{"title":"Modernist Portraits","description":"\u003ch2\u003eModernist Portraits\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eModernist portraits reshape likeness through structure, simplification and a more self-conscious pictorial language. Rather than relying only on traditional finish, the category often emphasizes design, surface and the artist's interpretive vision.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eWhy Collectors Value Them\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eModernist portraits can feel especially compelling because they preserve the human subject while making formal decisions more visible. The best examples balance individuality and abstraction without sacrificing coherence or presence.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eHow To Evaluate Them\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eLook for portraits in which stylization sharpens the work's character rather than reducing it. Composition, color and the painter's control of simplification are often central to the category's strongest results.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eM.S. Rau\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eM.S. Rau offers modernist portraits selected for quality, condition and artistic intelligence, helping collectors engage with portraiture shaped by modern ideas of form and vision.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"femme-aux-souliers-noir-by-jules-pascin","title":"Femme aux souliers noir by Jules Pascin","description":"Jules Pascin\u003cbr\u003e 1885-1930 | Bulgarian-French \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eFemme aux souliers noir\u003cbr\u003e (Woman in Black Shoes)\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Signed \"Pascin\" (lower left)\u003cbr\u003e Oil on canvas \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This intimate portrait was composed by the Bulgarian-born French Expressionist painter Jules Pascin. Known as the \"Prince of Montparnasse,\" Pascin made a name for himself throughout both Europe and the United States as a painter of woman, often while nude or in various stages of undress. Undoubtedly influenced by the French Impressionists, particularly Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Pascin developed a highly gestural style that is uniquely his own. \u003cem\u003eFemme aux souliers noir\u003c\/em\u003e displays the unique qualities that made his work so groundbreaking during his lifetime. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Though he was born in Bulgaria and became a United States citizen in 1920, Pascin spent most of his career is Paris, and he is regarded today as a French painter. It was on his return to France from the United States in 1923 when his so-called \u003cem\u003enacrée\u003c\/em\u003e, or \"pearly,\" style began to emerge in his work; the present painting dates to this same period. In it, one can see how Pascin adopted a more fluid touch in his paint application, working with almost dry brushes. The technique allowed him to make his tones more transparent, lending a ghostly, immaterial quality to his figures. This portrait perfectly embodies the atmospheric qualities of his \u003cem\u003enacrée\u003c\/em\u003e period. Less sensual than his nudes, \u003cem\u003eFemme aux souliers noir\u003c\/em\u003e nevertheless displays the earthy softness and intimate charm that made the artist so successful. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Born in Vidin, Bulgaria in 1885, Pascin grew up part of an affluent Sephardic Jewish family. He attended university in Austria and Germany, though he eventually moved to Paris in 1905. Encountering the Parisian Modernist movement changed the trajectory of his career, and he soon began exhibiting his prints and drawings at the Salon des Indépendants. He achieved a great deal of success and fame early in his career, particularly in North America, so much so that he chose to become a United States citizen in 1920. Tragically, however, he fell prey to depression and alcoholism, and committed suicide in 1930 at the age of 45. Today, his work can be found in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), the Museum of Modern Art (New York), the Louvre (Paris), the Art Institute of Chicago and others. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Circa 1923 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Canvas: 24\" high x 18\" wide\u003cbr\u003e Frame: 33 1\/4\" high x 27\" wide","brand":"M.S. Rau","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42967690182791,"sku":"31-1161","price":98500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/2471\/0466\/files\/31-1161_1.png?v=1753982692"},{"product_id":"buste-dhomme-barbu-by-pablo-picasso","title":"Buste d'homme barbu by Pablo Picasso","description":"Pablo Picasso\u003cbr\u003e 1881-1973 | Spanish \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eBuste d'homme barbu\u003cbr\u003e (Bust of a Bearded Man)\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Signed \"Picasso\" (upper right) and dated \"8.4.65\" (en verso)\u003cbr\u003e Oil on canvas \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Pablo Picasso and