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THÉO VAN RYSSELBERGHE (1862-1926)

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An undisputed master of the booming Belgian Neo-Impressionist movement from 1887 onward, Théo van Rysselberghe painted this portrait of his wife, Maria (née Monnom) during the first decade of the twentieth century. He had pressed onward from the influence of Whistler’s Tonalism, Impressionism, and the Pointillism of Seurat to perfect a highly refined understanding of color, its harmonic resonances, and a meticulous rendering of formal elements. An exemplary draftsman, optical impressions based on color interactions remained a principal concern for Van Rysselberghe. Here, short strokes of color replaced the small dots of a Pointillist, and the color scheme is not the homogenized, harmonious one for which the artist has a well-deserved reputation. Rather, this portrait advances color theory in an entirely different manner. Its visual interest rests with the dynamic contrasts of his wife’s silvered coiffure, her platinum-hued dress, and the stark-white fireplace mantle — all staged within the optical vibrancy of the surround dominated by complementary reds and greens. It is a visually stimulating demonstration by a painter who understood the dynamic impact of this unusual color scheme and who arranged the sitter with a strong accent on a diagonal and executed the formula with the craft and agility of a painter in full control of his painterly assets. An undisputed master of the booming Belgian Neo-Impressionist movement from 1887 onward, Théo van Rysselberghe painted this portrait of his wife, Maria (née Monnom) during the first decade of the twentieth century. He had pressed onward from the influence of Whistler’s Tonalism, Impressionism, and the Pointillism of Seurat to perfect a highly refined understanding of color, its harmonic resonances, and a meticulous rendering of formal elements. An exemplary draftsman, optical impressions based on color interactions remained a principal concern for Van Rysselberghe. Here, short strokes of color replaced the small dots of a Pointillist, and the color scheme is not the homogenized, harmonious one for which the artist has a well-deserved reputation. Rather, this portrait advances color theory in an entirely different manner. Its visual interest rests with the dynamic contrasts of his wife’s silvered coiffure, her platinum-hued dress, and the stark-white fireplace mantle — all staged within the optical vibrancy of the surround dominated by complementary reds and greens. It is a visually stimulating demonstration by a painter who understood the dynamic impact of this unusual color scheme and who arranged the sitter with a strong accent on a diagonal and executed the formula with the craft and agility of a painter in full control of his painterly assets. An undisputed master of the booming Belgian Neo-Impressionist movement from 1887 onward, Théo van Rysselberghe painted this portrait of his wife, Maria (née Monnom) during the first decade of the twentieth century. He had pressed onward from the influence of Whistler’s Tonalism, Impressionism, and the Pointillism of Seurat to perfect a highly refined understanding of color, its harmonic resonances, and a meticulous rendering of formal elements. An exemplary draftsman, optical impressions based on color interactions remained a principal concern for Van Rysselberghe. Here, short strokes of color replaced the small dots of a Pointillist, and the color scheme is not the homogenized, harmonious one for which the artist has a well-deserved reputation. Rather, this portrait advances color theory in an entirely different manner. Its visual interest rests with the dynamic contrasts of his wife’s silvered coiffure, her platinum-hued dress, and the stark-white fireplace mantle — all staged within the optical vibrancy of the surround dominated by complementary reds and greens. It is a visually stimulating demonstration by a painter who understood the dynamic impact of this unusual color scheme and who arranged the sitter with a strong accent on a diagonal and executed the formula with the craft and agility of a painter in full control of his painterly assets. An undisputed master of the booming Belgian Neo-Impressionist movement from 1887 onward, Théo van Rysselberghe painted this portrait of his wife, Maria (née Monnom) during the first decade of the twentieth century. He had pressed onward from the influence of Whistler’s Tonalism, Impressionism, and the Pointillism of Seurat to perfect a highly refined understanding of color, its harmonic resonances, and a meticulous rendering of formal elements. An exemplary draftsman, optical impressions based on color interactions