{"title":"7.26 Brushstrokes That Changed History","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"at-the-mirror-by-frederick-carl-frieseke","title":"At the Mirror by Frederick Carl Frieseke","description":"Frederick Carl Frieseke\u003cbr\u003e 1874-1939 | American \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eAt the Mirror\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Signed \"F.C. Frieseke\" (lower right)\u003cbr\u003e Oil on canvas \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Part of the second generation of modern American painters to study in Giverny, Frederick Carl Frieseke is among the most important American Impressionists of his age. While many of his contemporaries focused on the landscape, Frieseke gained his inspiration from the figural, and in particular the theme of femininity. His works capture female figures engaging in traditionally feminine roles — strolling in the garden or posed in a domestic interior. \u003cem\u003eAt the Mirror\u003c\/em\u003e is a charming example of the latter, and it is masterfully executed with the artist's deft handling of color. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The work demonstrates the artist's remarkable eye for composition; the mirror (with its reflection) divides the canvas horizontally, offering a view of the front and back of the artist's model as she removes her robe. The result is a work that feels both intimate and voyeuristic, allowing the viewer a glimpse into this private space. The soft familiarity of the work is enhanced by the painter’s characteristic limitation of palette, which has been pared down to a series of pale greens, blues and violets that are only occasionally offset by hints of orange, yellow and red in the wallpaper and flowers. All of his distinctive artistic devices come together in \u003cem\u003eAt the Mirror\u003c\/em\u003e, resulting in a highly successful and balanced composition.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Executed in 1922, the work embodies Frieseke's mature impressionist style. After spending nearly two decades in the artist's colony at Giverny, Frieseke moved to a farm in Normandy in 1920, and his art of this period concentrated almost solely on the female figure. \u003cem\u003eAt the Mirror\u003c\/em\u003e exemplifies his output of this age. The quietude of the room and the tranquility of the model are poignantly recorded by Frieseke, resulting in an idyllic image that approaches its subject in its most picturesque form. As a whole, the work demonstrates Frieseke's skillful use of impressionistic brushwork and diffuse light.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Born in Michigan in 1874, Frieseke studied his craft at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. After briefly studying in New York, he moved to Paris in 1897 like many artists of his generation. There, he studied at the Académie Julian, where he worked under Benjamin Constant and Jean-Paul Laurens. In the ensuing years, he began to paint the intimate views of women in their boudoirs that would come to dominate his output throughout his career. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Frieseke first visited the artist colony in Giverny in 1900, and just five years later, he would settle there. The work he created while in Giverny was among the most significant of his career. He and his wife frequently visited Claude Monet, who was a close neighbor, though they more commonly discussed gardens than their artwork. In 1920, Frieseke was appointed a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor, a remarkable achievement for an American painter. Today, his works can be found in museums around the world, including the Detroit Institute of the Arts, the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, the Museum of Fine Arts (Houston) and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum (Madrid). \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This work will be included in the forthcoming catalogue raisonné of Frieseke's work being compiled by Nicholas Kilmer, the artist's grandson. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Circa 1922 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Canvas: 32 3\/4\" high x 32 1\/4\" wide\u003cbr\u003e Frame: 43\" high x 42 1\/2\" wide \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Provenance:\u003cbr\u003e Macbeth Gallery, New York\u003cbr\u003e Sotheby's New York, May 25, 1988, Lot 194\u003cbr\u003e Private collection\u003cbr\u003e M.S. Rau, New Orleans","brand":"M.S. Rau","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44335886205063,"sku":"31-2880","price":885000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/2471\/0466\/files\/31-2880_1_a73f8f71-5a37-40f7-89f6-17f5e38702a5.png?v=1775143357"},{"product_id":"apres-le-bain-by-pierre-auguste-renoir","title":"Après le bain by Pierre-Auguste Renoir","description":"Pierre-Auguste Renoir\u003cbr\u003e 1841-1919 | French \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eAprès le bain\u003cbr\u003e (After the bath)\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Signed “Renoir” (lower left)\u003cbr\u003e Sanguine and white chalk on Western wove paper stretched over canvas \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e For Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Impressionism's preeminent figure painter, depicting the nude was an exercise in bringing the canvas to life. He once said, “I look at a nude, I see myriads of minuscule shades. I have to find those which will make the flesh on my canvas come to life and resonate.” This compelling portrait by Renoir entitled \u003cem\u003eAprès le bain\u003c\/em\u003e presents the nude figure of a woman in a serene, private moment, absorbed in the task of drying herself after a bath. The artist’s mastery of light and shading is incredible, achieving a sense of vitality in this otherwise ordinary scene. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Renoir is celebrated for his figural work, especially his Rubenesque female nudes, however, it was not until the artist was in his forties that he depicted the nude with any frequency. In 1881, Renoir traveled to Italy, where he studied the works of the Renaissance masters and the ancient art of Pompeii and Rome. Upon his return to France, the nude became his favored subject, and he used the motif to combine the spontaneity of Impressionism with the solid modeling of classical painting. Renoir’s medium here, sanguine, a reddish-brown chalk, was used extensively in the Renaissance by Leonardo (who employed it in his sketches for the Last Supper), Michelangelo and Raphael. Its warm hue lends itself well to depicting flesh, and the chalk drawing allows for a greater focus on line, form and texture in a departure from the aspects of color and light that so often preoccupied the Impressionists. \u003cem\u003eAprès le bain\u003c\/em\u003e conveys the impression of arrested motion with perfect naturalness, deftly capturing the moment before the elegant lines of the sitter's form change position. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The sitter is almost certainly Gabrielle Renard, the nanny to Renoir’s children and a frequent model for the artist. Gabrielle was the cousin of Renoir’s wife, Aline, and came to Montmartre to work for the family at the age of 16. She developed a strong bond with the family and became a favorite subject for Renoir, appearing in several of his most important works, including his 1911 \u003cem\u003eGabrielle with a Rose\u003c\/em\u003e (Musée d'Orsay). When Renoir began to suffer from severe rheumatoid arthritis that would eventually leave him unable to walk and scarcely able to grasp a paintbrush, it was Gabrielle that would assist the artist by positioning the paintbrush between his crippled fingers.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Born in Limoges, France in 1841, Renoir began his career as an apprentice to a painter of porcelain wares. He later moved to Paris at the age of 21, enrolling at the prestigious École des Beaux-Arts. It was here, while studying under Charles Gleyre, that Renoir attained a tremendous appreciation for the academic style of painting, a quality that would last throughout his career. This was also when he met Claude Monet and several other classmates, with whom he would later form the Impressionists. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Working closely with Monet, Renoir began experimenting with the portrayal of light and its effect on his canvases. The youngest member of the Impressionist movement, an astute Renoir recognized how a subject was constantly changing due to the dynamic effects of light on color. Relying heavily upon his academic training that focused on composition, lines and descriptive details, Renoir distinguished himself among his contemporaries. His intuitive use of color and expansive brushstroke, along with acute attention to his subject, have placed him among the finest painters in history. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and will be included in the forthcoming catalogue raisonné of the work of Pierre-Auguste Renoir from the Wildenstein Plattner Institute. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Circa 1898 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Canvas: 43 1\/2\" high x 35 1\/2\" wide (110.49 x 90.17 cm)\u003cbr\u003e Frame: 57 3\/4\" high x 49 1\/4\" wide (146.69 x 125.10 cm) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/rau-sfimages.s3.amazonaws.com\/dossier\/Dossier_31-3793.pdf\" target=\"new\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eView the Dossier\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This painting was exhibited at The European Fine Art Fair. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Provenance:\u003cbr\u003e Galerie Durand-Ruel, Paris (acquired from the artist on January 25, 1899)\u003cbr\u003e J. Pereire Collection, France (1966)\u003cbr\u003e Sam Salz, New York (before 1981)\u003cbr\u003e Claus Virch, Paris\u003cbr\u003e French Compagny, Inc., New York\u003cbr\u003e Larry Silverstein, New York (circa January 1987)\u003cbr\u003e Le Clos de Sierne Gallery, Geneva\u003cbr\u003e Galerie Heyram, Paris (October 1987)\u003cbr\u003e Francis Gross\u003cbr\u003e M.S. Rau, New Orleans \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Literature:\u003cbr\u003e B. Schneider, \u003cem\u003eRenoir\u003c\/em\u003e, Berlin, 1957, p. 95 (illustrated in color, p. 83)\u003cbr\u003e M. Gauthier, \u003cem\u003eRenoir\u003c\/em\u003e, Paris, 1958, p. 83 (illustrated in color; erroneously dated '1916' and titled 'Woman in her toilet')\u003cbr\u003e F. Fosca, \u003cem\u003eRenoir, L'homme et son obra\u003c\/em\u003e, Paris, 1961, p. 280 (illustrated, p. 95; erroneously dated 'about 1890' and titled 'After the Bath')\u003cbr\u003e G.