Fishing Boats at Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer
- Date
- 1888
- Material
- Pen and ink and pencil
- made in
- Arles, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, France, Europe
- Classification
- Drawings & watercolors
- Collection
- Prints, Drawings, and Photographs
- Current Location
- Not on view
- Dimensions
- 9 5/8 x 12 9/16 in. (24.4 x 31.9 cm)
- Credit Line
- Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Pulitzer Jr.
- Rights
- Public Domain
- Object Number
- 137:1984
NOTES
The elevated horizon line flattens the sense of depth in this seascape, while at the same time the spontaneous ink marks show a sensitivity to depicting atmospheric conditions. In early June 1888, Vincent van Gogh made his only excursion to the Mediterranean Sea, to Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer. At the beach, where fisherman worked and kept their boats, he made several quick sketches.
Drawings are made for all kinds of reasons, and he used some of his sketches from the beach later as studies for paintings. The circumstances of the drawing however are reversed—it is in fact a replica of a painting that was made while in Saintes-Maries, perhaps even on the beach. Although van Gogh frequently included informal sketches of his paintings in his letters, this more formal independent drawing was sent to a fellow artist in hopes that he might purchase the work.
Drawings are made for all kinds of reasons, and he used some of his sketches from the beach later as studies for paintings. The circumstances of the drawing however are reversed—it is in fact a replica of a painting that was made while in Saintes-Maries, perhaps even on the beach. Although van Gogh frequently included informal sketches of his paintings in his letters, this more formal independent drawing was sent to a fellow artist in hopes that he might purchase the work.
Provenance
1888 -
John Peter Russell (1850–1931), Belle-Isle-en-Mer, France, gift of the artist [1]
1920/03/31
In auction "Tableau-Dessins-Estampes," Hôtel Drouot, Paris, France, lot no. 66 [2]
Maurice Gobin (1883-1962), Paris, France
J. W. Bohler, Lucerne, Switzerland [3]
by 1929 - still in 1930
Galerie Paul Cassirer, Berlin, Germany [4]
by 1931 - 1946
Jacques Seligmann & Co., Paris, France; New York, NY [5]
1946 - 1948
Fine Arts Associates, New York, NY [6]
1948 - 1984
Joseph Pulitzer Jr. (1913-1993) and Louise Vauclain Pulitzer (1914–1968), St. Louis, MO, purchased from Fine Arts Associates Galleries; Emily Rauh Pulitzer (b.1933), St. Louis, MO [7]
1984 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, given by Joseph Pulitzer Jr. and Emily Rauh Pulitzer [8]
Notes:
The main source for this provenance is the 1970 catalogue raisonné [de la Faille, J.-B. "The Works of Vincent van Gogh: His Paintings and Drawings." Amsterdam: Meulenhoff International, 1970, no. F1433, letters 499, 517]. Exceptions and other supporting documents are noted.
[1] Van Gogh sent the drawing to John Russell of Belle-Isle-en-Mer [Pickvance, Ronald. "Van Gogh in Arles." New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1984, no. 74].
[2] Sold as "Les trois barques" ["Tableaux-Dessins-Estampes," Hôtel Drouot, Paris, March 31, 1920, lot no. 66].
[3] The 1928 edition of de la Faille's catalogue raisonné lists Bohler and Gobin in the provenance of "Fishing Boats at Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer." Therefore, the drawing must have passed through these collections prior to the publication of the 1928 catalogue raisonné [de la Faille, J.-B. "L'Oeuvre de Vincent van Gogh: Catalogue Raisonné." Paris and Brussels: Les Editions G. van Oest, 1928].
[4] A label indicates that this work was cat no. 63 for the exhibition "Ein Jahrhundert Französischer Zeichnung," at the Galerie Paul Cassirer, Berlin, December, 1929 - January, 1930 [label in SLAM document files]. The presence of the drawing in this exhibition and the ownership by Galerie Paul Cassirer are confirmed by the exhibition catalogue ["Ein Jahrhundert Französischer Zeichnung." Berlin: Paul Cassirer, 1929, no. 63].
[5] A undated record card (#1523) from Jacques Seligmann & Co. verifies the drawing as having belonged to Maurice Gobin, Paris. It also mentions the exhibition at the Paul Cassirer Art Gallery. It appears that Seligmann acquired the drawing by 1931 because the drawing is listed as having been exhibited at three exhibitions that year: Telfair Academy, Savannah, GA, February 1931; Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Boston, MA, March 1931; and Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI, April 1931 [Undated Record Card, Jacques Seligmann & Co. records, 1904-1978, bulk 1913-1974. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution; copy, SLAM document files].