remained a principal concern for Van Rysselberghe. Here, short strokes of color replaced the small dots of a Pointillist, and the color scheme is not the homogenized, harmonious one for which the artist has a well-deserved reputation. Rather, this portrait advances color theory in an entirely different manner. Its visual interest rests with the dynamic contrasts of his wife’s silvered coiffure, her platinum-hued dress, and the stark-white fireplace mantle — all staged within the optical vibrancy of the surround dominated by complementary reds and greens. It is a visually stimulating demonstration by a painter who understood the dynamic impact of this unusual color scheme and who arranged the sitter with a strong accent on a diagonal and executed the formula with the craft and agility of a painter in full control of his painterly assets. An undisputed master of the booming Belgian Neo-Impressionist movement from 1887 onward, Théo van Rysselberghe painted this portrait of his wife, Maria (née Monnom) during the first decade of the twentieth century. He had pressed onward from the influence of Whistler’s Tonalism, Impressionism, and the Pointillism of Seurat to perfect a highly refined understanding of color, its harmonic resonances, and a meticulous rendering of formal elements. An exemplary draftsman, optical impressions based on color interactions remained a principal concern for Van Rysselberghe. Here, short strokes of color replaced the small dots of a Pointillist, and the color scheme is not the homogenized, harmonious one for which the artist has a well-deserved reputation. Rather, this portrait advances color theory in an entirely different manner. Its visual interest rests with the dynamic contrasts of his wife’s silvered coiffure, her platinum-hued dress, and the stark-white fireplace mantle — all staged within the optical vibrancy of the surround dominated by complementary reds and greens. It is a visually stimulating demonstration by a painter who understood the dynamic impact of this unusual color scheme and who arranged the sitter with a strong accent on a diagonal and executed the formula with the craft and agility of a painter in full control of his painterly assets. An undisputed master of the booming Belgian Neo-Impressionist movement from 1887 onward, Théo van Rysselberghe painted this portrait of his wife, Maria (née Monnom) during the first decade of the twentieth century. He had pressed onward from the influence of Whistler’s Tonalism, Impressionism, and the Pointillism of Seurat to perfect a highly refined understanding of color, its harmonic resonances, and a meticulous rendering of formal elements. An exemplary draftsman, optical impressions based on color interactions remained a principal concern for Van Rysselberghe. Here, short strokes of color replaced the small dots of a Pointillist, and the color scheme is not the homogenized, harmonious one for which the artist has a well-deserved reputation. Rather, this portrait advances color theory in an entirely different manner. Its visual interest rests with the dynamic contrasts of his wife’s silvered coiffure, her platinum-hued dress, and the stark-white fireplace mantle — all staged within the optical vibrancy of the surround dominated by complementary reds and greens. It is a visually stimulating demonstration by a painter who understood the dynamic impact of this unusual color scheme and who arranged the sitter with a strong accent on a diagonal and executed the formula with the craft and agility of a painter in full control of his painterly assets. An undisputed master of the booming Belgian Neo-Impressionist movement from 1887 onward, Théo van Rysselberghe painted this portrait of his wife, Maria (née Monnom) during the first decade of the twentieth century. He had pressed onward from the influence of Whistler’s Tonalism, Impressionism, and the Pointillism of Seurat to perfect a highly refined understanding of color, its harmonic resonances, and a meticulous rendering of formal elements. An exemplary draftsman, optical impressions based on color interactions remained a principal concern for Van Rysselberghe. Here, short strokes of color replaced the small dots of a Pointillist, and the color scheme is not the homogenized, harmonious one for which the artist has a well-deserved reputation. Rather, this portrait advances color theory in an entirely different manner. Its visual interest rests with the dynamic contrasts of his wife’s silvered coiffure, her platinum-hued dress, and the stark-white fireplace mantle — all staged within the optical vibrancy of the surround dominated by complementary reds and greens. It is a visually stimulating demonstration by a painter who understood the dynamic impact of this