-P. and M. Dauberville, \u003cem\u003eRenoir, Catalog raisonné des tableaux, pastels, dessins et aquarelles\u003c\/em\u003e, Paris, 2010, vol. III, p. 515-516, no. 2597 (illustrated, p. 515) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Exhibited:\u003cbr\u003e Galerie Durand-Ruel, Paris, Watercolors, Pastels and Drawings by Renoir, April 1921, p. 3, no. 53 (erroneously dated '1906' and titled 'Baigneuse s'essuie').\u003cbr\u003e Kunsthalle, Basel, Meisterzeichnungen französischer Künstler von Ingres bis Cézanne , June-August 1935, p. 30, no. 223.\u003cbr\u003e Galerie des Beaux-Arts, Paris, Exhibition of “La Gazette des Beaux-Arts”, Renoir, The sculpted work, the engraved work, watercolors and drawings, October-November 1935, p. 30, no. 22.\u003cbr\u003e Musée national d'art moderne, Paris, From Impressionism to the present day , June 1958, no. 175 (illustrated, pl. 9).\u003cbr\u003e The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1966-1973.\u003cbr\u003e The Musée d'Orsay and the Morgan Library, \u003cem\u003eRenoir Drawings\u003c\/em\u003e, Oct 17 2025-Feb 8 2026, no. 179, p. 207; will travel to Musée d'Orsay, Mar 17-Jul 5, 2026","brand":"M.S. Rau","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44050780487815,"sku":"31-3793","price":2450000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/2471\/0466\/files\/31-3793_1_ce85eb12-2496-439f-88b3-c8ab4bf2e8a3.png?v=1774967208"},{"product_id":"fleurs-dans-un-vase-avec-partition-musicale-by-paul-gauguin","title":"Fleurs dans un vase avec partition musicale by Paul Gauguin","description":"Paul Gauguin \u003cbr\u003e 1848-1903 | French \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eFleurs dans un vase avec partition musicale\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003e(Flowers in vase with musical score)\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Signed “P. Gauguin 74\/76” (lower right) \u003cbr\u003e Oil on canvas \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Works by the legendary Paul Gauguin, particularly those comprising his still lifes, are rare treasures. This remarkable composition, entitled \u003cem\u003eFleurs dans un vase avec partition musicale (Flowers in a Vase with Musical Score)\u003c\/em\u003e, stands as an important glimpse of the master’s unparalleled eye for color, composition and expressive brushwork. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Using an extraordinary palette of soft pastels and rich jewel tones, Gauguin renders the central bouquet in luminous splendor that emerges in three dimensions against the neutral background. The wrinkled edges of the musical score are almost palpable, painted with the same thick impasto that gives the lush blooms their lifelike energy. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e When viewing this composition, it is easy to see the technical proficiency that garnered the attention and admiration of fellow artists, including Camille Pissarro, Vincent van Gogh and Edgar Degas. It was Pissarro who persuaded Gauguin to submit a painting to the Salon of 1876. Both Pissarro and Degas were so impressed by his work that they extended an invitation to Gauguin to exhibit at the Impressionist Exhibition of 1879 and subsequent exhibitions thereafter. Even after the Impressionists held their final official exhibition in 1886, Gauguin maintained his association with Pissarro as the movement transitioned into Post-Impressionism. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Endowed with an exceptional sense of color and a fervent appreciation for life, he initially engaged in painting merely as a leisure activity. This hobby became his life’s calling in 1882, following the financial setback he experienced due to the Paris stock market crash, which resulted in the loss of his position as a stockbroker. Gauguin’s work, distinguished by its vibrant individuality, would go on to change the course of art history, and his instantly recognizable paintings are held in the world’s most esteemed museums and private collections. Still lifes similar to this one are owned by the National Gallery of Art, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Museo National Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eFleurs dans un vase avec partition musicale\u003c\/em\u003e is accompanied by a certification from The Art Loss Register and is featured in the 1964 and 2002 Wildenstein catalogues raisonnés on the artist.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Circa 1874-76  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Canvas: 16” high x 10 3\/8” wide (40.64 x 27.31 cm)\u003cbr\u003e Frame: 22 1\/4” high x 16 7\/8” wide (56.52 x 42.86 cm) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e View the dossier: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/rau-sfimages.s3.amazonaws.com\/dossier\/Dossier_31-8610.pdf\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eFleurs dans un vase avec partition musicale by Paul Gauguin\u003c\/a\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This painting was exhibited at The European Fine Art Fair. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Provenance: \u003cbr\u003e Armand Parent, Paris, circa 1921\u003cbr\u003e Otto Nierenstein, Vienna, circa 1928\u003cbr\u003e Kunstsalon Abels, after 1950\u003cbr\u003e Römer, Germany, circa 1950\u003cbr\u003e  Private collection, Düsseldorf, circa 1988\u003cbr\u003e M.S. Rau, New Orleans\u003cbr\u003e Private collection, Virginia \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Literature: \u003cbr\u003e Charles Chassé, \u003cem\u003eGauguin et le groupe de Pont-Aven\u003c\/em\u003e, Paris, 1921, p. 64\u003cbr\u003e Wilhelm Barth, \u003cem\u003ePaul Gauguin\u003c\/em\u003e, 1929, p. 41\u003cbr\u003e Lee van Dovski, \u003cem\u003eGauguin\u003c\/em\u003e, 1950, no. 1, p. 338\u003cbr\u003e Georges Wildenstein, \u003cem\u003eGauguin\u003c\/em\u003e, vol. 1, Paris, 1964, no. 9, p. 5, illustrated\u003cbr\u003e Merete Bodelsen, \"The Dating of Gauguin’s Early Paintings,\" \u003cem\u003eThe Burlington Magazine,\u003c\/em\u003e June 1965, p. 309\u003cbr\u003e Daniel Wildenstein, \u003cem\u003eGauguin: A Savage in the Making. Catalogue Raisonné of the Paintings (1873-1888)\u003c\/em\u003e, vol. 1, 2002, Paris and Milan, no. 36, p. 37, illustrated \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Exhibited: \u003cbr\u003e Basel, Kunsthalle, 1928, no. 1 (as \u003cem\u003eBunch of Flowers in Blue Vase\u003c\/em\u003e, 1874)\u003cbr\u003e Berlin, Thannhauser, 1928, no. 2","brand":"M.S. Rau","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44553379676295,"sku":"31-8610","price":4450000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/2471\/0466\/files\/31-8610_1.png?v=1781536903"},{"product_id":"mercado-de-flores-mujer-cargando-un-nino-by-diego-rivera","title":"Mercado de flores (Mujer cargando un\r\nniño) by Diego Rivera","description":"Diego Rivera\u003cbr\u003e 1886-1957 | Mexican \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eMercado de flores (Mujer cargando un niño)\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e (\u003cem\u003eFlower Market: Woman carrying a boy\u003c\/em\u003e) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Signed and dated \"Diego Rivera 1951\" (lower right)\u003cbr\u003e Watercolor and ink on paper \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This exceptional painting, \u003cem\u003eMercado de flores (Mujer cargando un niño)\u003c\/em\u003e, embodies Diego Rivera's brilliance, capturing his signature subject in vibrant watercolor. With its radiant palette and bold line work, this painting captures Rivera at the height of his international fame and has a surprising connection to Baseball Hall of Fame legend, Waite \"Schoolboy\" Hoyt.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eMercado de flores\u003c\/em\u003e is a never-before-seen masterclass in watercolor, showcasing the electric color and dynamic composition that are the hallmarks of Rivera’s celebrated style. The women are vendors at a vibrant flower market, an important motif that Rivera painted often to celebrate the Aztec history of Mexico City. With the charming moment between mother and son at the center, this painting embodies Rivera's ability to transform an intimate moment into a powerful statement about dignity, labor and Mexican identity.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Painted in 1951, this work was gifted by Rivera to Waite Hoyt as a token of their friendship, and it has remained in the Hoyt family ever since. Rivera and Hoyt met in 1932, while Rivera was in New York working on his infamous \"Man at the Crossroads\" mural commission for Nelson Rockefeller and while Hoyt was pitching for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Hoyt was already famous as the starting pitcher for the greatest baseball team of all time—the 1927 New York Yankees—alongside Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e According to family lore, Rivera and Hoyt initially bonded over their shared love of art and baseball, and Hoyt gave Rivera tickets to a Dodgers game. Years later, in 1951, Rivera thanked Hoyt by gifting him this very watercolor. Hoyt had begun painting in the early 1950s, so perhaps it was also a gesture of encouragement and camaraderie from Rivera.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Born in Guanajuato City, Mexico, in 1886, Diego Rivera showed a talent for drawing at a very young age. He moved to Paris in 1907 to live and work with the great gathering of artists in Montparnasse. There, he was exposed to the burgeoning of Cubism, and his work fully embraced this new school of thought. In 1921, Rivera returned to Mexico, where he undertook government-sponsored murals that reflected his political perspective in historical contexts. By the time this watercolor was painted in 1951, Rivera had completed major murals across Mexico and the United States, making him one of the most famous artists in the world. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Rivera's importance has only grown with time, and his market continues to demand millions at auction today. Many of the world's most important museums hold his paintings, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Dallas Museum of Artand the Museo Nacional de Arte in Mexico City. In 1964, the Mexican government established export regulations to protect Rivera's artworks and keep them in the country, designating them as “artistic monuments” that are now extremely difficult to come by outside of Mexico. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Dated 1951 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Paper: 21 1\/4\" high x 26 1\/2\" wide (53.98 x 67.31 cm)\u003cbr\u003e Frame: 32 1\/4\" high x 38\" wide x 1\" deep (81.92 x 96.52 x 2.54 cm) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/rau-sfimages.s3.amazonaws.com\/dossier\/Dossier_32-1121.pdf\" target=\"new\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eView the Dossier\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Provenance:\u003cbr\u003e Waite Hoyt, New York, acquired from the artist circa 1951\u003cbr\u003e By descent from the above\u003cbr\u003e M.S. Rau, New Orleans \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Literature:\u003cbr\u003e Consejo Nacional para la Cultura y las Artes, Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes, \u003cem\u003eDiego Rivera: Catálogo General de Obra de Caballete\u003c\/em\u003e, Mexico, 1989, no. 2021, p. 263, illustrated","brand":"M.S. Rau","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43673058934919,"sku":"32-1121","price":398500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/2471\/0466\/files\/32-1121_1.png?v=1767191563"},{"product_id":"tender-years-moth-holes-by-norman-rockwell","title":"Tender Years: Moth Holes by Norman Rockwell","description":"Norman Rockwell\u003cbr\u003e 1894-1978 | American \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eTender Years: Moth Holes\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Signed \"Norman Rockwell\" (lower right)\u003cbr\u003e Oil on canvas \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e From Norman Rockwell's acclaimed \u003cem\u003eFour Seasons\u003c\/em\u003e calendar series for Brown \u0026amp; Bigelow, \u003cem\u003eTender Years: Moth Holes\u003c\/em\u003e represents the artist's masterful exploration of mature American relationships and his unparalleled ability to transform ordinary domestic moments into profound artistic narratives. This 1957 painting displays Rockwell's sentimental commitment to celebrating the \"charms and comforts of maturity\" during an era obsessed with youth. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The composition presents a couple discovering the unfortunate fate of their stored seasonal clothing, with the husband displaying his moth-riddled red long underwear while his wife examines the damage with resigned familiarity. Rockwell's meticulous attention to detail manifests in every element: the weathered wooden trunk with its brass fittings, the scattered moths dancing above the scene, the couple's expressive faces and the comfortable acceptance that comes with decades of shared domestic trials. The careful rendering of textures—from the soft wool of the sweaters to the worn leather of the trunk—demonstrates Rockwell's technical virtuosity at every turn. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Norman Rockwell stands as America's most beloved illustrator, whose work transcended commercial art to become a defining visual narrative of 20th-century American life. His Brown \u0026amp; Bigelow calendar series (1948-1964) ranks alongside his Saturday Evening Post covers as works that elevated him from celebrated illustrator to national institution. Rockwell's extraordinary ability to find profound meaning in everyday moments earned him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1977, the highest civilian honor bestowed upon American citizens. His art, characterized by meticulous detail and emotional depth, captures the essence of the American spirit with an authenticity that continues to resonate across generations. Museums worldwide, including the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, preserve and celebrate his legacy as an artist who documented American values, aspirations and the tender moments that unite us all. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Painted 1957 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Canvas: 17 1\/2\" high x 17 1\/2\" wide (44.45 x 44.45 cm)\u003cbr\u003e Frame: 26 1\/8\" high x 26 1\/8\" wide (66.36 x 66.36 cm) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Provenance:\u003cbr\u003e Judy Goffman Fine Art, New York\u003cbr\u003e Illustration House, New York\u003cbr\u003e Private collection, Florida\u003cbr\u003e M.S. Rau, New Orleans \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Literature:\u003cbr\u003e Laurie Norton Moffatt, Norman Rockwell: A Definitive Catalogue, vol. I, Stockbridge, 1986, no. A151, p. 353, illustrated in color","brand":"M.S. Rau","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43784303313031,"sku":"32-1342","price":885000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/2471\/0466\/files\/32-1342_1_d51df768-101f-4f92-a75a-a7565199a619.png?v=1769784682"},{"product_id":"nine-of-cups-by-salvador-dali","title":"Nine of Cups by Salvador Dalí","description":"Salvador Dalí\u003cbr\u003e 1904-1989 | Spanish \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eNine of Cups\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Signed \"Dalí’\" (top center)\u003cbr\u003e Gouache on photographic background \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This original gouache is a part of Salvador Dalí’s sought-after deck of custom-made tarot cards. The original commission for the design came from Albert Broccoli, the producer of the James Bond film \u003cem\u003eLive and Let Die\u003c\/em\u003e, who wanted an original tarot card deck to use in the film. Though the contractual agreement eventually fell through, Dalí continued the project of his own accord, largely thanks to the inspiration of his wife Gala, who had an interest in mysticism.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The Surrealist maestro drew upon a number of influences to complete the deck, which comprised 78 cards in total—22 major arcana and 56 minor. His own self-portrait served as the Magician card, while his beloved wife Gala naturally posed for the Empress. Jan Gossaert’s 1516 Renaissance work \u003cem\u003eNeptune and Amphitrite\u003c\/em\u003e was the basis for the Lovers card, and the Queen of Cups card represents a fascinating marriage of Duchamp’s iconic Mona Lisa remix,\u003cem\u003e L.H.O.O.Q.\u003c\/em\u003e, with a portrait of Elizabeth of Austria. The iconography of the deck is as eclectic as one would expect from the Surrealist master; it is little wonder that it took him 10 years to complete the project. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This gouache is among the original 56 minor arcana cards, depicting the Nine of Cups. In tarot tradition, the Nine of Cups is an invitation to indulge in life's pleasures, including good food and wine, the arts and carnal desires. The card usually features a seated man with his arms crossed, wearing a plumed red turban-like hat with nine cups appearing above him. In his interpretation of the card, Dalí utilizes a photographic print of a 17th- or 18th-century portrait of a seated courtly lady wearing a similar turban-like headdress. A silver chalice appears just above her, and Dalí painted nine yellow cups throughout the composition, giving the card its namesake and underscoring the bacchanalia and indulgence the card represents. Flanking the painting in gouache, a man and woman in profile both close their eyes sensuously, adding to the card’s emphasis on pleasure.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e After Dalí completed his deck, the original cards were assembled and published in a limited art edition in 1984. While a number of editions have since been printed of the cards, the present \u003cem\u003eNine of Cups\u003c\/em\u003e is the artist’s original gouache creation. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Born in Catalonia in 1904, Dalí was formally educated in the fine arts in Madrid, particularly falling under the influence of the Impressionists and the Renaissance masters. At a young age, he became associated with the Madrid avant-garde group Ultra, though he eventually became more acquainted with other movements such as Cubism, Dada and Futurism. By the late 1920s, his mature Surrealist style had already begun to emerge, and in 1929 he officially burst onto the avant-garde art scene with his \u003cem\u003eUn Chien Andalou\u003c\/em\u003e, a short film he made with Spanish director Luis Buñuel. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Today, he is remembered as one of the most legendary and significant contributors to Surrealism. His \u003cem\u003ePersistence of Memory\u003c\/em\u003e, with its melting clocks, is arguably the most recognizable painting of the movement. Two museums—one in St. Petersburg, Florida and another in Catalonia—are entirely devoted to his oeuvre; other important works by the artist can be found in the Museum of Modern Art (New York), the Art Institute of Chicago, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the National Gallery of Art (Washington, D.C.), among many others. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Circa 1971 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Provenance:\u003cbr\u003e Private collection, New York\u003cbr\u003e Private collection, London, acquired from the above in 2009\u003cbr\u003e Private collection, Paris\u003cbr\u003e M.S. Rau, New Orleans\u003cbr\u003e Private collection, United States\u003cbr\u003e M.S. Rau, New Orleans","brand":"M.S. Rau","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43057690607751,"sku":"32-1426","price":98500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/2471\/0466\/files\/32-1426_1_7b32105a-648f-4915-afec-a1543c493a85.png?v=1755559610"},{"product_id":"la-neige-au-grand-lemps-by-pierre-bonnard","title":"La neige au Grand-Lemps by Pierre Bonnard","description":"Pierre Bonnard\u003cbr\u003e 1867-1947 | French \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eLa neige au Grand-Lemps\u003cbr\u003e (The Snow at Grand-Lemps)\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Signed \"Bonnard\" (lower right)\u003cbr\u003e Oil on canvas \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Pierre Bonnard is widely celebrated as one of the greatest colorists in art history, central to the evolution of modern art. His captivating canvases are distinguished by their luminosity and chromatic complexity, and this rare winter landscape is no exception. \u003cem\u003eLa neige au Grand-Lemps\u003c\/em\u003e captures one of Bonnard's most beloved locales and embodies his lifelong fascination with—and mastery of—the color white. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Painted in 1910, \u003cem\u003eLa neige au Grand-Lemps\u003c\/em\u003e reflects a pivotal moment in Bonnard’s artistic practice. As a founder of the influential group \u003cem\u003eLes Nabis\u003c\/em\u003e, Bonnard was known throughout the 1890s for his colorful, highly complex interior scenes that infused the everyday with symbolic meaning. Around 1900, Bonnard drifted away from the bustle of Paris and traveled Europe with his friend Édouard Vuillard, finding new inspiration in the idyllic landscapes of France. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Unlike the Impressionists who painted \u003cem\u003een plein air\u003c\/em\u003e, Bonnard painted almost entirely from memory—and this painting evocatively depicts the scenery of his childhood in Le Grand-Lemps. This work also reveals Bonnard’s obsession with capturing the elusive brilliance of white. He composes the entire painting around this color, carefully layering hundreds of subtle hues to bring the snow, ice and winter sky shimmering to life. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Bonnard's landscapes are exceptionally rare today, especially snowy scenes such as this one. With its prestigious provenance and exhibition history, this work is an exceptional, museum-caliber masterpiece. Similar landscapes by Bonnard belong to important museum collections worldwide, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Tate Modern and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. The Musée Bonnard is dedicated entirely to the artist's legacy, and \u003cem\u003eLa neige au Grand-Lemps\u003c\/em\u003e was exhibited there in 2024. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Born in 1867 in Fontenay-aux-Roses, Bonnard initially studied law before training as an artist at the Académie Julian and the École des Beaux-Arts. Aligning himself with the Symbolist avant-garde, he founded the important group, Les Nabis, along with Maurice Denis and Édouard Vuillard. Known for his intimate interior scenes and evocative nudes, Bonnard developed a highly sophisticated and unique color palette that earned him widespread acclaim. The artist spent his later decades in the South of France, where he continued to refine an increasingly introspective style until his death in 1947. His commitment to the subtleties of perception and color secured his position as one of the most influential figures in modern art, and his landscapes remain among the most sought-after expressions of his lifelong pursuit of visual sensation. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Painted 1910 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Canvas: 19 1\/2\" high x 25 1\/2\" wide (49.53 x 64.77 cm)\u003cbr\u003e Frame: 28 1\/2\" high x 34 3\/4\" wide x 3\" deep (72.39 x 88.27 x 7.62 cm) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/rau-sfimages.s3.amazonaws.com\/dossier\/Dossier_32-1819.pdf\" target=\"new\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eView the Dossier\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Provenance:\u003cbr\u003e Charles Terrasse, Paris (artist's nephew), by descent from the artist\u003cbr\u003e Thence by descent\u003cbr\u003e Private Collection, Paris\u003cbr\u003e M.S. Rau, New Orleans \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Literature:\u003cbr\u003e A. Terrasse, \u003cem\u003eBonnard\u003c\/em\u003e, Geneva, 1965, p. 51 (illustrated)\u003cbr\u003e J. \u0026amp; H. Dauberville, \u003cem\u003eBonnard, Catalogue raisonné de l'oeuvre peint\u003c\/em\u003e, vol. II, 1906-1919, Paris, 1968, no. 609, p. 200 (illustrated)\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eBonnard: The Late Paintings\u003c\/em\u003e, exhibition catalog, New York, 1984, p. 178 (illustrated) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Exhibited:\u003cbr\u003e Paris, Orangerie des Tuileries, \u003cem\u003eBonnard\u003c\/em\u003e, 1947, no. 44\u003cbr\u003e Edinburgh, Royal Scottish Academy, \u003cem\u003eExhibition of Paintings by Pierre Bonnard and Edouard Vuillard\u003c\/em\u003e, 1948, no. 33, p 12\u003cbr\u003e Basel, Musée des Beaux-Arts, \u003cem\u003ePierre Bonnard\u003c\/em\u003e, 1955, no. 41, p. 23\u003cbr\u003e Nice, Musée de Ponchettes, \u003cem\u003eBonnard\u003c\/em\u003e, 1955, no. 14, p. 27\u003cbr\u003e Paris, Galerie Bernheim-Jeune, \u003cem\u003eHommage à Bonnard\u003c\/em\u003e, 1956, no. 18\u003cbr\u003e Munich, Haus der Kunst, Secession Gallery, \u003cem\u003eEuropaïsche Kunst\u003c\/em\u003e, 1964, no. 41\u003cbr\u003e London, Royal Academy of Arts, \u003cem\u003ePierre Bonnard\u003c\/em\u003e, 1966, no. 94\u003cbr\u003e Oslo, Kunstnerforbundet, \u003cem\u003ePierre Bonnard\u003c\/em\u003e, 1966, no. 9\u003cbr\u003e Munich, Haus der Kunst, \u003cem\u003ePierre Bonnard\u003c\/em\u003e, 1966-1967, no. 59 (illustrated)\u003cbr\u003e Paris, Orangerie des Tuileries, \u003cem\u003eCentenaire de la naissance de Pierre Bonnard\u003c\/em\u003e, 1967, no. 66 (illustrated)\u003cbr\u003e Colmar, Musée d'Unterlinden, \u003cem\u003eAutour d'une acquisition, Bonnard\u003c\/em\u003e, 1982\u003cbr\u003e Paris, Galerie Schmit, \u003cem\u003ePierre Bonnard\u003c\/em\u003e, 1995, no. 22 (illustrated)\u003cbr\u003e Musée Bonnard, le Cannet, 2024\u003cbr\u003e Paris, Fondation Maeght, \u003cem\u003eBonnard \u0026amp; Matisse: A Friendship\u003c\/em\u003e, 2024","brand":"M.S. Rau","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44528119349383,"sku":"32-1819","price":1250000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/2471\/0466\/files\/32-1819_1_4a4fc79f-85f5-4d50-96ed-ce68dd24a1f9.png?v=1781637823"},{"product_id":"grainstacks-in-the-plains-of-ajoux-giverny-by-theodore-earl-butler","title":"Grainstacks in the Plains of Ajoux, Giverny by Theodore Earl Butler","description":"Theodore Earl Butler\u003cbr\u003e 1861-1936 | American \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eGrainstacks in the Plains of Ajoux, Giverny\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Oil on canvas \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Theodore Earl Butler was one of the leading American Impressionists, known for his vibrant landscapes that displayed his virtuosity with color, light and texture. This stunning canvas, entitled \u003cem\u003eGrainstacks in the Plains of Ajoux, Giverny\u003c\/em\u003e, is quintessential Butler, and it also pays homage to his most important mentor, Claude Monet. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Butler was one of the only Americans that Monet allowed into his inner circle in Giverny, and the two artists frequently painted alongside each other. This work embodies Butler's profound admiration for Monet, both in its extraordinary atmospheric effects and in its subject of the haystack—one of Monet's most iconic motifs. An explosion of electric color and light, the painting perfectly blends Butler's Impressionist roots with a brilliant palette that is distinctly his own. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Born in Columbus, Ohio, in 1861, Butler moved to New York in 1882 to study at the Art Students League under several major American artists, including William Merritt Chase. Within three years, the young artist had moved to Paris, receiving an honorable mention at the Salon of 1888. This would prove to be a fateful year for Butler, when he also met and befriended Claude Monet and moved to Giverny to join the thriving artist community there. He eventually became Monet's son-in-law, marrying his stepdaughter, Suzanne Hoschedé in 1892. Butler would briefly return to the United States between 1913 and 1921, creating important murals and participating in major exhibitions such as the Armory Show, and then return to Giverny until his death in 1936. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This work will be included in Patrick Bertrand's forthcoming catalogue raisonné on the artist. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Circa 1897 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Canvas: 20 5\/8\" high x 28 1\/8\" wide (52.39 x 71.44 cm)\u003cbr\u003e Frame: 29\" high x 36 1\/2\" wide x 2 3\/4\" deep (73.66 x 92.71 x 6.99 cm) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Provenance:\u003cbr\u003e The artist\u003cbr\u003e Estate of the above\u003cbr\u003e By descent through the artist's family\u003cbr\u003e Patrick Bertrand, Oakland, California, acquired from the above, 1997\u003cbr\u003e Private Collection, 1999\u003cbr\u003e M.S. Rau, New Orleans","brand":"M.S. Rau","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44024810537095,"sku":"32-1959","price":78500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/2471\/0466\/files\/32-1959_1.png?v=1774964600"},{"product_id":"femme-au-corsage-blanc-jeanne-samary-by-pierre-auguste-renoir","title":"Femme au corsage blanc, Jeanne Samary by Pierre-Auguste Renoir","description":"Pierre-Auguste Renoir\u003cbr\u003e 1841-1919 | French \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eFemme au corsage blanc, Jeanne Samary\u003cbr\u003e (Woman in a white blouse, Jeanne Samary\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Initialed \"AR\" (lower right)\u003cbr\u003e Pastel on paper \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Among Renoir's most famous works are those that capture the ladies of his inner circle in his signature style. This vibrant pastel from 1879 depicts the young Jeanne Samary, Renoir’s favorite subject and most important muse at the height of his career. Compared to his 4,000 paintings, the artist made exceptionally few pastels—only about 150 total—making this luminous work an extraordinary Renoir rarity. