In 1889, Stevens’ doctor recommended that he take the sea air as a remedy for his bronchial condition. His first visits were to the channel coast area near Le Havre, and the artist’s interest in the sea and coastal landscapes continued throughout his lifetime. His work in this genre is quite varied, ranging from the most rapid notations of colour and atmosphere to fully rendered seascapes. These marine paintings were so successful commercially that Stevens’ dealer, Georges Petit, put the artist under an exclusive contract of 50,000 francs to take his entire output in this genre for the season. The present lot represents the town of Menton, on the French Riviera, painted at dusk, with evening muting the colours of the Mediterranean and creating an almost abstract impression of the coastline after the sun has set.
We are grateful to the Comité Alfred Stevens for confirming the authenticity of this work on the basis of digital images. The work will be included in their forthcoming Alfred Stevens Catalogue raisonné, currently in preparation.
*SOLD WITHOUT RESERVE*