his work transcend art history: they have achieved global celebrity within both academic circles and popular culture. More than any other artist, his ever-evolving, evocative style has come to define modern art of the 20th century, and to this day he continues to gain recognition. The most compelling of his works offer a glimpse into the psyche of the master himself, and the present work can be counted among these. Combining saturated color with a jarring simplicity, \u003cem\u003eBuste d'homme barbu\u003c\/em\u003e represents an important series of bearded men portraits that the artist composed during the last few years of his life. These works are among the most highly personal and intimate of his career, and they serve as remarkable examples of his mature style with their highly modern expressivity. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Many of Picasso's works from his last years capture the visage of his wife Jacqueline, who was his chief model during this period. In April, however, at his home studio in Mougins, France, Picasso changed direction and produced a series of individual portraits of men. His male subjects derive from various sources. Often they were self-referential portraits; often they referenced his father, Spanish painter José Ruiz y Blasco. Picasso once said, \"Every time I draw a man, I find myself thinking of my father… To me a man means 'Don José,' and it will always be so, all my life… He wore a beard… All the men I draw I see more or less with his features.\" \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e While his father’s dark mustache and beard are clearly distinguished in \u003cem\u003eBuste d'homme barbu\u003c\/em\u003e, Picasso's portraits of men from the mid-1960s served more as composite, archetypal figures representing vitality and virility. Although he would live eight more years after this work was created in April of 1965, at the age of 84, Picasso was preoccupied with thoughts of aging and mortality. He was suffering from an ulcer that would require surgery later that year. He seemed to combat these thoughts with a burst of youthful, creative energy, and the mid-1960s witnessed an outpouring of productivity from Picasso, with his subjects such as this displaying that same vitality. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Highly modern and expressionistic, this painting explores an extreme simplification of form, breaking the figure down to its basic essentials. Remarkably, though, Picasso still managed to capture the most expressive features of his subjects in just a few choice brushstrokes. His male portraits from this period employ a particular set of facial traits delineated with decisive swoops of color to suggest a nose or a cheekbone, built up upon fields of white paint. Composed with a highly simplified palette and sparsity of line, \u003cem\u003eBuste d'homme barbu\u003c\/em\u003e successfully evokes a striking sense of vigor. This character is also endowed with a powerful, hypnotic gaze, the \u003cem\u003emirada fuerte\u003c\/em\u003e, that Picasso included in many of his portraits. These wide eyes allude both to ancient portraiture and to the artist himself, who was known personally for his strong gaze, an indication that he has projected himself onto the figure. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Born in 1881 in Málaga, Spain, Picasso spent his childhood studying drawing and painting under his father, Jose Ruíz, who taught at the local art school. Picasso spent a year at the Academy of Arts in Madrid, before traveling to Paris in 1900. Landing in the center of the European art world, Picasso began to mingle in the company of other artists, quickly establishing himself as a critical figure in the thriving Parisian art scene. Critics have often divided Picasso’s artistic output into distinct phases based on his color scheme and style of painting. It was around 1907 that Picasso became very influenced by African masks and art which began making their way into Parisian museums following the expansion of the French Empire into Africa. The faces and simplified, angular planes of the women in Picasso’s \u003cem\u003eLes Demoiselles d’Avignon\u003c\/em\u003e clearly derive their style from African masks and sculptures, and this painting is often heralded as the beginning of Cubism. Pushing the boundaries of his own creativity throughout his long career, Picasso devoted himself to artistic production. The result was one of the richest and most important oeuvres in art history. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Other examples of late portraits by Picasso reside in important museums worldwide such as \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/rauantiques.my.salesforce.com\/sfc\/p\/A0000000JY02\/a\/8X000000Mo3f\/jVBn9SGCMXVjXy5w4.gcIZC_0GDfu0JaMQsXBa1X2Yc\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museé Picasso in Paris and the Museu Picasso in Barcelona.\u003c\/a\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Dated 1965 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Canvas: 31 1\/2\" high x 25 1\/2\" wide (83.82 x 68.90 cm)\u003cbr\u003e Frame: 33\" high x 27 1\/8\" wide (80.01 x 64.77 cm)  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/rau-sfimages.s3.amazonaws.com\/dossier\/Dossier_31-5479.