Beschreibung:

Jean François RaffaëlliParis 1850 - 1924La bonne aventure
Oil on canvasSigned and dated lower right J. F. Raffaëlli 7758,4 x 84 cm ; 23 by 33 ⅛ in.____________________________________________
Jean François RaffaëlliParis 1850 - 1924La bonne aventure
Huile sur toileSigné et daté en bas à droite J. F. Raffaëlli 7758,4 x 84 cm ; 23 by 33 ⅛ in.Condition reportFor further information on the condition of this lot please contact clemence.enriquez@sothebys.com Please note: Condition XVI of the Conditionsof Business for Buyers (Online Only) is not applicable to this lot. (Veuillez noter que l'Article XVI des ConditionsGénérales de Vente applicables aux Vendeurs (Ventes Effectuées Exclusivement enLigne) n'est pas applicable pour ce lot.)
The lot is sold in the condition it is in at the time of sale. The condition report is provided to assist you with assessing the condition of the lot and is for guidance only. Any reference to condition in the condition report for the lot does not amount to a full description of condition. The images of the lot form part of the condition report for the lot. Certain images of the lot provided online may not accurately reflect the actual condition of the lot. In particular, the online images may represent colors and shades which are different to the lot's actual color and shades. The condition report for the lot may make reference to particular imperfections of the lot but you should note that the lot may have other faults not expressly referred to in the condition report for the lot or shown in the online images of the lot. The condition report may not refer to all faults, restoration, alteration or adaptation. The condition report is a statement of opinion only. For that reason, the condition report is not an alternative to taking your own professional advice regarding the condition of the lot. NOTWITHSTANDING THIS ONLINE CONDITION REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE/BUSINESS APPLICABLE TO THE RESPECTIVE SALE.ProvenanceCount de la Ferrière, Paris;Anonymous sale, Christie's, London, 27 June 1989, lot 301;Private collection, Switzerland.____________________________________________
Comte de la Ferrière, Paris ;Vente anonyme, Christie's, Londres, 27 juin 1989, lot 301 ;Collection particulière, Suisse.Catalogue noteWe are grateful to Brame & Lorenceau for having confirmed the authenticity of the work after first-hand inspection. It will be included in their forthcoming digital catalogue on Jean-François Raffaëlli  
Jean-François Raffaëlli – painter, engraver and sculptor – occupied a unique place in the Parisian artistic milieu of the late nineteenth century. He was admitted to the Salon in 1870, but it was in 1877, the year that he painted this charming scene of two young women encountering a fortune teller, that his work was remarked upon at the Salon. This was also the year that he met Degas, who became his friend and supporter, and who insisted that he was included in the Impressionist exhibitions that took place in 1880 and 1881.
With a passion for drawing, Raffaëlli tried to be as accurate as possible in the description of his subjects and their characters. He wanted to give the viewer the impression that he not only saw but also understood the figures in the scene. Raffaëlli later developed a theory about this aspiration, but in this light-hearted and amusing scene, an ode to the frivolity of Paris in the Belle époque, we can already see the precision with which he evoked gestures and expressions. This striking attention to detail reveals the talent of an artist whose importance is often forgotten. ____________________________________________
Nous remercions Brame & Lorenceau d'avoir confirmé l'authenticité de cette œuvre, après un examen de visu. Le tableau sera inclus dans le catalogue critique informatisé de l'artiste actuellement en préparation par la Galerie Brame & Lorenceau.
Jean-François Raffaëlli était à la fois peintre, graveur, sculpteur et tenait une place unique dans le milieu artistique parisien de la fin du XIXè siècle. Il est admis au Salon dès 1870 mais c'est en 1877, année de réalisation de cette charmante scène représentant Deux jeunes femmes rencontrant une diseuse de bonne aventure, que son travail est remarqué au Salon. C'est également cette année-là qu'il rencontre Degas qui devient son ami et son défenseur et qui insistera pour qu'il soit inclus dans les expositions impressionnistes de 1880 et 1881.
Passionné par le dessin, Raffaëlli tente d'être le plus juste dans la description de ses sujets et de leurs caractères. Il veut donner l'impression au spectateur qu'il comprend autant qu'il voit les figures mises en scène. Raffaëlli développera plus tard une théorie à propos de cette ambition mais dans cette scène légère et amusante, ode à la frivolité du Paris de la Belle époque, on remarque déjà la précision des attitudes et des expressions. Cette justesse est saisissante et révèle le talent d'un artiste dont on oublie trop souvent de signaler l'importance.