Blessing of the Wheat" (La Benediction de Bles en Artois), c. 1856/1857. Jules Breton (French, 1827-1906). This is a study for one of Breton's most famous works, "La Benediction de Bles en Artois", which was first exhibited at the Salon of 1857 and now in the Muse des beaux-arts, Arras. According to Annette Bourrut Lacouture, this study was completed in 1856 or early 1957 and will be included in the forthcoming forthcoming catalogue raisonn on the artist. From the Madison Ave, NY estate of a fine art dealer. - Dimensions: 7.125" high x 16.25" wide.

Fine craquelure throughout. Frame abrasion at all four edges. Losses and flaking at extreme lower center edge. Splitting to wood at lower right, measuring 1.25" from the front, 1.5" from the back with old retouching at lower portion of split. Small loss with fine blistering to the left of the kneeling cloaked figure in the right hand side of the composition. Inpainting to upper left corner extending horizontally about 3.5" and with some smaller spots of retouching to outer edges, likely from old frame abrasion. Two spots of retouching to the right of the faces of both kneeling figures at the far left.