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drawing of a woman sitting under a tree with flowers in her handpainting of a woman sitting under a tree with a bird in her handan old drawing of a woman sitting under a tree with flowersan image of a picture of a wooden frame with a window in ita sculpture of a man standing in front of a painting in a room
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13 - Paul-Élie RANSON
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Estimate €40,000 - €60,000
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Description
Paul-Élie RANSON Crouching Woman, study for Women under the Blossoming Trees or Spring – 1895 Charcoal, watercolour and gouache on paper mounted on canvas Initials stamped in the bottom right-hand corner: ‘PR.’ 76.2 x 61 cm Provenance: The artist’s studio, then by descent Galerie Bérès, Paris Acquired from the gallery by the current owner in October 2016 Louis Grandchamp des Raux Collection Bibliography: B. Ranson Bitker, G. Genty, Paul Ranson 1861–1909, Catalogue raisonné, Japonism, Symbolism, Art Nouveau, Somogy, Éditions d’Art, Paris, 1999, no. 205, reproduced in colour on p. 184 Charcoal, watercolour and gouache on paper mounted on canvas; stamped with the initials in the lower right-hand corner; 30 x 24 in. In the mid-1890s, Paul-Élie Ranson produced a highly diverse body of work comprising stained-glass windows, tapestries, wallpapers, engravings and illustrations. Like his contemporaries Denis, Bonnard, Vuillard and Roussel, he took an interest in the decorative arts, driven by a desire to break down the hierarchy between the fine arts and the applied arts. Our drawing, laid out in a grid, is a preparatory sketch for the very large sheet entitled *Women under Flowering Trees* or *Spring*, a full-scale study for the tapestry of the same subject.¹ The design was exhibited at the 18th Exhibition of the Society of Independent Artists, in the Grandes Serres at the Universal Exhibition in Paris. This drawing served as the basis for a needlepoint tapestry, which was successfully exhibited at the 19th Salon of the Société nationale des Beaux-Arts at the Champ-de-Mars (no. 327) in 1897, and the following year in Brussels for the 5th Exhibition of the Libre Esthétique at the Museum of Modern Art (no. 294). It was subsequently displayed at the Maison Moderne run by Meier-Graefe until 1900. In his critical review of the 1897 Salon, Camille Mauclair praised the role played by Ranson in the revival of tapestry: ‘Among the works of art, there are a great many hangings and tapestries. Mr Ranson designs and weaves vivid compositions, characterised by a harmonious, varied and original style which his rivals—Messrs Maillol, Rippl-Rónai and de Feure.” *Le Printemps* was executed by France Ranson, based on her husband’s drawings. To date, only around ten completed needle-woven tapestries have survived. Alongside *La Femme à la cape*, *Le Printemps* ranks among the most remarkable works in the artist’s oeuvre. In it, France displays her mastery of the straight stitch, whose minute undulations lend the surface a singular density and vigour, characteristic of the couple’s entire body of work. This technique, of the utmost delicacy, creates a subtle quivering of the fabric, akin to a pointillist vibration that brings the weave to life. 1. Paul-Élie Ranson, *Women under Flowering Trees*, 1895, charcoal, watercolour and gouache highlights on paper, H. 165; W. 130 cm, full-scale preparatory drawing for a tapestry, private collection (catalogue raisonné, 1999, p. 182, no. 202). Paul-Élie RANSON 76.2 x 61 cm By the mid-1890s, Paul-Élie Ranson had produced a very diverse body of work comprising stained-glass windows, designs for tapestries and wallpaper, engravings and illustrations. Like his contemporaries Denis, Bonnard, Vuillard and Roussel, he was interested in the decorative arts, driven by a desire to break down the long-standing hierarchy between fine art and applied art. Our gridded drawing is a preparatory sketch for the very large work, *Femmes sous les Arbres en Fleur (Le Printemps)*, a full-size study for the tapestry of the same subject1. The cartoon was exhibited at the 18th Exhibition of the Society of Independent Artists, in the Grandes Serres at the Exposition Universelle in Paris. It served as the basis for a needlepoint tapestry, which was successfully exhibited at the 19th Salon of the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts at the Champ-de-Mars (No. 327) in 1897, and the following year in Brussels for the 5th Exhibition of the Libre Esthétique at the Musée d’Art Moderne (No. 294). It was then displayed at the Maison Moderne de Meier-Graefe until 1900. In her critical review of the 1897 Salon, Camille Mauclair acknowledged the role played by Ranson in the revival of tapestry-making: “Among the objets d’art there is a great number of wall-hangings and tapestries. ‘Mr Ranson designs and weaves vibrant compositions, characterised by a harmonious, varied and original style not yet matched by his followers, Messrs Maillol, Rippl-Rónai and de Feure.’ It was France Ranson, the artist’s wife, who produced the actual tapestry of *Le Printemps* from her husband’s drawing. To date, only around ten of the couple’s completed needlepoint tapestries have survived. Alongside *La Femme à la Cape*, *Le Printemps* ranks among the most remarkable works in the artist’s oeuvre. Here, France Ranson demonstrates her mastery of the straight stitch, whose minute undulations lend the surface a unique density and vitality, characteristic of the couple’s entire body of work. This technique, of the utmost delicacy, creates a subtle quivering of the fabric, akin to a pointillist vibration that brings the weave to life. 1. Paul-Élie Ranson, *Femmes sous les arbres en fleur*, 1895, charcoal, watercolour and gouache highlights on paper, H. 165; W. 130 cm, full-scale preparatory drawing for the tapestry, private collection (catalogue raisonné, 1999, p. 182, no. 202).
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About the sale The Louis Grandchamp des Raux Collection
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Auction time 10/24/2026 at 4:00 PM
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