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 Louise Leiris, Paris\u003cbr\u003e Private collection\u003cbr\u003e Christie’s New York, November 14, 1990, Impressionist and modern paintings, and sculpture (part 1), lot 47\u003cbr\u003e Private collection\u003cbr\u003e Christie’s New York, May 13, 1998, 20th Century Art, lot 238\u003cbr\u003e Private collection\u003cbr\u003e M.S. Rau, New Orleans \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Literature:\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003ePablo Picasso\u003c\/em\u003e, Volume 25, 1971, by C. Zervos, p. 57, no. 101 (illustrated)","brand":"M.S. Rau","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44310043066503,"sku":"31-5479","price":7950000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/2471\/0466\/files\/31-5479_1_31c61617-44e1-4c77-83ed-3dd499386897.png?v=1774992134"},{"product_id":"la-loge-by-jean-gabriel-domergue","title":"La loge by Jean-Gabriel Domergue","description":"Jean-Gabriel Domergue\u003cbr\u003e 1889-1962 | French \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eLa loge\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Signed (lower right)\u003cbr\u003e Oil on panel \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Jean-Gabriel Domergue presents an elegantly seductive woman seated in a loge in this vibrantly-hued oil portrait. Depicted with her eyes gazing from beneath a gauzy polka-dot veil, his auburn-haired sitter embodies the youth, vitality and sophistication Domergue’s compositions are known for. The woman is exceedingly poised, focused on the performance, her brightly rouged lips parted in concentration. A well-heeled man sits beside her, peering into opera glasses. The slender, modern woman of \u003cem\u003eLa loge\u003c\/em\u003e exudes confidence and style, displaying the qualities of Domergue's work that earned him the reputation of “inventor of the pin-up.” \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Born in Bordeaux in 1889, Domergue studied at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts. He was only 17 years old when he exhibited at the Salon des Artistes Français for the first time, winning the Prix du Rome in 1911 and a gold medal in 1920. While landscapes dominated his early oeuvre, from the 1920s he changed his focus to what would become his trademark subject, \u003cem\u003ela belle Parisienne\u003c\/em\u003e. Domergue enjoyed a tremendously successful career. From 1955 until 1962 he was the curator of the Musée Jacquemart-André, organizing exhibitions of the works of van Gogh, Toulouse-Lautrec and Goya, among others. Domergue was appointed a Chevalier of the Légion d’Honneur and also served as a Fellow of the Academy of Fine Arts. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Early 20th century \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Panel: 21 1\/2“ high x 18 1\/8” wide\u003cbr\u003e Frame: 28 1\/2\" high x 25\" wide x 1 1\/2\" deep","brand":"M.S. Rau","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":41779922763911,"sku":"31-5996","price":49850.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/2471\/0466\/files\/31-5996_1_4586d4a5-e89d-4f34-a513-7c88b302d636.png?v=1728289500"},{"product_id":"la-terrasse-devant-la-mer-by-jean-pierre-cassigneul","title":"La terrasse devant la mer by Jean Pierre Cassigneul","description":"Jean-Pierre Cassigneul\u003cbr\u003e b.1935 | French \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eLa terrasse devant la mer\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e (\u003cem\u003eThe Terrace by the Sea\u003c\/em\u003e) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Signed “Cassigneul” (lower left)\u003cbr\u003e Oil on canvas laid on panel \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This monumental, three-paneled oil painting is among the largest ever composed by the celebrated French painter Jean-Pierre Cassigneul. Capturing a woman in grey against a windswept seascape, the composition is classic Cassigneul, exuding a serenity and sophistication that is unique to his aesthetic. Triptychs are highly rare in the artist's oeuvre, and the panels can be displayed apart or attached. Renowned for his portraits that bring together brilliant pops of color with an atmosphere of elegance and tranquility, Cassigneul's upbringing in French fashion is keenly felt in the composition, as he brings the chic Parisian ideal to life. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e One of the most famous living French artists, Cassigneul is set apart by his unique ability to produce works that feel both dramatically contemporary and classic in style. \u003cem\u003eLa terrasse devant la mer\u003c\/em\u003e brings together two of his most common tropes: a sleepy-eyed beauty and a vibrantly hued landscape. The green colors of the sea and the dusky sky provide a sharp contrast to the central figure, whose large hat and billowing scarf exude a timeless fashion. With its vivid, rich palette and flat spatial planes, Cassigneul’s style follows in the tradition of the French Post-Impressionist group known as Les Nabis, which included celebrated French artists such as Pierre Bonnard, Edouard Vuillard and Maurice Denis. Expressionist painter Kees van Dongen was another important influence on the young Cassigneul, whose portraits resemble van Dongen’s elongated, sharply contoured female forms. