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Maurice DENIS (Granville, 1870 - Paris, 1943) Nude study for a maenad from the panel "L'Orchestique grecque" at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, 1912. Charcoal and pastel on paper, signed lower left. Handwritten note in the lower right margin: "Inv. n°882". Height: 46 cm. Width: 65 cm (Spots, stains, paper curled). Provenance : - Auction sale of March 13, 1972, n°11. Hôtel Drouot, Me Morelle. - Private collection, Lamballe. Certificate of authenticity from Claire Denis with notice of inclusion in the catalog raisonné of drawings by Maurice Denis dated January 8, 2002. "Something of his heart dwells there". Maurice Denis was commissioned to decorate the ceilings of the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in 1910. The theme was the history of music, in four large panels. This was his first public commission for a decorative work, and it changed the way he thought about his art. For more than two years, he worked tirelessly on the project, from conception to execution of the paintings in 1912, and finally to the hanging of the 372 meters of canvas in 1913, the year of the building's inauguration. His friend Henri Colin would say of this décor, "Something of his heart dwells in it". And indeed, this work was essential to his career: "I've been judging myself very harshly since the Theatre," he wrote in his diary in 1913. He continued: "Put verisimilitude afterwards, but not the will or truth of sensation in all the parts. Thus, fewer little things, less fragmentary consciousness, a conception of the whole executed with ease and gusto". In this way, our maenad is a vibrant testimony to Maurice Denis's road to Damascus. The female nude born of our sketch is located at the far left of the panel "L'Orchestique grecque". It retains its exact attitude and expression. The former is somewhat lascivious and the latter reflects the intoxication born of the frenzied "Dyonisiac rhythms" and perhaps also of the cup poured at her side. With her long hair topped by a crown of vine branches, she is the counterpart to another nude above the artist's signature, whose trivial position caused quite a scandal. It is interesting to note that our work is dated 1912, whereas Denis produced his sketches the year before. It is large in scale, and he probably took great care in its execution. The model of the dome is in the Musée d'Orsay, and most of the sketches are in the Musée Départemental du Prieuré (Saint-Germain-en-Laye). The Musée Toulouse-Lautrec has four in its collection.

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Maurice DENIS (Granville, 1870 - Paris, 1943) Nude study for a maenad from the panel "L'Orchestique grecque" at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, 1912. Charcoal and pastel on paper, signed lower left. Handwritten note in the lower right margin: "Inv. n°882". Height: 46 cm. Width: 65 cm (Spots, stains, paper curled). Provenance : - Auction sale of March 13, 1972, n°11. Hôtel Drouot, Me Morelle. - Private collection, Lamballe. Certificate of authenticity from Claire Denis with notice of inclusion in the catalog raisonné of drawings by Maurice Denis dated January 8, 2002. "Something of his heart dwells there". Maurice Denis was commissioned to decorate the ceilings of the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in 1910. The theme was the history of music, in four large panels. This was his first public commission for a decorative work, and it changed the way he thought about his art. For more than two years, he worked tirelessly on the project, from conception to execution of the paintings in 1912, and finally to the hanging of the 372 meters of canvas in 1913, the year of the building's inauguration. His friend Henri Colin would say of this décor, "Something of his heart dwells in it". And indeed, this work was essential to his career: "I've been judging myself very harshly since the Theatre," he wrote in his diary in 1913. He continued: "Put verisimilitude afterwards, but not the will or truth of sensation in all the parts. Thus, fewer little things, less fragmentary consciousness, a conception of the whole executed with ease and gusto". In this way, our maenad is a vibrant testimony to Maurice Denis's road to Damascus. The female nude born of our sketch is located at the far left of the panel "L'Orchestique grecque". It retains its exact attitude and expression. The former is somewhat lascivious and the latter reflects the intoxication born of the frenzied "Dyonisiac rhythms" and perhaps also of the cup poured at her side. With her long hair topped by a crown of vine branches, she is the counterpart to another nude above the artist's signature, whose trivial position caused quite a scandal. It is interesting to note that our work is dated 1912, whereas Denis produced his sketches the year before. It is large in scale, and he probably took great care in its execution. The model of the dome is in the Musée d'Orsay, and most of the sketches are in the Musée Départemental du Prieuré (Saint-Germain-en-Laye). The Musée Toulouse-Lautrec has four in its collection.

Estimate 2 000 - 3 000 EUR

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For sale on Saturday 29 Jun : 14:00 (CEST)
quintin, France
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