The present lot is currently under review for authenticity by the Wildenstein-Plattner Institute, New York.

Provenance:

Collection of Marcelle Marquet, the Artist's widow.

Private Collection, New York.

Exhibited:

Paris, Grand Palais, Les Indépendants à la Belle Époque, 1895-1901, March 25 - April 17, 1966, illustrated.

Tokyo, Wildenstein Tokyo, Exposition Albert Marquet, June 19 - July 17, 1982, no. 6, illustrated.

New York, Wildenstein, Albert Marquet, 1875-1947: A Tribute to the Late Jean-Claude Martinet, Author of the Forthcoming Catalogue Raisonné of the Artist's Work, April 10 - May 17, 1985, pp. 4; 89, illustrated (and traveling to London, Wildenstein, June 19 - July 31, 1985).

Lausanne, Fondation de l'Hermitage, Albert Marquet, 12 February - 5 June 1988, no. 12.

Lot Note:

Albert Marquet likely painted the present nude at the home of his friend Henri Manguin, located at 61 rue Boursault in Paris’s Batignolles district. Purchased by Manguin in 1889, this charming residence became a gathering place for artists and musicians, hosting such figures as Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel, Henri Matisse, and Marquet himself. The cropped head visible in the lower right of the composition may well belong to Manguin, offering a tantalizing glimpse into the intimate artistic circles in which Marquet moved.

Marquet’s early nudes, executed between 1900 and 1910, offer a revealing insight into his artistic development, bridging the academic discipline of his training at the École des Beaux-Arts under Gustave Moreau and the radical experimentation of Fauvism. There, Marquet explored the human figure through simplified forms, expressive contours, and increasingly daring approaches to color and light. While retaining the close observation of the model characteristic of academic study, these works depart from conventional ideals of finish and idealization in favor of a more immediate, personal interpretation of the body. The present painting thus belongs to a particularly intimate and formative chapter in Marquet’s career, illuminating an aspect of his practice less familiar than the luminous harbor scenes and urban landscapes for which he is best known.

Framed: 38 1/2 x 27 x 3 in.

Canvas has been relined. Minor deposits of surface dirt and dust. Craquelure present, concentrated primarily on the figure in impasto areas such as the chest and thigh. Under UV; no apparent evidence of inpainting. Additional images available upon request.

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