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Born in Paris in 1935, Cassigneul's grandfather was the founder of the ground-breaking French fashion house Jean Dessès. Raised among the glamor and excitement of the Parisian fashion world, the young Cassigneul observed models, dressmakers and runway shows from a very young age. His interest in art also manifested early, and he painted his first landscape at Deauville at the young age of 12. He studied at the École des Beaux-Arts, holding his first one-man exhibition at just 17 years of age. Since that first show, his work has been widely exhibited worldwide, particularly in Western Europe, the United States and Japan, where he enjoys an especially devoted following. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Painted 1975 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Triptych: 51 1\/4\" high x 71” wide\u003cbr\u003e Panel: 51 1\/4” high x 23 1\/2” wide x 1 3\/8\" deep","brand":"M.S. Rau","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44555221205127,"sku":"31-6704","price":268500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/2471\/0466\/files\/31-6704_1.png?v=1777663316"},{"product_id":"orientala-by-reuven-rubin","title":"Orientala by Reuven Rubin","description":"Reuven Rubin\u003cbr\u003e Israeli | 1893-1974 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eOrientala\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Signed “Reuven Rubin\"\u003cbr\u003e Signed and dated \"Rubin Orientala 1964\" (en verso)\u003cbr\u003e Oil on canvas \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e A striking and unique work rendered in a breathtaking jewel-toned palette, \u003cem\u003eOrientala\u003c\/em\u003e by Rueven Rubin showcases the dynamic artistry and singular point-of-view of the Israeli artist. While olive trees, sheep and fishermen were typical subjects for the artist, this rare work features the countenance of a woman. Considered a pioneering figurative Israeli artist of the mid-20th century, Rubin was a founder of the Eretz-Yisrael style alongside artists Nachum Gutman and Ziona Tajar. Rubin is celebrated for his portraits and sun-bleached modernist landscapes painted over the artist’s six-decade career spent living between Tel Aviv, New York, and Los Angeles. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Enigmatic and colorful, \u003cem\u003eOrientala\u003c\/em\u003e features a scantily clad woman wearing a turban-like headdress and holding a potted plant. Rubin renders the woman’s strong features in a plethora of non-naturalistic colors and with bold, angular brushstrokes. Reminiscent of works by Picasso, Jawlensky and even Chagall, Rubin employs a vivid and original palette along with striking modern techniques to create a composition that firmly establishes his own distinctive style. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Rubin Zelicovici, later Reuven Rubin, was born in Galaţi to a Romanian Jewish Hasidic family. In 1912, he left to study art at Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in Jerusalem. Finding himself at odds with the artistic views of the Academy's teachers, he left for Paris, France and began to cultivate his artistic vision. Influenced by artists like Cezanne, Rubin’s early depictions of his country’s landscapes rebelled against Bezalel and helped to establish Rubin as an internationally recognized artist. In 1924, he was the first artist to hold a solo exhibition at the Tower of David, in Jerusalem and that year he was elected chairman of the Association of Painters and Sculptors of Palestine. From the 1930s onwards, Rubin also designed backdrops for the Habima Theater and the Ohel Theater. Rubin’s work frequently explored themes of the biblical landscape, folklore and people in his works. Today, Rubin’s works are included in the collections of several major museums, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Dated 1964 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Canvas: 32” high x 26” wide\u003cbr\u003e Frame: 44” high x 37 3\/8”wide \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Provenance:\u003cbr\u003e The artist\u003cbr\u003e Sam Salz, New York\u003cbr\u003e Estate of Harold Weill, New York\u003cbr\u003e Private Collection, New York\u003cbr\u003e M.S. Rau, New Orleans \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Literature:\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eRubin: Retrospective Exhibition\u003c\/em\u003e, The Tel Aviv Museum, Israel, July 1966, no. 49 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Exhibitions:\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eRubin: Retrospective Exhibition\u003c\/em\u003e, The Tel Aviv Museum, July 1966, no. 49\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eSummer Times\u003c\/em\u003e, The Tel Aviv Museum, Israel, July 26, 2021 - September 23, 