Landscape with a Horse
- Artist
- Paul Gauguin, French, 1848–1903
- Date
- 1899
- Material
- Oil on burlap
- depicts
- Punaauia, Polynesia, French Polynesia, Oceania
- Classification
- Paintings
- Current Location
- On View, Gallery 218
- Dimensions
- 27 7/8 x 17 1/2 in. (70.8 x 44.5 cm)
framed: 36 1/4 x 26 1/8 x 2 3/4 in. (92.1 x 66.4 x 7 cm) - Credit Line
- Gift of Sydney M. Shoenberg Sr.
- Rights
- Contact Us
- Object Number
- 27:1974
NOTES
Paul Gauguin traveled to the French colony of Tahiti in the 1890s in search of an unspoilt Eden and a counterpoint to the decadence and spiritual bankruptcy of European civilization. He became fascinated by the lush tropical landscape of the island; here he paints a group of huts and a single wild horse against a range of distant, looming mountains. Gauguin employs his trademark areas of flat, arbitrary color for decorative effect while his rough burlap canvas creates an intentionally unrefined paint surface.
Provenance
October 1900 -
Ambroise Vollard (1867-1939), Paris, France, purchased from the artist [1]
1900 -
Marcelle Aron, Paris, France [2]
Georges Bernheim, Paris, France [3]
Howard Young Galleries, New York, NY, USA [4]
- 1937
Mrs. Cornelius J. Sullivan (1877-1939), New York, NY [5]
1937/04/29
In auction of the Sullivan collection, "Paintings, Drawings and Watercolors by Modern Artists," American Art Association, Anderson Galleries, New York, April 29 - May 1, 1937, lot no. 79
1937
Lee A. Ault, New York, NY [6]
1937 - 1938
M. Knoedler & Co., New York, NY, and Valentine Gallery (Valentine Dudensing), New York, NY (owned jointly), purchased from Lee Ault [7]
1938 -
Valentine Gallery (Valentine Dudensing), New York, NY [8]
- 1952
David Devine [9]
1952
M. Knoedler & Co., New York, NY, purchased from David Devine
1952 - 1974
Sydney M. Shoenberg Sr., St. Louis, MO, purchased from M. Knoedler & Co. [10]
1974 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, given by Sydney M. Shoenberg Sr. [11]
Notes:
[1] According to correspondence from February 2002 with Gauguin scholar Victor Merlhès, this painting was one of ten pictures sent to Vollard from the artist in Tahiti. The painting is listed in a letter from Vollard to Daniel de Monfreid of October 19, 1900. In this letter, Vollard describes this picture (translated from French by Merlhès) as "small vertical landscape: big tree and horse in the midst; hut amongst the trees at the middle ground. Background with mountains" [SLAM document files].
[2] The 1964 Gauguin catalogue raisonné indicates that the painting was in the collection of Mme. Aron after Vollard owned the picture [Wildenstein, Georges. "Gauguin." Paris: Les Beaux-Arts Editions d'Etudes et de Documents, 1964, cat. 588]. It is listed as from the collection of Mme. Aron in a publication from 1900 ["L'Exposition Centennale de l'Art Français." Paris, 1900, cat. no. 307]. Marcelle Aron was a Parisian socialite in the early 20th century.
[3] Georges Bernheim and Howard Young Galleries are both listed as previous owners in the catalog entry for the 1937 sale of the Sullivan collection ["Paintings, Drawings and Watercolors by Modern Artists." American Art Association, Anderson Galleries, New York, April 29 - May 1, 1937, lot no. 79].
[4] See note [3].
[5] The painting was in the auction of the Estate of Cornelius J. Sullivan and the Property of Mrs. Cornelius J. Sullivan at the American Art Association, Anderson Galleries Inc., New York, on April 29 - May 1, 1937, lot no. 79 (see note [3]). Mrs. Sullivan, born Mary Quinn in 1877, was a major New York art world figure who owned a gallery from 1932 onwards at 460 Park Avenue.
[6] According to the Getty Provenance Index, it is likely that Lee Ault of New York acquired the picture from the Sullivan sale. The 1964 catalogue raisonné, however (see note [2]), lists Louis J. Marion as having purchased the painting at the 1937 sale. No other source includes Marion, an auctioneer, in the provenance for this painting.
