What Do You See? The Collection of Sidney Rothberg, Part I

Amid the threat of German invasion, Soutine departed Paris in 1918, just five years after relocating to the city from his native Belarus. He sought refuge in Vence, in Provence. Accompanied by friend and fellow painter, Amedeo Modigliani, Soutine spent three years traveling through the lush, sun- drenched region. His exploration of the landscape–and his synthesis of traditional themes grounded in avant-garde techniques–took root during this extended sojourn.Works like La Petite Fille dans la Verdure, executed c. 1919, appear to pulsate with frenetic energy. Soutine’s use of bold color and animated brushstrokes creates a sense of heightened emotion, transforming the mundane–here, a young girl within grove of trees–into a dramatic and charged experience. Eschewing literal translation for visceral intensity, Soutine infuses his compositions with a sense of inner psychological turmoil–perhaps relating to the aftermath of the war or his own mental state–and of existential angst, reflecting the tumultuous times in which he lived. The war-torn landscapes of Europe during World War I found representation in Soutine's output from this period, where nature itself seems to be in a state of upheaval.After returning to Paris in 1922, Soutine showed over 50 works–the majority painted while in Provence–in an exhibition organized by dealer, Paul Guillaume. Esteemed Philadelphia collector, Dr. Albert C. Barnes, acquired the group, which today forms the cornerstone of The Barnes Foundation’s Soutine Collection. A number of these paintings–Landscape with Houses (c. 1919), Landscape with House and Tree (c. 1920-21), and Landscape with White Building (c. 1920-21)–bear affinity to the present lot. Together, Soutine offers a vision of landscape, architecture and, occasionally, figures in a way that is both dynamic and distorted–expressive and intimately linked to the artist's own lived experience.Soutine’s Provençal landscapes also demonstrate a profound engagement with the materiality of paint. Thick impasto, expressive brushwork, and a rhythmic interplay of light and shadow distinguish his canvases. This tactile quality not only adds depth to the composition but serves as a metaphor for the artist’s emotional investment in his subject matter. There’s something visceral, something raw, to these works; to Karel Appel, another of Sidney Rothberg’s favorite artists, “Soutine experienced the landscape like an animal.” By marrying avant-garde techniques with a deep emotional resonance, Soutine created a body of work that not only captures the spirit of the times but also challenges the traditional boundaries of landscape painting.