Paul Cezanne (1839-1906)

Dated circa 1872-1873 by John Rewald, Fillette is an early canvas formerly owned by margarine magnate Auguste Pellerin who, along with early collector Victor Chocquet and dealer Ambroise Vollard, was one of Cézanne's greatest champions, his estate boasting 92 works by the artist. It is a tribute to the importance of this rare and unusual early painting and also to its charming content that it remained in the hands of his family for seven decades, passing to his daughter, Madame René Lecomte. This tender scene in its gem-like format shows a girl surrounded by what seem to be abandoned toys, sitting in a contemplative mood in an outdoor corner. The flash of red of the ball on the ground adds a zest to this tight composition, contrasting with the more muted nuances of the scene. This picture provides a striking contrast to some of the more complex and tormented images that marked out much of Cézanne's early works; it is filled with light and delicacy.