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Samary was one of the most captivating figures of late 19th-century Paris. An iconic actress at the Comédie-Française, her fame rivaled that of the great Sarah Bernhardt. Beginning in 1876, Renoir created dozens of portraits of Samary, and she also appeared in all three of the artist’s most important paintings from this pivotal period—\u003cem\u003eBal du moulin de la Galette\u003c\/em\u003e (1876), \u003cem\u003eLa balançoire\u003c\/em\u003e (1876) and \u003cem\u003eThe Luncheon of the Boating Party\u003c\/em\u003e (1880–81). Renoir’s close friend and biographer, Georges Rivière, noted that “no portrait ever gave Renoir greater satisfaction than the ones he made of Samary.” \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This magnificent pastel perfectly embodies this bond between Renoir and Samary. Vivid and spontaneous, the work captures an intimate moment, with Samary’s blouse delicately falling over her shoulder. Renoir typically reserved pastel for his portraits of friends and family, as it allowed him to capture their true essence with speed and ease. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The year this pastel was created, 1879, was also one of the most important years of Renoir’s career. He entered the prestigious Salon of 1879, where four of his portraits were accepted, including a full-length masterpiece of Jeanne Samary. This pastel stands as a testament to this pivotal chapter for Renoir, portraying the muse who shaped his groundbreaking vision.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Renoir’s portraits of Jeanne Samary are exceptionally scarce, with most already held in prestigious museum collections, including the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Similar pastels of Samary have commanded millions at auction—among some of the highest prices for Renoir’s works on paper. Importantly, the artist’s pastels are getting recent museum attention, with the major 2025-2026 exhibition organized by the Musée d’Orsay and the Morgan Library, \u003cem\u003eRenoir Drawings\u003c\/em\u003e. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This work is accompanied by its certificate of authenticity from the Wildenstein Plattner Institute, and it will be included in their forthcoming digital catalogue raisonné. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Drawn 1879 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/rau-sfimages.s3.amazonaws.com\/dossier\/Dossier_32-1821.pdf\" target=\"new\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eView the Dossier\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Paper: 22 1\/4\" high x 14 1\/4\" wide (56.5 x 36.2 cm)\u003cbr\u003e Frame: 36 3\/4\" high x 28 1\/4\" wide x 3\" deep (93.4 x 71.8 x 7.6 cm) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Provenance:\u003cbr\u003e Ambroise Vollard, Paris, acquired from the artist (as of 1907)\u003cbr\u003e Étienne Bignou, Paris (as “Jeanne Samary”)\u003cbr\u003e Lafarge, Paris\u003cbr\u003e Victor Hélin, Paris\u003cbr\u003e Succession Victor Hélin, c. 1945\u003cbr\u003e M. and Mme Schmit, acquired from the above, 2009\u003cbr\u003e Private Collection, Paris\u003cbr\u003e M.S. Rau, New Orleans ","brand":"M.S. Rau","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44489087746183,"sku":"32-1821","price":585000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/2471\/0466\/files\/32-1821_1.png?v=1777552664"},{"product_id":"la-baie-de-lampaul-ile-d-ouessant-by-henry-moret","title":"La baie de Lampaul, île d’Ouessant by Henry Moret","description":"Henry Moret\u003cbr\u003e 1856–1913 | French \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eLa baie de Lampaul, île d'Ouessant\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Signed and dated \"Henry Moret 1897\" (lower right)\u003cbr\u003e Inscribed \"La baie de Lampaul Ouessant\" (on stretcher)\u003cbr\u003e Oil on canvas \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Painted at the height of his career, Henry Moret's \u003cem\u003eLa baie de Lampaul, île d'Ouessant\u003c\/em\u003e stands as a supreme achievement among his celebrated Brittany seascapes. The shimmering azure waters, sun-warmed rock formations and luminous coastal light of the île d'Ouessant—one of Moret's most beloved and frequently revisited motifs—are rendered with a vibrancy and technical mastery that place this canvas among the finest examples of Post-Impressionist landscape painting available outside a museum collection. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The composition pulses with chromatic energy. The surface of the Bay of Lampaul is animated by hundreds of carefully layered brushstrokes, each contributing to the water's luminous, shifting character. Warm, orange-red rock formations emerge from the sea with geological weight, their earthen tones providing a vivid counterpoint to the brilliant blues and greens that dominate the scene. Fresh grass blankets the hillsides in rich, varied greens, while Moret weaves additional tonal accents throughout with a painter's instinct for harmony and contrast.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Henry Moret occupies a distinguished place in the Post-Impressionist tradition as one of the most accomplished painters to emerge from the celebrated Pont-Aven circle. His attachment to Brittany began during his military service and deepened through his close association with Paul Gauguin and the Nabis, whose bold approach to color permanently transformed his palette. The île d'Ouessant, perched at the western extreme of the Breton coast, became a defining subject in Moret's oeuvre — its ever-changing seas and skies offering an inexhaustible source of painterly inspiration. By 1897, when this work was executed, Moret had secured a pivotal relationship with the influential dealer Paul Durand-Ruel, who championed his work across Europe and the United States and presented him with a coveted solo exhibition in 1898. As fellow artist Maxime Mofra observed, \"Coasts, forests, valleys, in every season Moret observed them with all his senses, reproducing them with all his spirit and sincerity.\" Today, Moret's Brittany paintings are held by world-famous institutions, among them the Musée d'Orsay, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This work is listed in Jean-Yves Rolland’s archives and will be included in the catalogue raisonné currently in preparation. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Painted 1897 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Canvas: 21\" high x 25\" wide (53.3 x 63.5 cm)\u003cbr\u003e Frame: 29 3\/8\" high x 33 1\/2\" wide x 3\" deep (74.6 x 85.1 x 7.6 cm) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/rau-sfimages.s3.amazonaws.com\/dossier\/Dossier_32-2137.pdf\" target=\"new\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eView the Dossier\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Provenance:\u003cbr\u003e Galerie Abels, Cologne:\u003cbr\u003e Private Collection, Germany:\u003cbr\u003e Private Collection, France:\u003cbr\u003e M.S. Rau, New Orleans","brand":"M.S. Rau","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44003911794823,"sku":"32-2137","price":498500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/2471\/0466\/files\/32-2137_1.png?v=1781119353"},{"product_id":"falaise-en-normandie-by-gustave-caillebotte","title":"Falaise en Normandie by Gustave Caillebotte","description":"Gustave Caillebotte\u003cbr\u003e 1848-1894 | French \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eFalaise en Normandie\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Stamped “G. Caillebotte” (lower left)\u003cbr\u003e Oil on canvas \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Gustave Caillebotte was among the most visionary and influential artists of the 19th century. This extraordinary Normandy landscape embodies the artist at his most adventurous and expressive, brimming with rich color and energetic brushwork. Painted circa 1880 during the height of his career, \u003cem\u003eFalaise en Normandie\u003c\/em\u003e beautifully captures the iconic towering cliffs with the artist's signature brilliance. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Even among his trailblazing Impressionist contemporaries, Caillebotte stood out for his distinctive vision marked by dynamic perspectives and precise details. Here, he perfectly composes the scene to emphasize the pure drama of the Normandy cliffs, with the swirl of rocks in the foreground making the colorful cascade of the cliffs even more towering in the background. Caillebotte also pushes his brushwork to new heights, beautifully layering the thickness of his paint to create the illusion of depth and movement. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e By 1880, when \u003cem\u003eFalaise en Normandie\u003c\/em\u003e was painted, Caillebotte was looking for inspiration beyond the streets of Paris. This masterwork belongs to an important series of works painted during Caillebotte’s transformative summers along the windswept cliffs of Normandy, where he explored landscape painting with exceptional vigor. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e More than an artist, Caillebotte was also among the earliest and most important collectors of his fellow Impressionists, acquiring nearly 70 masterpieces by Monet, Renoir, Degas and many others. Upon his death, he bequeathed these works to the French state, and they would later serve as the cornerstone of the great Musée d’Orsay’s founding, securing Impressionism’s lasting fame. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Caillebotte's life was tragically short, and the artist created only around 450 paintings in total, with the majority of these in renowned museums and important private collections worldwide, including the Musée d'Orsay, the National Gallery of Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and many others. There has also been renewed scholarly and collecting interest in his works in recent years, with several critically acclaimed exhibitions such as the Musée d'Orsay's \u003cem\u003eCaillebotte: Painting Men\u003c\/em\u003e (2024-25), which traveled to the J. Paul Getty Museum and the Art Institute of Chicago. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Circa 1880 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Canvas: 32\" high x 25 5\/8\" wide (81.2 x 65.2 cm)\u003cbr\u003e Frame: 39 1\/4\" high x 32 1\/2\" wide x 2 1\/4\" deep (99.7 x 82.6 x 5.7 cm) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/rau-sfimages.s3.amazonaws.com\/dossier\/Dossier_32-2326.pdf\" target=\"new\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eView the Dossier\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Provenance:\u003cbr\u003e Estate of the artist\u003cbr\u003e Private collection, France, by descent from the above\u003cbr\u003e Private collection, acquired from the above \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Literature:\u003cbr\u003e Marie Berhaut, \u003cem\u003eLa Vie et l’oeuvre de Gustave Caillebotte\u003c\/em\u003e, Paris, 1951, no. 115, illustrated n.p.