Jules-René HERVE (1887 - 1981) - The booksellers Oil on canvas signed lower left and countersigned on the back 27 x 22cm Note: Jules-René Hervé was a twentieth-century French artist known for his delicate, atmospheric paintings that often captured cityscapes and scenes of everyday life. His Impressionist style was characterized by a skilful use of light and color to create a poetic and emotive mood in his works. Hervé was also a talented illustrator, contributing his expressive and evocative drawings to many of the publications of his day.

Composed of several subsidiaries, the Drouot Group is a major player in the art market. Hôtel Drouot, located in the heart of Paris, has been the world's largest public auction center since 1852. 15 salerooms are available to more than 70 auction houses. The emulation generated by an annual offer of 230,000 artworks from 21 major specialities - from Antiquity to street art - attracts some 3,000 visitors every day. The Group's digital platform, Drouot.com, offers digital sales - Live auctions (live broadcasting and participation in auctions), Online-only auctions (dematerialised auctions) and Buy Now sales (sales of lots at fixed prices). Nearly 2 million items are offered annually by 600 auction houses. Auction news is reported every week in La Gazette Drouot, the leading weekly magazine for the art market and culture published by Auctionspress.