Description

 

Monet, Claude (1840 – 1926)

Exquisite signed portrait of Monet alongside several of his most famous paintings

An exceptionally fine vintage signed 9″ x 12″ photograph by Monet. A wonderful, captivating image (approximately 19 x 26 cm) depicting the bearded painter standing in a three-quarter length pose, wearing a matching tweed suit and waistcoat, accompanied by an alpaca cardigan, and holding a half-smoked cigarette in one hand as he looks confidently towards the camera. In the immediate background appear four of Monet’s paintings, one clearly part of his Houses of Parliament series featuring the Thames River and Palace of Westminster, and two others  capturing his flower garden at his home in Giverny, include water lilies. Signed (‘Claude Monet’) by Monet in bold pencil with his name alone to the lower photographer’s mount. A magnificent and extremely rare signed portrait, most likely dating from around 1905. Some very light, exceptionally minor age wear, otherwise in very fine condition.

Signed portraits of Monet are highly desirable and rarely appear at auction; The Auction and Book Sales Archive (ABSA), which incorporates the records of American Book Prices Current (ABPC), records only one other signed photograph of Monet as having appeared at auction in almost fifty years.

Provenance: Previously with John Wilson (Autographs) Ltd. of Eynsham, Oxford (where purchased in August 1991).