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Estimate €40,000 - €60,000
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Description
Jean METZINGER Seascape (The Port of Le Croisic) – 1905 Oil on panel Signed with the initials ‘J.M’ in the bottom right-hand corner 22 x 27 cm Provenance: Auction, Paris, Hôtel Drouot, Michel Boscher, 21 December 1956, lot 122 (titled ‘Evening at the Harbour’) Auction, Geneva, Galerie Motte, 28 June 1968, lot 31 (titled *Les bateaux*) Auction, Paris, Palais Galliera, Messrs Loudmer, Poulin, Cornette de Saint-Cyr, 12 June 1974, lot 175 (titled *Marine*)  Auction, Paris, Hôtel George V, Messrs Loudmer, Poulin, Cornette de Saint-Cyr, 29 October 1974, lot 87 (titled ‘Marine’) Private collection, Île-de-France Auction, Paris, Kâ-Mondo, 2 December 2022, lot 87 Galerie des Modernes, Paris Acquired from the gallery by the current owner on 31 January 2025 Louis Grandchamp des Raux Collection Bibliography: This work will be included in the catalogue raisonné currently being prepared by the Jean Metzinger Committee. A certificate from the Jean Metzinger Committee (Marek Mielniczuk – Raphael Maket – Marc Ottavi) will be issued to the purchaser. Preparatory study for *Port du Croisic*, exhibited at the Salon des Indépendants in 1905, under no. 2902 Oil on panel; signed with the initials lower right; 8 5/8 x 10 5/8 in. Both a painter and a poet, Jean Metzinger made a name for himself early in his career through his Divisionist works before turning his attention to Fauvism, Pre-Cubism and then Cubism. This painting, created in 1905, predates the evolution of his work towards a more abstract stylisation. The works from this period are seascapes and landscapes of Normandy or Brittany, depicting mainly fishing ports and marinas. This view of the jetty and the large pier at the port of Le Croisic is meticulously composed: a high horizon line separates the sky from the sea; the large pier and the lighthouse are on the left, whilst the openwork jetty is on the right and in the foreground. The scene is enlivened by a few boats, some of which fly colourful sails that catch the viewer’s eye. The touches of yellow and blue contrast with a palette dominated by shades of pink, violet and green, conveying an atmosphere of calm and silence. Metzinger applies broad, mosaic-like brushstrokes that create subtle plays of reflections and shimmering light. This method is linked to the significant resurgence of interest in Neo-Impressionism in 1905, spurred by the retrospectives of Seurat and Van Gogh at the Salon des Indépendants, and by Henri-Edmond Cross’s solo exhibition at the Druet Gallery. The simultaneous interest subsequently shown in the work of Cézanne and in the principles of Fauvism suggests the path by which Jean Metzinger moved from Neo-Impressionism to Cubism. Jean METZINGER 22 x 27 cm Both a painter and a poet, Jean Metzinger first made a name for himself early in his career with his Divisionist works, before turning his attention to Fauvism, Pre-Cubism and then Cubism. This work, painted in 1905, predates the shift in his style towards a more abstract form of representation. The works from this period are seascapes and landscapes of Normandy or Brittany, depicting mainly sailing and fishing ports. This view of the pier and the large jetty at the port of Le Croisic is composed with great rigour: a high horizon line separates the sky from the sea; the large jetty and the lighthouse are on the left, whilst the openwork pier is on the right and in the foreground. A few boats, some of which feature colourful sails that catch the viewer’s eye, bring the scene to life. The touches of yellow and blue contrast with a palette dominated by shades of pink, mauve and green, conveying an atmosphere of calm and silence. Metzinger uses broad, mosaic-like brushstrokes that create subtle effects of light and reflection. This technique is linked to the significant resurgence of interest in Neo-Impressionism in 1905, spurred by the retrospectives of Seurat and Van Gogh at the Salon des Indépendants, and by the solo exhibition of Henri-Edmond Cross at the Galerie Druet. The subsequent simultaneous interest in the work of Cézanne and in the principles of Fauvism suggests the path by which Jean Metzinger moved from Neo-Impressionism towards Cubism.
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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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