A Resplendent Spring at Marquayrol with Henri Martin

Lying at the top of Labastide-du-Vert (in the Lot department), a village in the Vert valley, Henri Martin's favorite residence satisfied all his artistic needs with its outstanding view. The old 17th-century manor house was called "Marquayrol". In 1920, the painter captured on canvas his Maison métayère de Marquayrol avec la vigne de Madame Henri Martin (Farmhouse with Madame Henri Martin's Vineyard, see photo). A fine pretext to make the turquoise sky dialogue with the tender greens of the first leaves, using his Divisionist technique. The work (authenticated by Martin specialist Marie-Anne Destrebecq-Martin) inspired a battle between several of the artist's admirers, and was finally carried off for €87,600. During the two-day sale (which totalled €1.25 M), a work by Maximilien Luce featured one of his favorite scenes, Saint-Tropez, vue prise depuis la citadelle (View of Saint Tropez from the Citadel), painted between 1903 and 1906. The signed oil on board (35 x 51 cm/13.8 x 20 in), whose provenance included the Galerie Druet, Paris, and the Lelong collection, fetched €36,830. It is authenticated by Denise Bazetoux, and will thus be listed. This was followed by an iconic painting by André Derain: Buste de femme aux seins nus (Bust of a Bare-Breasted Woman) painted between 1927-1928 (52 x 48.5 cm/20.5 x 19 in). It passed through the collection of the dealer and collector Paul Guillaume. Listed in Michel Kellermann's catalogue raisonné of the master's painted works (Vol. II, no. 1096), the work deservedly garnered €21,844. The artistic parade ended with a sculpture, which went for €19,050: a bronze proof with a golden-brown patina of Masque de Picasso (Portrait of Picasso) by Pablo Gargallo, dated 1913. A version in stone is on display in Barcelona's Museum of Modern Art.