unusual color scheme and who arranged the sitter with a strong accent on a diagonal and executed the formula with the craft and agility of a painter in full control of his painterly assets. An undisputed master of the booming Belgian Neo-Impressionist movement from 1887 onward, Théo van Rysselberghe painted this portrait of his wife, Maria (née Monnom) during the first decade of the twentieth century. He had pressed onward from the influence of Whistler’s Tonalism, Impressionism, and the Pointillism of Seurat to perfect a highly refined understanding of color, its harmonic resonances, and a meticulous rendering of formal elements. An exemplary draftsman, optical impressions based on color interactions remained a principal concern for Van Rysselberghe. Here, short strokes of color replaced the small dots of a Pointillist, and the color scheme is not the homogenized, harmonious one for which the artist has a well-deserved reputation. Rather, this portrait advances color theory in an entirely different manner. Its visual interest rests with the dynamic contrasts of his wife’s silvered coiffure, her platinum-hued dress, and the stark-white fireplace mantle — all staged within the optical vibrancy of the surround dominated by complementary reds and greens. It is a visually stimulating demonstration by a painter who understood the dynamic impact of this unusual color scheme and who arranged the sitter with a strong accent on a diagonal and executed the formula with the craft and agility of a painter in full control of his painterly assets. An undisputed master of the booming Belgian Neo-Impressionist movement from 1887 onward, Théo van Rysselberghe painted this portrait of his wife, Maria (née Monnom) during the first decade of the twentieth century. He had pressed onward from the influence of Whistler’s Tonalism, Impressionism, and the Pointillism of Seurat to perfect a highly refined understanding of color, its harmonic resonances, and a meticulous rendering of formal elements. An exemplary draftsman, optical impressions based on color interactions remained a principal concern for Van Rysselberghe. Here, short strokes of color replaced the small dots of a Pointillist, and the color scheme is not the homogenized, harmonious one for which the artist has a well-deserved reputation. Rather, this portrait advances color theory in an entirely different manner. Its visual interest rests with the dynamic contrasts of his wife’s silvered coiffure, her platinum-hued dress, and the stark-white fireplace mantle — all staged within the optical vibrancy of the surround dominated by complementary reds and greens. It is a visually stimulating demonstration by a painter who understood the dynamic impact of this unusual color scheme and who arranged the sitter with a strong accent on a diagonal and executed the formula with the craft and agility of a painter in full control of his painterly assets. An undisputed master of the booming Belgian Neo-Impressionist movement from 1887 onward, Théo van Rysselberghe painted this portrait of his wife, Maria (née Monnom) during the first decade of the twentieth century. He had pressed onward from the influence of Whistler’s Tonalism, Impressionism, and the Pointillism of Seurat to perfect a highly refined understanding of color, its harmonic resonances, and a meticulous rendering of formal elements. An exemplary draftsman, optical impressions based on color interactions remained a principal concern for Van Rysselberghe. Here, short strokes of color replaced the small dots of a Pointillist, and the color scheme is not the homogenized, harmonious one for which the artist has a well-deserved reputation. Rather, this portrait advances color theory in an entirely different manner. Its visual interest rests with the dynamic contrasts of his wife’s silvered coiffure, her platinum-hued dress, and the stark-white fireplace mantle — all staged within the optical vibrancy of the surround dominated by complementary reds and greens. It is a visually stimulating demonstration by a painter who understood the dynamic impact of this unusual color scheme and who arranged the sitter with a strong accent on a diagonal and executed the formula with the craft and agility of a painter in full control of his painterly assets.
Maria van Rysselberghe au coin du feu191332 1/4 x 32 7/8 in.(81.92 x 83.5 cm) oil on canvas
Provenance
Élisabeth Van Rysselberghe, Paris
By descent through the Guicheteau family
Me Briest, Paris, sale June 17, 1985 no. 113A
Lombrail Auction House, Champin & Gauthier, Enghien-les-Bains, sale November 24, 1985 no. 30
Private Collection, New York
Literature
Feltkamp, R., Théo Van Rysselberghe, Catalogue Raisonné, Brussels, 2003, no. 1913-023, illustrated p. 178 and 406

