An original work of art by French Impressionist Jean Louis-Forain, which had gone unnoticed at a European auction house, was purchased recently by Portland, Oregon art business J D Smith Fine Art. The work has been professionally conserved and is now available to art collectors.
Jean-Louis Forain (French, 1852-1931) was one of the most important artists in France during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was a contemporary of Renoir and Monet, and a friend of Degas and Toulouse-Lautrec. His works hang in important museums around the world. Forain was featured prominently, along with Degas and Toulouse-Lautrec, in a 2008 exhibit at the Portland Art Museum entitled “The Dancer: Degas, Forain, and Toulouse-Lautrec”.
J D Smith Fine Art recently came across the original 19th century work done in watercolor, ink, and gouache by Jean-Louis Forain at an international auction. They recognized from the theme and style that it was by Forain (though the auction house did not recognize who had created the work). In the piece, two Maitre D’s at an elegant restaurant converse as high-society customers pass by in the background. Though the signature was somewhat small and faded, it matched known exemplars of Forain’s early signature exactly.
“The discovery was like a vignette from the Antiques Roadshow series. We have offered etchings and lithographs by Forain before, but this is our first original work by the artist. Limited edition works on paper are wonderful, but an original work can often take the viewer a step closer to the artist’s style and expression. We acquired the piece and had it professionally conserved to help protect it. Needless to say, this find is very exciting for us. And the piece complements perfectly a lithograph by Toulouse-Lautrec from the same general period, which we recently acquired at another auction.”
J D Smith Fine Art is an Internet-based art gallery specializing in original works and fine art prints by well-known artists of the 19th and 20th centuries. J D Smith Fine Art is located just outside Portland, Oregon, in the community of Happy Valley.
J D Smith Fine Art, Happy Valley, OR, USA, 97086
Phone: 1-503-698-7631
Call: Mon thru Sat, 9am-6pm PST
Visit by Appointment
www.jdsmithfineart.com
