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a painting of two women sitting at a table with drinkspainting of two women sitting at a table with drinks in front of theman image of a painting of two women sitting at a tablean image of a picture of a picture of a picture of a picture of a picture of a picture of a picture of a picture of a picture of a picturea painting of a woman with a hat on her heada sculpture in the middle of a room with a painting on the wall
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Estimate €250,000 - €350,000
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Description
Louis ANQUETIN At the bar – circa 1891 Pastel on paper mounted on board 53.5 x 70.5 cm Provenance: Collection of Dr Henri Bourges (1861–1942), then passed down through the family Auction in Clermont-Ferrand, Me Vassy-Jalenques, Collection of Dr Henri Bourges, 12 November 2022, lot 73  Acquired at this sale by the current owner Louis Grandchamp des Raux Collection Exhibitions: Paris, Galerie Brame & Lorenceau, Anquetin: La Passion d’être Peintre, March–April 1991, no. 22, reproduced on pp. 60–61 (according to a label on the reverse) Washington, National Gallery of Art; Chicago, The Art Institute of Chicago, *Toulouse-Lautrec and Montmartre*, March–October 2005, fig. 143, p. 207 (according to a label on the reverse)  Bibliography: *Vincent Van Gogh and the Birth of Cloisonism*, exhibition catalogue, Toronto, Art Gallery of Ontario, Rijksmuseum V. Van Gogh, Amsterdam, January–June 1981, reproduced fig. 83, p. 231 Toulouse-Lautrec, exhibition catalogue, London, Hayward Gallery, Paris, Galeries Nationales du Grand Palais, October 1991 – June 1992, fig. 320, reproduced in black and white on p. 264 Gazette Drouot, no. 39, 4 November 2022, reproduced in colour p. 149 Gazette Drouot, no. 41, 18 November 2022, reproduced in colour pp. 228–229 Pastel on paper mounted on cardboard; 21 x 27 3/4 in. Louis Anquetin established himself as one of the pioneers of modern painting, making a decisive contribution to the emergence of Cloisonnism and the affirmation of a new vision of modern life. In the mid-1880s, Vincent van Gogh, then living in Paris, coined the term ‘painters of the petit boulevard’ in conversations with his brother Théo. By this he meant those young, innovative artists – including Anquetin, Bernard and Toulouse-Lautrec – who, far from the prestigious galleries in the city centre, were exploring new aesthetic avenues and painting the bustling scenes of contemporary urban life. In contrast, Degas, Monet, Renoir, Pissarro and Sisley, supported by the art dealers Paul Durand-Ruel and Georges Petit, reigned over the ‘grand boulevard’. It was amidst this artistic effervescence that Louis Anquetin forged his style: a bold, modern and profoundly Parisian style of painting. The new Cloisonnist style he adopted brought him rapid recognition. It was during this period that Louis Anquetin produced this pastel, imbued with femininity, depicting regulars at Parisian café-concerts. Far from a staged scene, the artist captures, with remarkable spontaneity, a snapshot of bohemian life on the Butte, in a liberated Post-Impressionist style reminiscent of that of Toulouse-Lautrec (fig. 1). The tight framing, which cuts off the figures in the foreground, lends the composition a modern, cinematic quality. The velvety black of the two women’s clothes contrasts with that of the woman in the centre, dressed in a blue-green dress, with flamboyant auburn hair, blue eye make-up and carmine lips. The composition thus pulsates with a bold yet masterful interplay of colours. The presence of a third figure, seen from behind, suggests that the scene continues beyond the visible frame, inviting the viewer to mentally extend the narrative. This visual device introduces a subtle dramatic tension. A keen observer of Parisian life, Anquetin was then a regular at cafés, cabarets and entertainment venues – the favoured subjects of a capital city in full swing. These three women at the bar form part of a series of studies of female figures that he had been exhibiting since 1888 (figs. 2 and 3). A true snapshot of modern life, this vivid and spontaneous pastel accurately captures the nocturnal atmosphere of fin-de-siècle Paris, a central theme in Anquetin’s work. His figures, captured from life, embody modernity – through their posture and demeanour, but also through the painter’s chromatic freedom and innovative composition. Fig. 1: Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, At the Salon on Rue des Moulins, oil on canvas, Albi, Toulouse-Lautrec Museum Fig. 2: Louis Anquetin, Elegant Ladies, Street Scene, 1888, pastel, charcoal and wash on paper Fig. 3: Louis Anquetin, Woman at the Champs-Élysées by night, 1889–1893, oil on canvas, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam Louis ANQUETIN 53.5 x 70.5 cm Louis Anquetin established himself as one of the pioneers of modern painting, making a decisive contribution to the emergence of Cloisonnism and the affirmation of a new vision of modern life. In the mid-1880s, Vincent van Gogh, then living in Paris, coined the term ‘peintres du petit boulevard’ in conversations with his brother Theo. By this he meant those young, innovative artists – including Anquetin, Bernard and Toulouse-Lautrec – who, far from the prestigious galleries of the city centre, were exploring new aesthetic paths and painting the lively scenes of contemporary urban life. In contrast, Degas, Monet, Renoir, Pissarro and Sisley, supported by the art dealers Paul Durand-Ruel and Georges Petit, reigned over the ‘grand boulevard’. It was within this vibrant artistic moment that Louis Anquetin developed his own style, with paintings that were bold, modern and deeply Parisian. This new approach to painting – the Cloisonism he adopted – brought him rapid recognition. It was also during this period that Louis Anquetin produced this pastel, imbued with femininity, depicting the regulars at a Parisian café-concert. Far from a staged scene, the artist captures, with remarkable spontaneity, a snapshot of bohemian life on the Butte in a liberated Post-Impressionist style, reminiscent of Toulouse-Lautrec (ill. 1). The tight framing, which cuts off the figures in the foreground, lends the composition a modern, cinematic quality. The velvety black of the clothes worn by the two women contrasts with that of the figure in the centre, who is wearing a blue-green dress, with flaming red hair, eyes made up in blue and crimson lips. The composition pulsates with a bold yet masterful interplay of colours. The presence of a third figure, seen from behind, suggests that the scene extends beyond the visible frame, inviting the viewer to mentally extend the narrative. This visual device introduces a subtle dramatic tension. A keen observer of Parisian life, Anquetin frequented with great interest the cafés, cabarets and places of entertainment, the favourite subjects of this vibrant city. These three women at the bar form part of the numerous studies of female figures that he had been exhibiting since 1888 (ill. 2 and 3). A veritable snapshot of modern life, this vivid and spontaneous pastel perfectly captures the nocturnal atmosphere of fin-de-siècle Paris, a central theme in Anquetin’s oeuvre. His figures, captured in the moment, embody modernity – through their demeanour and appearance, but also through the artist’s bold use of colour and innovative composition. Fig. 1: Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Au Salon de la rue des Moulins, oil on canvas, Albi, Musée Toulouse-Lautrec Fig. 2: Louis Anquetin, Élégantes, street scene, 1888, pastel, charcoal and wash on paper Fig. 3: Louis Anquetin, Woman at the Champs-Élysées by night, 1889–1893, oil on canvas, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam
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About the sale The Louis Grandchamp des Raux Collection
Auction location
Auction time 10/24/2026 at 4:00 PM
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