particularly accomplished example of Sisley’s Impressionist sensitivity to the landscapes of the Île-de-France.
The second highlight of the sale, La nymphe endormie by Henri Lebasque (lot 104), is estimated at between €50,000 and €70,000. This large-format oil on canvas is, according to the artist’s daughter, one of Lebasque’s earliest depictions of the nude, painted in the gardens of his Saint-Tropez property. The reclining figure, bathed in Mediterranean light filtered through the vegetation, reflects the warm Post-Impressionist touch that defines Lebasque’s distinctive style.
The remainder of the sale presents an eclectic panorama. Among the highlights is a delicate Bouquet de fleurs by Le Pho (lot 134 – estimated at €30,000–€50,000), painted in oil on silk between 1955 and 1959. It is a characteristic work by the Franco-Vietnamese painter, who combined Asian and French traditions with rare elegance. An ambitious canvas by André Lhote, Anne assise devant la partition de Tristan, 1927, also commands attention (lot 100 – estimated at €25,000–€35,000). Here, Lhote deploys the full geometric rigour of his painting: the female figure is structured into carefully articulated planes of colour, set against a background animated by a Cubist still life and a drawn figure, all in a harmonious palette of reds, ochres and greys.
Finally, one of the most unusual lots in the sale is undoubtedly the handbag decorated by Keith Haring in silver felt-tip pen in 1985 (lot 129, estimated at €10,000–€12,000). The story behind this object is worth recounting: while preparing the exhibition Figuration libre France/USA in Paris in 1984, Haring discreetly took a handbag belonging to a curator at the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, adorned it with his signature figures, and then returned it to its owner. This everyday object, transformed into a work of art, perfectly illustrates the playful spirit and spontaneous generosity that characterised the American artist.
The second highlight of the sale, La nymphe endormie by Henri Lebasque (lot 104), is estimated at between €50,000 and €70,000. This large-format oil on canvas is, according to the artist’s daughter, one of Lebasque’s earliest depictions of the nude, painted in the gardens of his Saint-Tropez property. The reclining figure, bathed in Mediterranean light filtered through the vegetation, reflects the warm Post-Impressionist touch that defines Lebasque’s distinctive style.
The remainder of the sale presents an eclectic panorama. Among the highlights is a delicate Bouquet de fleurs by Le Pho (lot 134 – estimated at €30,000–€50,000), painted in oil on silk between 1955 and 1959. It is a characteristic work by the Franco-Vietnamese painter, who combined Asian and French traditions with rare elegance. An ambitious canvas by André Lhote, Anne assise devant la partition de Tristan, 1927, also commands attention (lot 100 – estimated at €25,000–€35,000). Here, Lhote deploys the full geometric rigour of his painting: the female figure is structured into carefully articulated planes of colour, set against a background animated by a Cubist still life and a drawn figure, all in a harmonious palette of reds, ochres and greys.
Finally, one of the most unusual lots in the sale is undoubtedly the handbag decorated by Keith Haring in silver felt-tip pen in 1985 (lot 129, estimated at €10,000–€12,000). The story behind this object is worth recounting: while preparing the exhibition Figuration libre France/USA in Paris in 1984, Haring discreetly took a handbag belonging to a curator at the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, adorned it with his signature figures, and then returned it to its owner. This everyday object, transformed into a work of art, perfectly illustrates the playful spirit and spontaneous generosity that characterised the American artist.
