拍品专文
The Wildenstein Institute will include this painting in their forthcoming van Dongen catalogue raisonn.
In the aftermath of the First World War, Paris became a center of a modern libetine sensibility, and the bohemian quartier of Montparnasse led the way. Van Dongen established his reputation with his portraits of well-known, fashionable ladies and images of Parisian society from the period. Comedia is a quintessential image of this Post-War sophistication. He captured the brazen nature of the modern woman and presents her heavily made up, and semi-clothed. He would also paint modern women dressed in men's clothes, with short, cropped hair, reflecting the recent trends, notably, the advent of La garonne.
This work was first owned by Paul Poiret, the famous Paris couturier, whose elegant gowns clothed many of the ladies van Dongen painted. Poiret also made a name for himself in the Paris art scene through his promotion of painting, sculpture, and decorative arts. He began a long association with the artist Raoul Dufy designing textiles, and he collaborated with the Russian artist Ert on designs for theatrical costumes.
Poiret's models would often visit van Dongen's atelier to be painted wearing his lastest designs. In 1931 the two had collaborated on a brochure called Deauville, commissioned by the owner of the Casino de Deauville. Poiret wrote the text and van Dongen illustrated it with images similar to Comedia.
In the aftermath of the First World War, Paris became a center of a modern libetine sensibility, and the bohemian quartier of Montparnasse led the way. Van Dongen established his reputation with his portraits of well-known, fashionable ladies and images of Parisian society from the period. Comedia is a quintessential image of this Post-War sophistication. He captured the brazen nature of the modern woman and presents her heavily made up, and semi-clothed. He would also paint modern women dressed in men's clothes, with short, cropped hair, reflecting the recent trends, notably, the advent of La garonne.
This work was first owned by Paul Poiret, the famous Paris couturier, whose elegant gowns clothed many of the ladies van Dongen painted. Poiret also made a name for himself in the Paris art scene through his promotion of painting, sculpture, and decorative arts. He began a long association with the artist Raoul Dufy designing textiles, and he collaborated with the Russian artist Ert on designs for theatrical costumes.
Poiret's models would often visit van Dongen's atelier to be painted wearing his lastest designs. In 1931 the two had collaborated on a brochure called Deauville, commissioned by the owner of the Casino de Deauville. Poiret wrote the text and van Dongen illustrated it with images similar to Comedia.