Works on paper

Also known as The Sweet Orient! this wonderfully enchanting illustration captures the mood and allure of travelling and was probably an illustration for Harper’s Bazaar. On the left, a young, elegant lady with her safari hat beside her, reclines beneath the canopy of a banana tree. She is mirrored in profile on the right by a man in a fez, who sits cross legged, his hands raised, appearing to be in animated conversation. The man is also framed by the resplendent low, arching fronds of a banana tree. Beyond the pair, the tranquil setting of a Moroccan inspired riad is completed by a fountain, framed by an arch.

Bernard Boutet de Monvel (1888-1949) is arguably the greatest society portrait painter and fashion illustrator of the 20th century. Born and raised in Paris he had a unique and very distinct approach to capturing the world around him. His quintessential art deco style gained him an international reputation and saw him spend prolonged periods in the United States, as well as his illustrations featuring in major publications of the day such as Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar.

In 2016 his reputation was cemented when a collection sale of his estate sold at Sotheby’s Paris totalling just over 9,000,000 EUR and testifying to the wide appeal of his genius. Charles Ede are proud to present the present work by this iconic artist as part of a group of works which have only recently resurfaced. Having remained in a private collection in France for many years, and previously by descent in the artist’s family, they represent some of the finest illustrations by Monvel’s hand to appear on the market in recent years.