[6] Invoice from Jacques Seligmann & Co., dated May 14, 1946, indicates that the drawing was sold to Fine Arts Associates [Invoice, Jacques Seligmann & Co. records, 1904-1978, bulk 1913-1974. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution copy, SLAM document files].
[7] The 1957 catalogue of the Pulitzer Collection (see note [5]) indicates that the Pulitzers acquired the drawing March 10, 1948.
[8] Minutes of the Acquisitions and Loans Committee of the Board of Trustees of the Saint Louis Art Museum, December 14, 1984.
John Peter Russell (1850–1931), Belle-Isle-en-Mer, France, gift of the artist [1]
1920/03/31
In auction "Tableau-Dessins-Estampes," Hôtel Drouot, Paris, France, lot no. 66 [2]
Maurice Gobin (1883-1962), Paris, France
J. W. Bohler, Lucerne, Switzerland [3]
by 1929 - still in 1930
Galerie Paul Cassirer, Berlin, Germany [4]
by 1931 - 1946
Jacques Seligmann & Co., Paris, France; New York, NY [5]
1946 - 1948
Fine Arts Associates, New York, NY [6]
1948 - 1984
Joseph Pulitzer Jr. (1913-1993) and Louise Vauclain Pulitzer (1914–1968), St. Louis, MO, purchased from Fine Arts Associates Galleries; Emily Rauh Pulitzer (b.1933), St. Louis, MO [7]
1984 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, given by Joseph Pulitzer Jr. and Emily Rauh Pulitzer [8]
Notes:
The main source for this provenance is the 1970 catalogue raisonné [de la Faille, J.-B. "The Works of Vincent van Gogh: His Paintings and Drawings." Amsterdam: Meulenhoff International, 1970, no. F1433, letters 499, 517]. Exceptions and other supporting documents are noted.
[1] Van Gogh sent the drawing to John Russell of Belle-Isle-en-Mer [Pickvance, Ronald. "Van Gogh in Arles." New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1984, no. 74].
[2] Sold as "Les trois barques" ["Tableaux-Dessins-Estampes," Hôtel Drouot, Paris, March 31, 1920, lot no. 66].
[3] The 1928 edition of de la Faille's catalogue raisonné lists Bohler and Gobin in the provenance of "Fishing Boats at Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer." Therefore, the drawing must have passed through these collections prior to the publication of the 1928 catalogue raisonné [de la Faille, J.-B. "L'Oeuvre de Vincent van Gogh: Catalogue Raisonné." Paris and Brussels: Les Editions G. van Oest, 1928].
[4] A label indicates that this work was cat no. 63 for the exhibition "Ein Jahrhundert Französischer Zeichnung," at the Galerie Paul Cassirer, Berlin, December, 1929 - January, 1930 [label in SLAM document files]. The presence of the drawing in this exhibition and the ownership by Galerie Paul Cassirer are confirmed by the exhibition catalogue ["Ein Jahrhundert Französischer Zeichnung." Berlin: Paul Cassirer, 1929, no. 63].
[5] A undated record card (#1523) from Jacques Seligmann & Co. verifies the drawing as having belonged to Maurice Gobin, Paris. It also mentions the exhibition at the Paul Cassirer Art Gallery. It appears that Seligmann acquired the drawing by 1931 because the drawing is listed as having been exhibited at three exhibitions that year: Telfair Academy, Savannah, GA, February 1931; Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Boston, MA, March 1931; and Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI, April 1931 [Undated Record Card, Jacques Seligmann & Co. records, 1904-1978, bulk 1913-1974. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution; copy, SLAM document files].
[6] Invoice from Jacques Seligmann & Co., dated May 14, 1946, indicates that the drawing was sold to Fine Arts Associates [Invoice, Jacques Seligmann & Co. records, 1904-1978, bulk 1913-1974. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution copy, SLAM document files].
[7] The 1957 catalogue of the Pulitzer Collection (see note [5]) indicates that the Pulitzers acquired the drawing March 10, 1948.
[8] Minutes of the Acquisitions and Loans Committee of the Board of Trustees of the Saint Louis Art Museum, December 14, 1984.
We regularly update records, which may be incomplete. If you have additional information, please contact us at provenance@slam.org.
