67 - BENATOV, Leonardo (1899–1972)

BENATOV, Leonardo (1899–1972) Paris Suburbs. Chevreuse (?), 1954 Oil monotype on paper Signed, dated, and numbered lower right: “1/1 1954 2 L. Benatov” 56 × 76.3 cm (sheet); 46 × 55.5 cm (image) One-of-a-kind piece. BENATOV Leonardo (1899–1972) Paris suburbs. Chevreuse (?), 1954 Paper, oil (monotype) Signed, dated, and numbered lower right: “1/1 1954 2 L. Benatov” One-of-a-kind 56 × 76.3 (sheet), 46 × 55.5 (image) Condition: (warping and yellowing of the paper) Leonardo Benatov was not only an artist but also a collector of French art. His collection included works by Edgar Degas, Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and other masters. Works from Benatov’s collection were featured in exhibitions and continued to change hands in the mid-1950s, as confirmed by museum and auction records. In his book on Soutine, Francis Segon recalls how Ossip Zadkine took him to Leonardo Benatov to show him his famous collection.