Lot 87: Henri Pierre Léon Pharamond Blanchard (1805-1873) , Vendedores de Fruta con el Pico de Orizaba

oil on canvas signed lower right

measurements 12 1/4 by 15 3/4 in. alternate measurements (31 by 40 cm)

Private Collection, Europe
Galerías Cristobal, Mexico City
Private Collection, Mexico City

Blanchard entered the École des Beaux-Arts in 1819 where he trained under the tutelage of the neo-classical Napoleonic painter Antoine-Jean Gros (father of Baron Gros, refer to Lot 32). Throughout his career, Blanchard traveled extensively as a member of several expeditions to diverse regions such as Spain, Brazil, North Africa, Constantinople, and Mexico. Blanchard journeyed to Mexico in 1838, accompanying the Prince de Joinville (a younger son of King Louis-Philippe, and an amateur artist of considerable talent) as a part of an official expedition under the command of Vice-Admiral Baudin. Upon his return to France, he completed a series of five works commemorating the attack and conquest of Vera Cruz. His Mexican adventure later inspired two other historical paintings, Fernando Cortez and Nuñez de Balboa Discovering the South Sea in 1515. Additionally, in 1859 he co-authored and illustrated with fellow painter Adrien Dauzats, the travel diary San Juan de Uluà: Ou Relacion de L'expedition Francaise au Mexique. Although Blanchard is better known as a genre or costumbrista painter, in works such as these one observes his ability to take full advantage of the dramatic and aesthetic effects of the surrounding landscape. In Vendedores de fruta con el Pico de Orizaba, Blanchard ably records the locals in their everyday activities, while extending his gaze outwards to expose the monumental presence of the Mexico's highest mountain, the Pico de Orizaba or Citlaltépetl (Nahuatl for "star mountain") with its snow-capped peak and atmospheric clouds that simultaneously imbue the painting with a sense of romance, adventure, and wonderment. This painting may be considered an artistic monument of Mexico and, if so, could not be exported without the approval of the Instituto Nacional de Antropologia e Historia (INAH). Accordingly, it is offered for sale in New York from the catalogue and will not be available in New York for inspection or delivery. The painting will be released to the purchaser in Mexico in compliance with all local requirements. Prospective buyers may contact Sotheby's representatives in Mexico City and Monterrey for an appointment to view the work.