175,000

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History

An undisputed master of the booming Belgian Neo-Impressionist movement from 1887 onward, Théo van Rysselberghe painted this portrait of his wife, Maria (née Monnom) during the first decade of the twentieth century. He had pressed onward from the influence of Whistler’s Tonalism, Impressionism, and the Pointillism of Seurat to perfect a highly refined understanding of color, its harmonic resonances, and a meticulous rendering of formal elements. An exemplary draftsman, optical impressions based on color interactions remained a principal concern for Van Rysselberghe. Here, short strokes of color replaced the small dots of a Pointillist, and the color scheme is not the homogenized, harmonious one for which the artist has a well-deserved reputation. Rather, this portrait advances color theory in an entirely different manner. Its visual interest rests with the dynamic contrasts of his wife’s silvered coiffure, her platinum-hued dress, and the stark-white fireplace mantle — all staged within the optical vibrancy of the surround dominated by complementary reds and greens. It is a visually stimulating demonstration by a painter who understood the dynamic impact of this unusual color scheme and who arranged the sitter with a strong accent on a diagonal and executed the formula with the craft and agility of a painter in full control of his painterly assets.   

  • Self Portrait
    Théo Van Rysselberghe, “Self-Portrait” (1920), Museum of Fine Art, Gent, Belgium
  • Théo Van Rysselberghe
    “Théo Van Rysselberghe”
  • Théo Van Rysselberghe2
    “Autoportrait au Panama, Saint Clair” (1918)

MARKET INSIGHTS

  • Market
    AMR market graph January 1976 – November 2022
  • Three of Van Rysselberghe’s top ten sales at auction occurred in the last three years.
  • Half of his top ten sales at auction occurred in the last six years.
  • Nine of his top 20 sales at auction are portraits.

Top Results at Auction

"L’Escaut en amont D’Anvers, le Soir or Voiliers sur L’Escaut" (1892), oil on canvas, 26 1/2 x 35 1/2 in., Sold at Sotheby’s London: 21 June 2017 for $10,744,500.
“L’Escaut en amont D’Anvers, le Soir or Voiliers sur L’Escaut” (1892), oil on canvas, 26 1/2 x 35 1/2 in., Sold at Sotheby’s London: 21 June 2017 for $10,744,500.
"Barques de pêche-Méditerranée" (1892), oil on canvas, 24 3/4 x 33 in., Sold at Christie’s New York: 10 July 2020 for $9,128,000.
“Barques de pêche-Méditerranée” (1892), oil on canvas, 24 3/4 x 33 in., Sold at Christie’s New York: 10 July 2020 for $9,128,000.
"Port de Cette, Les Tartanes' (1892), oil on canvas, 23 1/2 x 27 1/2 in., Sold at Sotheby’s New York: 14 November 2017 for $7,227,800.
“Port de Cette, Les Tartanes’ (1892), oil on canvas, 23 1/2 x 27 1/2 in., Sold at Sotheby’s New York: 14 November 2017 for $7,227,800.
"À Thuin ou La Partie de Tennis" (1889), oil on canvas, 21 ½ x 26 1/2 in., Sold at Christie’s Paris: 04 June 2020 for $5,847,765.
“À Thuin ou La Partie de Tennis” (1889), oil on canvas, 21 ½ x 26 1/2 in., Sold at Christie’s Paris: 04 June 2020 for $5,847,765.
"Le canal en Flandre par temps triste" (1894), oil on canvas, 23 ½ x 31 ½ in., Sold at Christie’s London: 21 June 2011 for $4,247,500.
“Le canal en Flandre par temps triste” (1894), oil on canvas, 23 ½ x 31 ½ in., Sold at Christie’s London: 21 June 2011 for $4,247,500.

