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Lot Essay
BETWEEN 1927 AND 1929, SOUTINE PAINTED MANY PORTRAITS OF THE HOUSEHOLD AND HOTEL WORKERS HE ENCOUNTERED IN THE HOTELS HE VISITED FOR MEDICAL CURES. OBSESSED BY FIGURES IN UNIFORM, THE RATHER OLD-FASHIONED DRESS-CODE STILL USED IN AND AROUND THE FRENCH HOTEL TRADE IN THE 1920S HELD A PARTICULAR APPEAL FOR HIM. AS MONROE WHEELER WROTE IN THE CATALOGUE FOR THE SOUTINE EXHIBITION AT THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART IN NEW YORK IN 1950: "WHAT A GOOD THING FOR SOUTINE THAT SO MANY UNIFORMS ARE STILL WORN BY THE MINOR TRADES PEOPLE IN FRANCE. IT ALLOWS HIM TO EXPRESS THE COMPASSION THAT FILLS HIS HEART AND WHICH IS FAR MORE MAGNIFICENT THAN THE POVERTY OF TODAY'S WORLD."
IN THIS STRIKING PORTRAIT OF A HOTEL MANAGER, SOUTINE USES THE STANCE OF A FIGURE AND HIS UNIFORM TO EMPHASISE THE MAN'S OCCUPATION AND THE STATUS HE HOLDS WITHIN THE HOTEL HIERARCHY. HOWEVER, AS WITH SO MANY OF HIS PORTRAITS, THE INDIVIDUALITY OF THE FIGURE IS EXPRESSED IN DIRECT CONTRAST TO THE ANONYMITY OF THE UNIFORM. STANDING IN A STERN AND SOMEWHAT AFFECTED DICTATORIAL POSE, THIS PORTRAIT OF A HOTEL MANAGER REVEALS WHAT APPEARS TO BE A SOUR AND DISGRUNTLED MAN.
IN THIS STRIKING PORTRAIT OF A HOTEL MANAGER, SOUTINE USES THE STANCE OF A FIGURE AND HIS UNIFORM TO EMPHASISE THE MAN'S OCCUPATION AND THE STATUS HE HOLDS WITHIN THE HOTEL HIERARCHY. HOWEVER, AS WITH SO MANY OF HIS PORTRAITS, THE INDIVIDUALITY OF THE FIGURE IS EXPRESSED IN DIRECT CONTRAST TO THE ANONYMITY OF THE UNIFORM. STANDING IN A STERN AND SOMEWHAT AFFECTED DICTATORIAL POSE, THIS PORTRAIT OF A HOTEL MANAGER REVEALS WHAT APPEARS TO BE A SOUR AND DISGRUNTLED MAN.