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

Catalogue entry

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Photo: Studio Sebert; © FdDPS
Keywords
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Classification: Painting
Theme: landscape
Medium: Oil
Support: On canvas
Year: 1913
PS 78
Haystacks
1913
Oil on canvas
19 11/16 x 28 13/16 in. (50 x 73 cm)
Signed lower left: Philippe Smit
On the back: a metal plate: Lottie Urban on the frame lower right.
Private collection, France
Inventories
Inv. Berendina Hubscher, n.d. [ante 1952], s.n., private archives: no. [05] ?: p. [1], Toiles: Meule à foin.
Exhibitions
No known exhibitions.
Literature & Primary Sources
No known published references.
Notes

This painting dates from 1913, the year the artist was charmed by the subject during a walking tour around Auvers-sur-Oise, as the following letter testifies: "Je suis a Auvers-sur-Oise/ pour faire une etude de meule/ de paille; ce qui est tres/ ennuyeunt c’est qui fait nuit de/ bonheur. Mais c’est admirable/ la campagne – la nature est/ envellopé d’un brouillard d’une/ finesse qui n’ai prèsque pas a rendre enfin je fait tous mon/ possible. Mes [mais] dieu que c’est/ jolie. je ne sais pas quelle idée que/ j’ai eu pour aller a Auvers./ figure toi que le jour de l’an je/ m’enuirais tellement, que je suis/ parti flâner a la campagne/ et en flanent, j’ai vue une disposition/ de Meule admirable, alors c’est/ ca qui m’a décider a venir a/ Auvers sur Oise Voila Mon Cher René […] Je vais te faire/ un croquis [fig. 1] de mon étude […]" [sic] (I am in Auvers-sur-Oise to do a study of a straw stack, this is very difficult because night falls very early. But the countryside is wonderful, nature is wrapped in a light fog which is almost impossible to show but I do my best. God, it is beautiful. I do not know why I came here to Auvers. On New Year’s day I was so bored that I left for a stroll in the country and I saw a wonderful group of haystacks, this is what made me come to Auvers-sur-Oise, there you have it my dear René […] I will do a sketch (fig. 1) of my study for you ...) (Philippe Smit 1913). Two other sketches, which are in a private Dutch collection, are known to us from copies (fig. 2 and 3).

Additional images
FIG.1 
The whereabouts of the study which corresponds to this sketch are unknown.
FIG.1
The whereabouts of the study which corresponds to this sketch are unknown.
FIG. 2
FIG. 2
FIG. 3
FIG. 3
Record last updated January 30, 2019. Please note that the information on this and all pages is periodically reviewed and subject to change.
Citation: Narzt, Andreas and Castellani, Florence. "Haystacks, 1913 (PS 78)." In The Complete Works of Philippe Smit. www.philippesmit.com/catalogue/entry.php?id=78 (accessed on November 14, 2024).