\u003cbr\u003e Marie Berhaut, \u003cem\u003eCaillebotte, Sa vie et son oeuvre: Catalogue raisonné des peintures et pastels\u003c\/em\u003e, Paris, 1978, no. 163, illustrated p. 137 (titled Falaise à Villiers-sur-mer and with incorrect dimensions)\u003cbr\u003e Marie Berhaut, \u003cem\u003eGustave Caillebotte: Catalogue raisonné des peintures et pastels\u003c\/em\u003e, Paris, 1994, no. 177, illustrated p. 142 (with incorrect dimensions) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Exhibited:\u003cbr\u003e Lausanne, Fondation de l'Hermitage, \u003cem\u003eCaillebotte au cœur de l'impressionnisme\u003c\/em\u003e, 2005, no. 51, illustrated in color in the catalogue\u003cbr\u003e Bremen, Kunsthalle Bremen; Copenhagen, Ordrupgaard \u0026amp; Madrid, Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, \u003cem\u003eGustave Caillebotte\u003c\/em\u003e, 2008-09, no. 31, illustrated in color in the catalogue (with incorrect dimensions)","brand":"M.S. Rau","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44256932233351,"sku":"32-2326","price":1950000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/2471\/0466\/files\/32-2326_1_ae69702c-3ac7-418c-b995-1c5c18a59263.png?v=1781824903"},{"product_id":"danseuse-en-rose-by-edgar-degas","title":"Danseuse en Rose by Edgar Degas","description":"Edgar Degas\u003cbr\u003e 1834-1917 | French \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eDanseuse en rose\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Stamp signed \"Degas\" (lower left)\u003cbr\u003e Pastel on canvas \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003e\"When you see his pastels…! When you think that he managed to achieve the tone of frescoes with a material so unpleasant to handle!\" —Pierre-Auguste Renoir on Degas\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Edgar Degas’ dancers require little by way of introduction—no artist better captured the fluid grace and ephemeral beauty of the ballet. This exceptionally rare pastel on canvas, titled \u003cem\u003eDanseuse en rose\u003c\/em\u003e, is among the most extraordinary the great artist ever painted—a masterpiece of grand scale, radiant beauty and iconic subject. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This extraordinary pastel hails from the height of Degas’ career, circa 1877-80. The opening of the Palais Garnier in 1875 transformed Parisian cultural life and offered the artist easy access to the world of performers. Degas soon became widely acclaimed, hailed as the definitive “painter of dancers.” This pivotal period for Degas also coincided with the meteoric rise of Rosita Mauri, the celebrated prima ballerina who is at the center of this pastel.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Rosita Mauri was the great star of the Paris Opéra at this time, admired not only for her technical brilliance but for her commanding stage presence, which Degas captured perfectly in \u003cem\u003eDanseuse en rose\u003c\/em\u003e. It is quite difficult to identify most dancers in Degas’ oeuvre, but Mauri was among the most famous and beloved ballerinas of her day. Similar pastels of Mauri on stage belong to prestigious museums, including the Art Institute of Chicago and the Musée d’Orsay.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The monumental beauty of \u003cem\u003eDanseuse en rose\u003c\/em\u003e is breathtaking at every turn. Degas captured Mauri \u003cem\u003een pointe\u003c\/em\u003e, gracefully suspended between stillness and motion—a hallmark of the artist’s genius for rendering fluid motion. Her elaborate costume shimmers in harmony with the colorful stage scenery, creating a spontaneous symphony of energy and vibrancy. Her face is rendered with exceptionally delicate beauty—a rarity among Degas’ dancers, who he often portrayed under harsh, unflattering lights. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This wonderful work of art also has great scale—over three feet high—and is unique for being on canvas. The canvas allowed him to work much larger than his typical paper works and to achieve extraordinarily vivid colors and textures, which are still remarkably luminous almost 150 years later. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This work’s provenance further elevates its importance. Danseuse en rose remained with Degas and his family for almost 100 years, when it then entered one of the most storied private collections of the 20th century—that of the Maharani Sita Devi Gaekwar of Baroda. Known throughout international society for her extraordinary taste and connoisseurship, she was often referred to as the “Indian Wallis Simpson.” The Maharani assembled a remarkable group of Impressionist masterworks, of which this Degas was a clear highlight. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Given its provenance, beauty and rarity, \u003cem\u003eDanseuse en rose\u003c\/em\u003e is an undeniable masterpiece of Impressionism. Similar, but smaller, examples have gone for large sums at auction. These iconic works, however, hardly ever come to auction, as most of Degas' masterpiece ballerinas already reside in the world’s most prestigious museums, including the Musée d’Orsay, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the MFA, Boston and many more. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Circa 1877-80 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Canvas: 36 5\/8” high x 28 3\/4” wide (93 x 73 cm)\u003cbr\u003e Frame: 44 3\/4” high x 37 1\/2” wide x 2 1\/2” deep (113.7 x 95.3 x 6.4 cm) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/rau-sfimages.s3.amazonaws.com\/dossier\/Dossier_32-2603.pdf\" target=\"new\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eView the Dossier\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Provenance:\u003cbr\u003e Collection of the artist\u003cbr\u003e Sale of the above, Atelier Edgar Degas, Galerie G. Petit, Paris, 2nd sale, December 11-13, 1918, lot 110\u003cbr\u003e Roland Nepveu-Degas (Degas’ nephew), 1918, purchased at the above sale\u003cbr\u003e S.A.R. the Maharani Seethadevi Gaekwar de Baroda\u003cbr\u003e Sale of the above, Palais Galliéra, Paris, November 30, 1961, lot 4\u003cbr\u003e Micheline Maus, Switzerland\u003cbr\u003e Private collection, Geneva, acquired from the above in 2008\u003cbr\u003e Private collection, Germany\u003cbr\u003e M.S. Rau, New Orleans \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Literature:\u003cbr\u003e Sale catalog, Atelier Edgar Degas, Galerie G. Petit, Paris, 2nd sale, December 11-13, 1918, no. 110, p. 61 (illustrated)\u003cbr\u003e Paul-André Lemoisne, \u003cem\u003eDegas et son œuvre\u003c\/em\u003e, Paris, 1946, vol. II, no. 468, p. 256-57 (illustrated)\u003cbr\u003e Sale catalog, Palais Galliéra, Paris, November 30, 1961, no. 4 (illustrated)\u003cbr\u003e Jacques Lassaigne, Fiorella Minervino, \u003cem\u003eTout l'oeuvre peint de Degas\u003c\/em\u003e, Paris, 1988, no. 539, p. 111 (illustrated) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Exhibited:\u003cbr\u003e Paris, Galerie Charpentier, \u003cem\u003eDanse et Divertissement\u003c\/em\u003e, 1948-1949, no. 59 (as \u003cem\u003eDanseuse sur les pointes\u003c\/em\u003e)","brand":"M.S. Rau","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44567224582279,"sku":"32-2603","price":12500000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/2471\/0466\/files\/32-2603_1_b7f14309-c163-48e6-a3ad-2461bf5bde54.png?v=1782494476"},{"product_id":"hunting-scene-by-sir-alfred-j-munnings","title":"Hunting Scene by Sir Alfred J. Munnings","description":"Sir Alfred James Munnings \u003cbr\u003e 1878-1959 | British \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eHunting Scene\u003c\/em\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Signed “A J Munnings” (lower right) \u003cbr\u003e Oil on board \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The exciting atmosphere of the hunt is masterfully captured in this exceptional painting by Sir Alfred James Munnings—widely considered among the world’s greatest equine painters.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eHunting Scene\u003c\/em\u003e is a superior example of Munnings’ unmatched gift for interpreting the spirit and power of the horse in his works. Here, scarlet-coated huntsmen are seated on their beautifully poised mounts, building the anticipation of a hunt about to begin. With bold brushwork and a vibrant palette, Munnings transformed this traditional sporting subject into an iconic image of vitality, pageantry and English country life. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Munnings, born and raised in the countryside of Suffolk, England, showed a talent for art at a young age. At 14, he became apprenticed to the lithography firm of Page Brothers, designing posters, and began studying painting at the Norwich School of Art at night. In 1899, he entered two works to the Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition that were accepted with much acclaim. He soon gained favor for his captivating equine portraits, depicting these wondrous animals in a multitude of fashions, yet always staying true to their innate power, beauty and tender nature.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e During World War I, Munnings also served the roles of war artist and horse processor in Canada, ensuring the safe and efficient delivery of military horses to the front in the latter position. He had spent his childhood surrounded by these majestic beasts and was well suited for this task. As a war artist, he executed drawings, watercolors and oils with the primary focus on the horse’s use both on the battlefield and behind the scenes. The Canadian War Records Exhibition at the Royal Academy after the war’s end included 45 of Munnings extraordinary paintings.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e By the height of his career, Munnings was famous on both sides of the Atlantic, with patrons and friends that included Rothschilds, Astors, members of the royal family and Sir Winston Churchill. He went on to earn a knighthood and held the coveted position of President of the Royal Academy of Arts from 1944 to 1949. After his death in 1959, his home in Dedham was transformed into a museum dedicated entirely to his work. Other examples of Munnings' legendary equine paintings can be found in prestigious institutions worldwide, including the British Royal Collection, the Tate and the Yale Center for British Art. