Pre-sale
The painter, famous for his vivid landscapes, was celebrated through two works typical of his approach to form and use of fragmented brushstrokes.
Louis Valtat (1869-1952), Anémones, signed oil on canvas, 38 x 46 cm/15 x 18.1 in.
Result: €73,139
The sale of two paintings by Louis Valtat (1869-1954), from the same collection, made for a red-letter occasion when they decisively topped their high estimates. A still life with a colorful palette featuring a lavish bouquet of anemones earned the highest bid: €73,139. The painting is one of a series of floral paintings illustrating his youthful involvement with the Nabi movement. Their innovative framing and bold colors also reflect an obvious kinship with those of the Fauves, of which he can be described as a forerunner. In regards to the subject itself, the modest flower was clearly a favorite with the artist, given the number of times he painted anemones during the interwar period.
This was followed by a landscape: Champ de coquelicots (Poppy Field: 66 x 82 cm/26 x 32.3 in), with its multitude of vibrant brushstrokes depicting the swell of wheat blowing in the wind. For this eminently lively vision (which passed through the hands of the dealer Lucien Lefèbvre-Foinet, as can be seen from a label on the back), two connoisseurs battled up to €45,712.
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