Maurice UTRILLO (1883-1955) Lot n° 47

Moulin de la Galette. Croquis de composition, Paris Coloured pencils on paper signed and located right side 13.5 x 17 cm à vue- 5 5/16 x 6 11/16 in. PROVENANCE Collection de Lucienne Radisse (1899-1997) Collection privée, Paris This composition sketch represents the Moulin de la Galette in the middle of a sunny afternoon. The artist uses colored pencil to quickly capture the details of the scene. Thus he captures the nuances and shadows on the spot. The preparatory work of composition is essential to the realiza­tion of the oils on canvas. This drawing is therefore the witness of a necessary step in the completion of a work, and thus shows the urgency and precision with which he sketches this urban scene that he knows so well. He depicts the Moulin de la Galette on numerous occasions throughout his career. Utrillo captures here the very essence of this Montmartre institution: a place of joy and sociability.