2021\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"M.S. Rau","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42352654516359,"sku":"31-8230","price":228500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/2471\/0466\/files\/31-8230_1.png?v=1741268214"},{"product_id":"le-turban-orange-by-tamara-de-lempicka","title":"Le Turban Orange by Tamara de Lempicka","description":"Tamara De Lempicka\u003cbr\u003e 1898-1980 | Polish \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eLe turban orange\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003e(The Orange Turban)\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Oil on canvas \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Wrapped in a spectacular orange headdress, the alluring woman at the center of this portrait is a signature subject of famed Art Deco artist Tamara de Lempicka. Her iconic portraits of women have come to define her esteemed oeuvre, and this turbaned sitter is one that she returned to and repeated the most throughout her long career. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Gazing out at the viewer with mesmerizing intensity, the woman's visage is rendered in Lempicka's typical feminine color palette and softness. The artist captures the planes of her subject's face and the deep folds of her turban with masterful depth. Based on two earlier paintings from 1945, Lempicka returned to this idealized woman in an orange turban again in the 1970s. After the huge success of her major retrospective at Galerie Luxembourg in 1972, Lempicka answered the call to reprise some of her greatest and most beloved works for avid collectors—with the mysterious woman in the orange turban among them. Today, versions of this important subject can be found in museum collections including the Musée d’Art Moderne in Le Havre, France. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Born in Poland at the turn of the 20th century, Lempicka was forced to flee to France in 1918 after the beginning of the Russian Revolution. During a visit to Italy in her youth, she became enraptured by the Italian Old Masters. Inspired by this formative experience, Lempicka enrolled in Académie de la Grande Chaumière in Paris to take up painting. She studied under famed avant-garde artists Maurice Denis and André Lhote, who introduced her to Cubism, and she began exhibiting at the Parisian salons as early as 1922. Lempicka became a fixture in Parisian high society, spending much of her time hosting wealthy elites in her atelier on Rue Méchain.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e With a resurgence of appreciation for the Art Deco period, combined with the success of her retrospective at Galerie de Luxembourg in 1971, Lempicka’s work has achieved remarkable acclaim in recent decades. Much of her work resides in museums worldwide, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Musée des Beaux-Arts du Havre, and the National Museum Warsaw, among others. Alain Blondel, the esteemed French author who compiled the artist’s catalogue raisonné, wrote fondly of her uniqueness: “Tamara de Lempicka will always continue to defy categorization. Her art and her life destiny do not fit into the usual framework for 20th-century artists. The idea that art could be a profession was foreign to Lempicka. Her life and her painting were too closely intertwined for that.” \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Circa 1975 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Canvas: 9 1\/2\" high x 7 5\/8\" wide (24.13 x 19.37 cm)\u003cbr\u003e Frame: 13\" high x 11\" wide x 1\" deep (33.02 x 27.94 x 2.54 cm) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Provenance:\u003cbr\u003e By descent, from the artist","brand":"M.S. Rau","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44491868733575,"sku":"31-9612","price":278500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/2471\/0466\/files\/31-9612_1.png?v=1777552604"},{"product_id":"portrait-of-emilienne-le-roy-by-giovanni-boldini","title":"Portrait of Emilienne Le Roy by Giovanni Boldini","description":"Giovanni Boldini\u003cbr\u003e 1842-1931 | Italian \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003ePortrait of Emilienne Le Roy\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Oil on canvas \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e A dazzling display of Giovanni Boldini’s signature style, \u003cem\u003ePortrait of Emilienne Le Roy\u003c\/em\u003e captures the essence of Belle Époque elegance. Boldini, known as the “Master of the Swish,” infused his portraits with movement, vitality and an unparalleled sense of grandeur. Painted in 1913, this portrait embodies the grace and dynamism that made Boldini the most sought-after portraitist in Parisian high society. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Rendered in Boldini’s unmistakable fluid strokes, the portrait pulses with energy, as though caught in a fleeting moment of motion. His characteristic loose, swirling brushwork lends an ethereal quality, while the play of light across the figure enhances Le Roy’s presence. Her elegant pose, draped in flowing fabrics, epitomizes the aristocratic glamour of pre-war Paris. Boldini’s ability to merge realism with impressionistic dynamism is fully realized in this composition, showcasing why his work remains unparalleled in the canon of portraiture. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Boldini was the premier portraitist of the Belle Époque, capturing the era’s most famous figures, from the Marchesa Casati to the Duchess of Marlborough. Emilienne Le Roy (1894–1980) was among the select Parisian socialites who vied for the privilege of sitting for him. His portraits, treasured for their vivacious energy and modern spirit, have been collected by the world’s most prestigious museums, including the Boldini Museum in Ferrara, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Art Institute of Chicago and the Petit Palais in Paris, which recently hosted a major retrospective of his work. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Painted 1913 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Canvas: 37 5\/8\" high x 27 3\/4\" wide (9557 x 70.49 cm)\u003cbr\u003e Framed: 47 1\/4\" high x 37 1\/2\" wide x 3\" deep (120.02 x 95.25 x 7.62 cm) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/rau-sfimages.s3.amazonaws.com\/dossier\/Dossier_32-0364.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 Artist’s studio (inventory no. 29T)\u003cbr\u003e Emilia Cardona Boldini (widow of the artist)\u003cbr\u003e Tino Rossi\u003cbr\u003e Private collection, Milan\u003cbr\u003e M.S. Rau, New Orleans \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Literature:\u003cbr\u003e C.L. Ragghianti, E. Camesasca, \u003cem\u003eL'Opera completa di Boldini, Rizzoli Editore\u003c\/em\u003e, Milan, 1970, no. 512, reproduced in black and white, p. 128.\u003cbr\u003e T. Panconi, \u003cem\u003eGiovanni Boldini. The complete work\u003c\/em\u003e (General catalogue raisonné), Edifir, Florence 2002, p. 551\u003cbr\u003e P. Dini, F. Dini, \u003cem\u003eGiovanni Boldini. 1842-1931. Catalogue raisonné\u003c\/em\u003e, Allemandi, Turin 2002, vol. IV, p. 546, n. 1058\u003cbr\u003e Giovanni Boldini. \u003cem\u003eGeneral catalogue from the Boldini archives\u003c\/em\u003e, edited by B. Doria, Rizzoli, Milan 2000, n. 620 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Exhibited:\u003cbr\u003e Boldini: The Genius of Line, the Magic of Color, Campobasso, November 27, 2021 – April 18, 2022\u003cbr\u003e Femme Fatale: The Female Figure in the Belle Époque, Between Archetype and Emancipation, Montichiari, November–December 2022","brand":"M.S. Rau","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44540610052231,"sku":"32-0364","price":885000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/2471\/0466\/files\/32-0364_1_f7e5f6f0-9a3f-4a2a-831b-ecee33a73f87.png?v=1779132155"},{"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":"kronen-narr-by-paul-klee","title":"Kronen-Narr by Paul Klee","description":"Paul Klee\u003cbr\u003e 1879-1940 | Swiss-German \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eKronen-Narr\u003cbr\u003e (Crown Fool)\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Signed \"Klee\" (lower right)\u003cbr\u003e Gouache and ink on newsprint on cardboard \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e One of the most important artists of the 20th century, Paul Klee's revolutionary compositions defied easy categorization. His paintings blended abstraction, personal and historical narratives into works that transformed the history of modern art. This striking 1938 gouache, entitled \u003cem\u003eKronen-Narr (Crowned Fool)\u003c\/em\u003e, is an exceptional example of Klee's masterful technique and unique vision. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Rendered in gouache and ink on newsprint, the crowned figure hovers over fragments of contemporary headlines—a bold juxtaposition of whimsical imagery and the era's turbulence in Europe. The fool’s elongated form and angular crown recall medieval jesters, while his bright palette and graphic precision imbue the figure with both humor and profound weight. Bright and playful, the composition demonstrates Klee's genius for balancing serious political commentary and delightful works of art. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Born in Switzerland in 1879, Klee began his studies in both art and music before dedicating himself fully to painting. His practice was transformed during a 1914 journey to Tunisia, where the intensity of the North African light awakened his celebrated approach to color. By 1915 he had abandoned representational painting, choosing instead to create compositions from imagination, memory and musical rhythm. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e His influence extended beyond his own practice to his role as a Bauhaus teacher alongside Wassily Kandinsky, where he articulated theories of color and form that shaped the trajectory of modern abstraction. Even after his exile from Germany in 1933, Klee continued to innovate, producing a remarkable body of work despite his declining health. \u003cem\u003eKronen-Narr\u003c\/em\u003e belongs to this final period, when the artist’s imagery grew sharper and more symbolic, distilling complex themes into deceptively simple forms. Today, works of this caliber belong to the world's leading institutions, including the Museum of Modern Art, Tate Modern, the Centre Pompidou and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Dated 1938 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Paper: 24 3\/8\" high x 15 3\/8\" wide (61.91 x 39.05 cm)\u003cbr\u003e Frame: 33 1\/4\" high x 24 1\/4\" wide x 2 1\/2\" deep (84.46 x 61.60 x 6.35 cm) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Provenance:\u003cbr\u003e Hans and Erika Meyer-Bentelli, Bern until 1955\u003cbr\u003e Berggruen \u0026amp; Cie, Paris, 1955-58\u003cbr\u003e Saidenberg Gallery, Inc., New York, 1958-59\u003cbr\u003e James Wise, Geneva, New York and Nice from 1959\u003cbr\u003e Nahum Goldman, Jerusalem until 1983\u003cbr\u003e The Collection of Sidney Rothberg, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania\u003cbr\u003e Private collection, The Netherlands\u003cbr\u003e M.S. Rau, New Orleans \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Literature:\u003cbr\u003e Paul Klee Foundation, Kunstmuseum Bern, \u003cem\u003ePaul Klee: Catalogue Raisonné\u003c\/em\u003e, Band 7, 1934-1938, Thames and Hudson, London, 1998-2004, p. 344, n° 7250 (illustrated) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Exhibited:\u003cbr\u003e Amsterdam and Brussels, Stedelijk Museum and Palais de Beaux-Arts, \u003cem\u003ePaul Klee\u003c\/em\u003e, 1957, no. 97a","brand":"M.S. Rau","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44548478500999,"sku":"32-1460","price":298500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/2471\/0466\/files\/32-1460_1.png?v=1777554704"},{"product_id":"peintre-a-la-veste-rouge-et-le-nu-vert-by-marc-chagall","title":"Peintre à la veste rouge et le nu vert by Marc Chagall","description":"Marc Chagall\u003cbr\u003e 1887-1985 | Russian \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003ePeintre à la veste rouge et le nu vert\u003cbr\u003e (Painter with the Red Jacket and the Green Nude)\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Stamped with signature \"Chagall\" (lower left)\u003cbr\u003e Pastel, India ink and graphite on paper \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This masterful self-portrait vividly captures some of Marc Chagall's most iconic motifs in his signature dreamlike style. Painted circa 1960, this work embodies the extraordinary significance of Chagall’s final decades, often referred to as his “Mediterranean Renaissance.” \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Much like Rembrandt, whom Chagall greatly admired, the artist returned frequently to his own image as a means of exploring identity, memory and the very nature of artistic creation. In this vibrant work, Chagall depicts himself as the painter in a vivid red jacket, surrounded by the signature symbols of his unique visual language: a lush bouquet of florals, a floating nude, the yellow-headed goat and the rooftops of his beloved birthplace of Vitebsk. The result is a profoundly autobiographical composition in which the artist places himself at the center of his own dreamlike world. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This painting dates to one of the most consequential periods of Chagall's career. He had recently completed his revolutionary stained-glass windows for the Hadassah synagogue in Jerusalem and the Metz Cathedral. In 1960, France's Minister of Cultural Affairs commissioned Chagall to paint the iconic ceiling of the Paris Opera—a monumental undertaking that cemented his status as one of the most important living artists in the world. Despite being in his seventies, this extraordinary era of Chagall's output would ultimately prove to be one of his most ambitious and internationally acclaimed. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Marc Chagall was born in Vitebsk, Russia, to a large, close-knit Jewish family of herring merchants. He began studying painting in 1906 under the famed artist Yehuda Pen. In 1907, he moved to St. Petersburg and joined the school of the Society of Art Supporters. In 1910, Chagall relocated to Paris to be near the art community of the Montparnasse district, and he would eventually become a French citizen. Amongst the turmoil of the 20th century, including the Soviet regime and the outbreak of WWII, Chagall would continue to move between Russia, France and the United States throughout his life. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Chagall died at the age of 97 in Saint-Paul de Vence, France, in 1985, leaving behind an incredible body of work that remains among the most coveted in the art world, especially his profound self-portraits such as this one. His works belong to the collections of prestigious museums across the world, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Centre Pompidou, Tate Modern and the Art Institute of Chicago. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This work is accompanied by its certificate of authenticity issued by the Comité Marc Chagall. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Circa 1960 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Paper: 16 1\/2” high x 11 1\/2” wide (41.9 x 29.2 cm)\u003cbr\u003e Frame: 33” high x 28” wide x 1 1\/2” deep (83.8 x 71.1 x 3.8 cm) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Provenance:\u003cbr\u003e Estate of the artist\u003cbr\u003e M.S. Rau, New Orleans","brand":"M.S. Rau","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44556564791431,"sku":"32-2450","price":598500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/2471\/0466\/files\/32-2450_1.png?v=1781191323"},{"product_id":"mother-and-child-by-diego-rivera","title":"Mother and Child by Diego Rivera","description":"Diego Rivera\u003cbr\u003e 1886-1957 | Mexican \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eMother and Child\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Signed and dated \"Diego Rivera 1934\" (lower right)\u003cbr\u003e Tempera on plaster \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e In this intimate masterwork, \u003cem\u003eMother and Child\u003c\/em\u003e, the great Diego Rivera illustrates all of his genius in a depiction of profound tenderness. Created after Rivera's return from the United States, this work reveals the artist at the peak of his powers. The luminous palette reflects Mexico's brilliant light and cultural vibrancy, while his masterful composition draws us into the sacred space between mother and child. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Though best known for his monumental public art, Rivera uses his innovative \"portable mural\" technique here, applying it to plaster for exceptional color stability and vibrancy reminiscent of traditional fresco methods. This rare and pioneering approach is documented in a letter Rivera wrote to the painting's original collector, expressing his deep affection for the work and providing guidance on preserving this unique medium. Measuring nearly three feet high, the composition's emotional force is profound, allowing the bond between mother and child—one of Rivera's most significant motifs—to become the painting's singular focus. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Most works by Rivera of this caliber already reside in prestigious institutional collections around the world, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the Art Institute of Chicago. Additionally, Rivera’s masterpieces have been declared national artistic monuments of Mexico since 1959, making it illegal to export them from the country. It is thus exceedingly rare to find such a monumental masterwork as this one, which has been well documented as having left Mexico in 1934 and remaining in important American and Canadian private collections ever since. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Diego Rivera, born in Guanajuato City, Mexico in 1886, demonstrated an extraordinary aptitude for drawing at a young age. He embarked upon his formal art education at the Academy of San Carlos in Mexico, before relocating to Paris in 1907 to immerse himself in the rich artistic milieu of Montparnasse. It was there that he was steeped in the burgeoning movement of Cubism, and his oeuvre fully embraced the revolutionary artistic movement. His works attracted the attention of the world’s most prestigious art patrons, including Nelson Rockefeller, for whom he painted a controversial mural in 1934. Rivera frequently selected children as the primary subjects of his portraiture, casting them as symbols of hope for Mexico's bright future. The young sitters, like this mother and child, embodied the hope of the improved social climate that emerged in the aftermath of the Mexican Revolution of 1910. Through the perceptive gazes of his subjects, Rivera explores the tension between the purity of youth and the austere realities of life in rural Mexico. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Dated 1934 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Plaster: 30 3\/4” high x 23” wide (78.1 x 58.4 cm)\u003cbr\u003e Frame: 39 1\/8” high x 31 1\/8” wide x 3 3\/8” deep (99.4 x 79.1 x 8.5 cm) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Provenance:\u003cbr\u003e Collection of Aline Rhonie Hofheimer Brooks (1909 - 1963), New York, acquired from the artist\u003cbr\u003e Sale: New York, Parke-Bernet Galleries, Inc., Modern Paintings, Drawings, and Sculptures, Sale 2214, October 17, 1963, lot 130, p. 35, illustrated\u003cbr\u003e Collection of Abraham David Braun, Milwaukee, Wisconsin\u003cbr\u003e Sale: Palm Beach, Florida, Trosby Galleries, Inc., February 6, 1968, lot 31\u003cbr\u003e Collection of Maxwell Cummings, Canada\u003cbr\u003e By descent from the above\u003cbr\u003e M.S. Rau, New Orleans \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Literature:\u003cbr\u003e Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes, \u003cem\u003eDiego Rivera Catálogo General de Obra de Caballete\u003c\/em\u003e, Mexico, 1989, no. 1080, p. 143\u003cbr\u003e Bertram D. Wolfe, \u003cem\u003ePortrait of Mexico\u003c\/em\u003e, plate no. 38, illustrated","brand":"M.S. Rau","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44850425168007,"sku":"32-2631","price":885000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/2471\/0466\/files\/32-2631_1.png?v=1781299296"}],"url":"https:\/\/rauantiques.com\/collections\/modernist-portraits.oembed","provider":"M.S. Rau","version":"1.0","type":"link"}