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Circa 1920 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Canvas: 14 5\/8\" high x 20\" wide (37.2 x 50.8 cm)\u003cbr\u003e Frame: 22\" high x 27 3\/8\" wide x 2\" deep (55.9 x 69.5 x 5.2 cm) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Provenance:\u003cbr\u003e Private collection, United States\u003cbr\u003e MacConnal-Mason, London, 2000\u003cbr\u003e Private collection, United Kingdom\u003cbr\u003e M.S. Rau, New Orleans","brand":"M.S. Rau","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45011008782471,"sku":"32-2894","price":198500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/2471\/0466\/files\/32-2894_1.png?v=1782408123"},{"product_id":"cheval-en-course-by-claude-monet","title":"Cheval en course by Claude Monet","description":"Claude Monet\u003cbr\u003e 1840–1926 | French \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eCheval en course\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003e(Racehorse)\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Signed “O. Monet” (lower right)\u003cbr\u003e Pencil and watercolor on paper \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Claude Monet is widely considered one of the most important artists of all time—revered for his groundbreaking contributions to art history. This exceptional drawing, \u003cem\u003eCheval en course\u003c\/em\u003e, is the earliest recorded work by the Impressionist master. Highly rare and full of detail and movement, this artwork captures the origins of Monet’s visionary genius.   \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eCheval en course\u003c\/em\u003e reveals the same sharp eye and expert draftsmanship that would later define Monet’s monumental career. His linework is confident and highly detailed, bringing the racehorse to life in a “flying gallop”—a traditional 19th-century convention for depicting speed, which inaccurately shows the horse with all four legs outstretched and airborne at once. Monet brings a striking vitality to the composition, balancing the tension of the rider with a wonderful sensation of forward momentum. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e As his earliest artwork, this drawing held particular significance to Monet. He kept it for decades and finally gifted it directly to his beloved stepdaughter, Suzanne Hoschedé-Butler, who held a meaningful place in Monet’s personal and artistic world. She frequently appeared in some of his most celebrated Giverny figure paintings. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e It is quite rare to find such early Monet drawings today, with very few surviving and the overwhelming majority now in major museums, including the Musée d’Orsay, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and the Art Institute of Chicago. \u003cem\u003eCheval en course\u003c\/em\u003e also has the distinction of bearing the desirable signature “O. Monet,” a rare occurrence as the artist then went by his formal name, Oscar-Claude Monet. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Circa 1855 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Paper: 8 1\/2\" high x 11\" wide (21.6 x 27.9 cm)\u003cbr\u003e Frame: 17 1\/2\" high x 20\" wide x 1 1\/2\" deep (44.5 x 50.8 x 3.8 cm) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Provenance:\u003cbr\u003e The artist\u003cbr\u003e Collection of Suzanne Hoschedé-Butler, gifted by the above\u003cbr\u003e Private collection\u003cbr\u003e M.S. Rau, New Orleans \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Literature:\u003cbr\u003e Daniel Wildenstein, \u003cem\u003eClaude Monet: Catalogue raisonné\u003c\/em\u003e, volume V, 1991, no. D405, p. 121 (illustrated)","brand":"M.S. Rau","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45061943787655,"sku":"32-1919","price":298500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/2471\/0466\/files\/32-1919_1_6c1025f6-d2ab-407b-bfdb-0265ee852680.png?v=1782926608"},{"product_id":"pilote-de-la-meuse-by-paul-signac","title":"Pilote de la Meuse by Paul Signac","description":"Paul Signac\u003cbr\u003e 1863–1935 | French \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003ePilote de la Meuse\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Signed and dated \"P Signac 1924\" (lower right) Oil on canvas \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Paul Signac stands among the great visionaries of modern art, celebrated as one of the pioneering forces behind Neo-Impressionism. Together with Georges Seurat, he revolutionized painting through a more deliberate and radiant science of color, replacing the spontaneity of Impressionism with a meticulous technique that allowed light and atmosphere to shimmer across the canvas. In \u003cem\u003ePilote de la Meuse\u003c\/em\u003e, painted in 1924, Signac brings this groundbreaking vision to one of his most beloved subjects: the waterways and wind-filled sails that inspired him throughout his life. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Created during Signac’s mature period, this painting reveals an artist at the height of his expressive powers. By the 1920s, his handling of color had become more vibrant, confident and decorative than ever before. Here, his signature mosaic-like brushwork is united with brilliant jewel tones, transforming a quiet river scene into something radiant and alive. The water flickers with movement, the sails seem to catch the air and the entire composition pulses with the sensation of light in motion. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The subject also reflects one of Signac’s greatest personal passions. A devoted sailor, he owned 32 boats over the course of his lifetime, and the rivers, harbors and open waters of France became central to his artistic vision. Rather than simply recording a view of the Meuse, Signac transforms the river into a dazzling symphony of color, rhythm and atmosphere. Every carefully placed stroke contributes to the harmony of the whole, revealing his extraordinary ability to balance structure with sensation. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Further distinguished by exceptional provenance, \u003cem\u003ePilote de la Meuse\u003c\/em\u003e remarkably retains rare archival materials relating to its earliest sale, including the original 1924 invoice from Galerie Léon Marseille as well as correspondence between its first owner, Edmond Sussfeld, and Signac himself. These documents offer an extraordinary connection to the painting’s earliest history and deepen the significance of an already rare work. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Masterwork oils by Signac are exceedingly rare on the market, as many already reside in the world’s most prestigious museums, including the Musée d’Orsay, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Radiant, refined and deeply personal, \u003cem\u003ePilote de la Meuse\u003c\/em\u003e is a remarkable example of Signac’s signature genius. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The painting is accompanied by its certificate of authenticity from Marina Ferretti-Bocquillon. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Dated 1924 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Canvas: 19” high x 25 1\/8” wide (48.3 x 63.8 cm)\u003cbr\u003e Frame: 27 3\/4” high x 33 3\/4” wide x 3 1\/4” deep (70.5 x 85.7 x 8.3 cm) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Provenance:\u003cbr\u003e Galerie Léon Marseille, Paris\u003cbr\u003e Collection of Edmond Sussfeld\u003cbr\u003e Private Collection, by descent\u003cbr\u003e Private Collection, Europe\u003cbr\u003e M.S. Rau, New Orleans \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Literature:\u003cbr\u003e Françoise Cachin, Signac: Catalogue raisonné de l'oeuvre peint, Paris, 2000, no. 565, reproduced p. 323 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Exhibited:\u003cbr\u003e Paris, 1930, Bernheim-Jeune, Paul Signac, no. 40, reproduced\u003cbr\u003e Paris, 1934, Petit-Palais, Paul Signac, no. 35\u003cbr\u003e Viroflay, 1965, Salon du Souvenir de Corot, 13th exhibition","brand":"M.S. Rau","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45113633210503,"sku":"32-2689","price":5450000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/2471\/0466\/files\/32-2689_1.png?v=1783034477"},{"product_id":"garden-at-marrakech-by-winston-churchill","title":"Garden at Marrakech by Winston Churchill","description":"Sir Winston Churchill\u003cbr\u003e 1874-1965 | British \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eGarden at Marrakech\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Signed \"WSC\" (lower right)\u003cbr\u003e Oil on canvas \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003e“Marrakech is the most beautiful place in the world.” –Sir Winston Churchill to Franklin Roosevelt, January 1943\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Widely considered the greatest Briton of all time, Sir Winston Churchill also pursued the art of painting for more than 40 years. This exceptional painting, \u003cem\u003eGarden at Marrakech\u003c\/em\u003e, is among his greatest and largest masterpieces, chosen by the great statesman to accompany him on the cover of \u003cem\u003eLIFE\u003c\/em\u003e magazine in January 1946. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e In the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/msrauantiques2022.my.salesforce.com\/sfc\/p\/8c000000eEg1\/a\/Vb00000GnfQb\/7jzVMyjr973tKZOqbIwthH_lQ3a88Ea11E2BzZ2vYtw\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eiconic cover photograph\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e, Churchill stands in the act of painting \u003cem\u003eGarden at Marrakech\u003c\/em\u003e, donning his classic Homburg hat, spectacles and his cigar. It is no surprise that Churchill chose this stunning and monumental painting of his favorite subject for his important appearance on the cover of \u003cem\u003eLIFE\u003c\/em\u003e—the largest and most influential weekly picture magazine in America at the time. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Churchill's Marrakech scenes are among the artist's most coveted for their magnificent radiance. He famously called the city “the most beautiful place in the world,” and his love of its brilliant light and its dramatic meeting of desert, mountains and city is perfectly captured here in \u003cem\u003eGarden at Marrakech\u003c\/em\u003e. