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The Complete Works of Philippe Smit
by Andreas Narzt and Florence Castellani

Catalogue entry

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Photo: Christopher Burke Studios, NY; © FdDPS
Keywords
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Classification: Painting
Theme: landscape
Medium: Oil
Support: On canvas
Year: 1932
PS 393 (P 4001)
Le Printemps (Spring)
Alternate title: Rocks at Recloses with Broom and Flowers, Rainbow
1932
Oil on canvas
79 3/16 x 71 5/16 in. (201 x 181 cm)
Signed and dated lower left: Philippe Smit/ 1932
On the back: a handwritten label Theodore Pitcairn/ N° 4001/ Rocks at Recloses with Broom and Flowers, Rainbow on the stretcher.
Heather Reynolds, USA
Inventories
Inv. Berendina Hubscher, n.d. [ante 1952], s.n., private archives: no. [02] [P 4001]: p. [1], Toiles: Rochers avec genêts et Fleurs blanches, Arc-en-Ciel.
Donation Berendina Hubscher, 20-06-1952, (attestation 03-09-1953), n.p., s.n. private archives: no. [P 4001]: A Mademoiselle Diene [Deana] Pitcairn: Tableaux, 4- Rochers avec genêts et fleurs blanches, arc en ciel.
Inv. Pitcairn, n.d. [c.1957], n.p., LNC archives: no. P 4001: Mrs. Diene [Deana] Pitcairn (donation by Mrs. Smit), Rocks with Broom - white flowers, rainbow, Oil, 79 x 71 [in.].
Exhibitions
No known exhibitions.
Literature & Primary Sources
Massé 1920–1935
Massé, René. Journal. 1920-21, 1924, 1929-31, 1933-1935, 02-04-1933, p. [22] ("… e) 'Le Printemps' …").
Notes

"Gare de Lyon pour Montereau (8h.41 – 10h.24)/ Philippe vient me chercher à la gare. […] Arrivée au Château. […] L’atelier (les tubes de couleurs)/ les nouvelles œuvres faites dans le Var [et à Fontainebleau]. / […] e) 'Le Printemps' audace, originalité – la forêt – à gauche/ une symphonie jaune éclatante – à droite un arbre ten-/ drement vert – arc-en-ciel à gauche – ciel tragique – le/ cahot [chaos] sombre de la forêt, une des plus belles œuvres de/ Philippe, quelle sensation d’art – (belle matière en tant que peinture) […]" (Gare de Lyon to Montereau (8:41 – 10:24). Philippe comes to meet me at the train station. … Arrival at the Chateau. … The studio (the tubes of colours) the new works done in the Var [and in Fontainebleau]….e) "Spring", daring, originality – the forest – to the left a bright yellow symphony - to the right a softly green tree – rainbow to the left – dramatic sky – the dark chaos of the forest, one of the best works by Philippe, what a sense of art – (beautiful surface texture) … (Massé, 2 April 1933, p. [21 & 22])

Record last updated May 2, 2017. Please note that the information on this and all pages is periodically reviewed and subject to change.
Citation: Narzt, Andreas and Castellani, Florence. "Le Printemps (Spring), 1932 (PS 393)." In The Complete Works of Philippe Smit. www.philippesmit.com/catalogue/entry.php?id=393 (accessed on June 28, 2025).