Comparable Paintings Sold at Auction

"Jeune femme au bord de la grève" (1901), oil on canvas, 40 x 32 in., Sold at Sotheby’s London: 06 February 2008 for $1,470,500.
“Jeune femme au bord de la grève” (1901), oil on canvas, 40 x 32 in., Sold at Sotheby’s London: 06 February 2008 for $1,470,500.
  • A significant result at auction for a female portrait.
  • Both works use the artist’s signature, pointillist approach.
"Le Ruban Écarlate" (1906), oil on canvas, 45 ½ x 35 in., Sold at Sotheby’s New York: 14November, 2016 for $1,452,500.
“Le Ruban Écarlate” (1906), oil on canvas, 45 ½ x 35 in., Sold at Sotheby’s New York: 14November, 2016 for $1,452,500.
  • A nude, a rarity at auction for the artist.
  • Both works are excellent examples of Post-Impressionism.
"Le Docteur Auguste Weber" (1892-1893), oil on canvas, 39 x 32 1/2 in., Sold at Christie’s London: 27 February 2018 for $1,380,000.
“Le Docteur Auguste Weber” (1892-1893), oil on canvas, 39 x 32 1/2 in., Sold at Christie’s London: 27 February 2018 for $1,380,000.
  • A significant price paid for a portrait.
  • This sale demonstrates the deep interest level in Rysselberghe portraiture.
"Jeune femme en robe verte" (1893), oil on canvas, 32 x 24 in., Sold at Christie’s London: 02February 2010 for $1,227,000.
“Jeune femme en robe verte” (1893), oil on canvas, 32 x 24 in., Sold at Christie’s London: 02February 2010 for $1,227,000.

  • A comparable portrait, executed in the pointillist style Rysselbeghe is best known for developing, along with Signac and Seurat.

"Jeune fille au chapeau de paille- Elisabeth Van Rysselberghe" (1901), oil on canvas, 32 x 28 in., Sold at Christie’s Paris: 01 December 2006 for $1,017,000.
“Jeune fille au chapeau de paille- Elisabeth Van Rysselberghe” (1901), oil on canvas, 32 x 28 in., Sold at Christie’s Paris: 01 December 2006 for $1,017,000.
  • This portrait would bring a significantly higher amount if put to auction in 2023.
  • A highly desirable portrait, extensively documented and exhibited.
  • Comparable quality to our portraits.

Paintings in Museum Collections

"Etude de femme nue" (1913), oil on canvas, 26 x 39 in., The Musée d’Orsay, Paris
“Etude de femme nue” (1913), oil on canvas, 26 x 39 in., The Musée d’Orsay, Paris
"Little Denise" (Denise Maréchal, later Madame Georges Béart) (1889), oil on canvas, 41 x 23 3/4 in., The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
“Little Denise” (Denise Maréchal, later Madame Georges Béart) (1889), oil on canvas, 41 x 23 3/4 in., The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
"Coastal Scene" (1892), oil on canvas, 20 x 24 in., The National Gallery, London
“Coastal Scene” (1892), oil on canvas, 20 x 24 in., The National Gallery, London
"Self-Portrait" (1888-89), pastel and crayon on paper, 13 x 10 in., The Museum of Modern Art, New York
“Self-Portrait” (1888-89), pastel and crayon on paper, 13 x 10 in., The Museum of Modern Art, New York
“Portait de Marguerite Van Mons” (1886), oil on canvas, 35 x 27 3/4 in., Museum of Fine Art, Gent, Belgium
“Portait de Marguerite Van Mons” (1886), oil on canvas, 35 x 27 3/4 in., Museum of Fine Art, Gent, Belgium

Image Gallery

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Authentication

Cat Rais

Feltkamp, R., Théo Van Rysselberghe, Catalogue Raisonné, Brussels, 2003, no. 1913-023, illustrated p. 178 and 406

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