Ludwig Bemelmans (American, 1898–1962) The Loire from The Garden of Marcel Achard

Signed 'Bemelmans' bottom right; also pencil titled verso, mixed media on paper laid down to board
27 1/8 x 39 5/8 in. (68.9 x 101.6cm)
Executed in 1954.

Provenance

Hammer Galleries, New York, New York.
Acquired directly from the above.
Private Collection, New Jersey.

Footnote:

Note

Marcel Achard was a popular French playwright and director during the interwar period. Known for his humour and playfulness, he directed a number of poetic plays centered around the notions of love, naïveté and gentle sarcasm.

Condition report:

Frame: 32 x 45 x 2 in.

In overall fair to good condition. The board is slightly warped along the top and does not fit exactly in the frame, leaving a narrow gap up top. The work will therefore need to be reframed. While some parts of the sky are left bare at upper left, center and upper right, which we link to the artist's working method, we notice some flakes in the grey clouds at upper left corner, as well as in the green horizontal landscape in the horizon (see at upper right above the arched brodge) but also in the paler bushes on the right of the cypress and all the way to the right outer edge (rather large-sized flakes, which let us see the paper ground). The rest of the composition presents well. One nail at bottom left is brushing against the surface of the paper and should be removed upon reframing as we already see associated creases and losses. With some dust spots that indicate the work would benefit from a light cleaning. Some of the pigments are cracking (some flaking, but not all). See the whites of the bridge at upper left, the blue of the house at bottom right. No evidence of restoration as seen under UV light. See specialist's pictures for more details.