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Importantly, this work is also among the largest Churchill ever completed, substantially larger even than another Marrakech painting, which set Churchill's world record when it sold for $11.5 million at Christie's in 2021. With important Marrakech paintings such as these representing such a small percentage of Churchill’s output, this masterpiece is an extraordinarily rare treasure. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Finally pronouncing the work complete in 1955, he signed the work—an important distinction, as the great majority of Churchill’s paintings are unsigned—and eventually gifted it to his granddaughter, further affirming the special place it held within his own life and family.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Painting was a dominating passion for Churchill in the last half of his life. There is little evidence that he had any artistic training prior to his 40s. In fact, his wife Clementine mentioned at one point that before he began painting, Churchill had hardly visited an art museum, much less created art. Churchill first began painting following a personal and political disaster—the Dardanelles campaign in 1915. He is quoted as telling the painter Sir John Rothenstein: “If it weren’t for painting, I couldn’t live; I couldn’t bear the strain of things.”  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e In 1948, Churchill was bestowed the prestigious recognition of Honorary Academician Extraordinary by The Royal Academy of Arts. Churchill painted roughly 500 works, approximately 350 of which are housed in Churchill’s garden studio at Chartwell, with few others ever coming to market. Created by one of the most influential figures of the 20th century, this extraordinary gift to a close confidant provides a rare and intimate glimpse into who the “real” Winston Churchill was.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Circa 1946-1955 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Canvas: 25” high x 30” wide (62.2 x 74.9 cm)\u003cbr\u003e Frame: 32 3\/4” high x 37 3\/4” wide x 3 1\/2” deep (83.2 x 96 x 8.9 cm) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Provenance:\u003cbr\u003e The artist\u003cbr\u003e Miss Edwina Sandys (Churchill’s granddaughter)\u003cbr\u003e Sale: Sotheby’s Dec. 5th 2001\u003cbr\u003e Private collection\u003cbr\u003e M.S. Rau, New Orleans \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Literature:\u003cbr\u003e David Coombs, Sir Winston Churchill: His Life and His Paintings, 2003, no. 465, illustrated","brand":"M.S. Rau","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45133210321031,"sku":"32-2889","price":3750000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/2471\/0466\/files\/32-2889_1_3924912a-1d32-4849-ac66-783f7881597e.png?v=1783135278"},{"product_id":"rotterdam-scene-de-port-by-maximilien-luce","title":"Rotterdam, Scène de Port by Maximilien Luce","description":"Maximilien Luce\u003cbr\u003e 1858-1941 | French \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eRotterdam, Scène de Port\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Signed and dated “Luce 1907” (lower right)\u003cbr\u003e Oil on canvas \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e A luminous vision of modern life at the dawn of the 20th century, \u003cem\u003eRotterdam, Scène de Port\u003c\/em\u003e is an exceptional work by Maximilien Luce, one of the most important figures of Neo-Impressionism. Painted in 1907, the canvas captures the bustling energy of Rotterdam’s harbor through a dazzling harmony of turquoise, violet, blue and sea-green, transforming an industrial port into a scene of extraordinary atmospheric beauty. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Luce was uniquely suited to this subject. Throughout his career, he found poetry in the modern working world, depicting laborers, construction sites, factories, bridges, ports and city streets with uncommon dignity and brilliance. Rotterdam offered him the perfect union of the themes that defined his art. In this painting, smoke rises from the dark hull of a steamship in soft plumes of lavender and gray, while the harbor glimmers beneath a pale, expansive sky. Rather than presenting industry as harsh or mechanical, Luce renders it radiant and alive. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The Rotterdam subject also holds special significance within the history of Neo-Impressionism. In the spring of 1907, Paul Signac exhibited his monumental \u003cem\u003eLe Port de Rotterdam\u003c\/em\u003e, now in the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, at the Salon des Indépendants, inspiring renewed interest among avant-garde painters in the Dutch harbor. Later that year, Luce traveled to the Netherlands with Kees van Dongen, the Rotterdam-born Fauve artist, and produced a group of works inspired by the port and its surroundings. \u003cem\u003eRotterdam, Scène de Port\u003c\/em\u003e belongs to this important artistic moment, when the harbor became a modern subject worthy of the most advanced color theories of the age. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Born in Paris in 1858, Luce first trained as a wood engraver before studying painting and joining the Neo-Impressionist circle in the 1880s. He exhibited with the Société des Artistes Indépendants and became closely associated with Seurat, Signac and Pissarro. Though he later adopted a broader and freer handling of paint, he remained committed throughout his career to brilliant color, modern subjects and the lives of working people. His works are held in major museum collections, including the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Art Institute of Chicago and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Dated 1907 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Canvas: 20 3\/4\" high x 24 3\/4\" wide (52.7 x 62.9 cm)\u003cbr\u003e Framed: 28 1\/2\" high x 32 1\/2\" wide x 3\" deep (72.4 x 82.6 x 7.6 cm) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Provenance:\u003cbr\u003e Sale: Palais Galliera, Paris, 16th June 1961, lot 179\u003cbr\u003e Private Collection, Switzerland\u003cbr\u003e Sale of the above, Sotheby's, London, 29th March 1984, lot 535\u003cbr\u003e Private Collection, Kentucky, purchased at the above sale\u003cbr\u003e Private Collection, USA\u003cbr\u003e Private Collection, Europe\u003cbr\u003e Stern Pissarro Gallery, London\u003cbr\u003e Private collection, London\u003cbr\u003e M.S. Rau, New Orleans \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Literature:\u003cbr\u003e Denise Bazetoux, \u003cem\u003eMaximilien Luce, Catalogue raisonné de l'œuvre peint\u003c\/em\u003e, Paris, 1986, vol. II, no. 1486, illustrated p. 366","brand":"M.S. Rau","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45147767734407,"sku":"32-2891","price":138500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/2471\/0466\/files\/32-2891_1_45d0574a-b5c9-4e37-b2c8-264b6f34bd52.png?v=1783380107"},{"product_id":"the-holy-family-by-rembrandt-van-rijn","title":"The Holy Family by Rembrandt van Rijn","description":"Rembrandt van Rijn\u003cbr\u003e 1606-1669 | Dutch \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eThe Holy Family\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Etching on paper\u003cbr\u003e New Hollstein 114, state 1\/1\u003cbr\u003e Signed \"RHL\" (lower right) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e A strikingly intimate and masterful etching by the legendary Rembrandt van Rijn, \u003cem\u003eThe Holy Family\u003c\/em\u003e depicts an infant Jesus suckling his mother while a contemplative Joseph reads behind them. This exceptional and expressive composition reflects the Dutch master’s extraordinary talent for creating tender family scenes with technical precision. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The exhaustion of a new mother is visible on Mary’s face as she holds Jesus to her chest, her slipper lazily kicked off her foot and her reverent gaze fixed squarely in front of her. The modestly decorated interior reflects Rembrandt’s fascination with everyday life, depicting the Holy Family as a regular domestic environment rather than a monumentalized setting. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Each line in \u003cem\u003eThe Holy Family\u003c\/em\u003e reflects Rembrandt’s technical genius, demonstrating the medium’s remarkable capacity for expressive modeling and dramatic shadows. The resulting interplay of light, emotion and atmosphere is quintessentially Rembrandt and reveals the enduring sophistication of the Dutch etching tradition. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Rembrandt van Rijn remains the most celebrated artist of the Dutch Golden Age and one of history's greatest printmakers. His etchings revolutionized the medium through innovative techniques and unprecedented psychological insight, elevating printmaking to the level of his celebrated paintings. Working primarily in Amsterdam, Rembrandt produced approximately 290 etchings throughout his career, each demonstrating his mastery of light, shadow and human emotion. His biblical scenes, in particular, transformed religious narrative into intensely personal human drama, influencing generations of artists who followed. Other examples of this etching are held in the world's most prestigious collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Circa 1632 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Etching: 4 3\/4“ high x 3 1\/2” wide (12.1 x 8.9 cm)\u003cbr\u003e Frame: 20“ high x 16 1\/4” wide x 1\" deep (50.8 x 41.3 x 2.5 cm) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Provenance:\u003cbr\u003e Private collection, The Netherlands\u003cbr\u003e M.S. Rau, New Orleans \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Literature:\u003cbr\u003e Bartsch, Hollstein 62\u003cbr\u003e Hind 95\u003cbr\u003e New Hollstein 114 (this impression cited)\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"M.S. Rau","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45147791884423,"sku":"32-2628","price":38850.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/2471\/0466\/files\/32-2628_1.png?v=1783380090"}],"url":"https:\/\/rauantiques.com\/collections\/7-26-brushstrokes-that-changed-history.oembed","provider":"M.S. 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