Louis RITMAN (1889-1963) Lot n° 37

«Woman before a fireplace», circa 1914. Huile sur toile. Non signé. 70 x 60 cm. Bibliographie: sera décrit et reproduit sous le N°55-B du catalogue raisonné de l'oeuvre Peint de Louis RITMAN en préparation par Messieurs Richard LOVE et Michael WORLEY. Ce tableau est très semblable à «La lettre» (Love, Louis Ritman: From Chicago to Giverny, 1969, Pl. 16-2) daté 1914, dans lequel il s'agit du même modèle, qui porte la même robe. Au fond, on voit la même cheminée et l'horloge au globe de verre. «The subject matter is typical and the model is one who appears frequently in several other paintings. In fact, it is common that a single figure such as this stands unposed,j alone in a living environment, unaware of the viewer. She stands in a very limited spacesilhouetted against a fireplace and mantel. We have seen the dress she wears in other paintings from about the same time. We assume that Ritman executed this picture in Giverny, or possibly in Paris. The brushwork is identical to that in the works from about 1914-1916, and particularly notable are the flat, shinglelike, juxtaposed strokes. The background, which includes the clock and the vase of flowers, is rendered in asimilar style, creating an overall patterned effect. The end result is an impressionistic handling of pigment, which contrasts with the more academic treatment of the model, especially the face and hair, a common practice for Ritman. In our opinion, the picture was brought nearly to completion but not quite. For unknown reasons, the painter stopped short of a few hours of work. He probably would have signed it at the lower left and would have submitted it for exhibition. The fact that certain areas of the canvas show through indicates the unfinished state of the painting.» R. LOVE Nos remerciements à Messieurs Richerd LOVE et Michael WORLEY pour les recherches qu'ils ont effectuées sur ce tableau