[7] According to the Getty Provenance Index, Knoedler's owned this picture jointly with Valentine Gallery and sold their share to Valentine Gallery in 1938. The two dealers purchased the painting from Lee Ault in 1937.
[8] According to the Getty Provenance Index.
[9] See note [8].
[10] Sydney M. Shoenberg Sr. purchased the painting from M. Knoedler & Co. on May 26, 1952, per list of Shoenberg gifts with information provided by the donor [SLAM document files].
[11] See note [10]. Minutes of the Acquisitions Committee of the Board of Trustees, Saint Louis Art Museum, April 17, 1974.
Ambroise Vollard (1867-1939), Paris, France, purchased from the artist [1]
1900 -
Marcelle Aron, Paris, France [2]
Georges Bernheim, Paris, France [3]
Howard Young Galleries, New York, NY, USA [4]
- 1937
Mrs. Cornelius J. Sullivan (1877-1939), New York, NY [5]
1937/04/29
In auction of the Sullivan collection, "Paintings, Drawings and Watercolors by Modern Artists," American Art Association, Anderson Galleries, New York, April 29 - May 1, 1937, lot no. 79
1937
Lee A. Ault, New York, NY [6]
1937 - 1938
M. Knoedler & Co., New York, NY, and Valentine Gallery (Valentine Dudensing), New York, NY (owned jointly), purchased from Lee Ault [7]
1938 -
Valentine Gallery (Valentine Dudensing), New York, NY [8]
- 1952
David Devine [9]
1952
M. Knoedler & Co., New York, NY, purchased from David Devine
1952 - 1974
Sydney M. Shoenberg Sr., St. Louis, MO, purchased from M. Knoedler & Co. [10]
1974 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, given by Sydney M. Shoenberg Sr. [11]
Notes:
[1] According to correspondence from February 2002 with Gauguin scholar Victor Merlhès, this painting was one of ten pictures sent to Vollard from the artist in Tahiti. The painting is listed in a letter from Vollard to Daniel de Monfreid of October 19, 1900. In this letter, Vollard describes this picture (translated from French by Merlhès) as "small vertical landscape: big tree and horse in the midst; hut amongst the trees at the middle ground. Background with mountains" [SLAM document files].
[2] The 1964 Gauguin catalogue raisonné indicates that the painting was in the collection of Mme. Aron after Vollard owned the picture [Wildenstein, Georges. "Gauguin." Paris: Les Beaux-Arts Editions d'Etudes et de Documents, 1964, cat. 588]. It is listed as from the collection of Mme. Aron in a publication from 1900 ["L'Exposition Centennale de l'Art Français." Paris, 1900, cat. no. 307]. Marcelle Aron was a Parisian socialite in the early 20th century.
[3] Georges Bernheim and Howard Young Galleries are both listed as previous owners in the catalog entry for the 1937 sale of the Sullivan collection ["Paintings, Drawings and Watercolors by Modern Artists." American Art Association, Anderson Galleries, New York, April 29 - May 1, 1937, lot no. 79].
[4] See note [3].
[5] The painting was in the auction of the Estate of Cornelius J. Sullivan and the Property of Mrs. Cornelius J. Sullivan at the American Art Association, Anderson Galleries Inc., New York, on April 29 - May 1, 1937, lot no. 79 (see note [3]). Mrs. Sullivan, born Mary Quinn in 1877, was a major New York art world figure who owned a gallery from 1932 onwards at 460 Park Avenue.
[6] According to the Getty Provenance Index, it is likely that Lee Ault of New York acquired the picture from the Sullivan sale. The 1964 catalogue raisonné, however (see note [2]), lists Louis J. Marion as having purchased the painting at the 1937 sale. No other source includes Marion, an auctioneer, in the provenance for this painting.
[7] According to the Getty Provenance Index, Knoedler's owned this picture jointly with Valentine Gallery and sold their share to Valentine Gallery in 1938. The two dealers purchased the painting from Lee Ault in 1937.
[8] According to the Getty Provenance Index.
[9] See note [8].
[10] Sydney M. Shoenberg Sr. purchased the painting from M. Knoedler & Co. on May 26, 1952, per list of Shoenberg gifts with information provided by the donor [SLAM document files].
[11] See note [10]. Minutes of the Acquisitions Committee of the Board of Trustees, Saint Louis Art Museum, April 17, 1974.