September Morn (Matin de Septembre)
Painting on canvas • Paul Chabas (French, 1869–1937)
Style & Movement
Academic Art/Idealized Realism with subtle Symbolist influences
Medium & Technique
Oil on canvas; academic technique with soft glazing, sfumato edges, and subtle tonal gradations to create a luminous, atmospheric effect.
Creation Period
1912
Dimensions & Format
Original is 163.8 x 216.5 cm; This version appears to be a smaller study or contemporary period replica. Portrait format.
Subject Description
A young nude woman stands knee-deep in the cool morning waters of Lake Annecy. She assumes a modest, slightly huddled pose, shivering in the September air. The composition uses a high horizon line and soft, diffused light to emphasize the vulnerability and purity of the figure against a tranquil natural backdrop.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Good; visible craquelure consistent with age, particularly in the darker passages of the water and sky. The ornate gilded frame appears to be in very good condition.
Estimated Market Value
$15,000 - $35,000 (assuming it is a period study or high-quality reduction by the artist's studio)
Auction Estimate
$10,000 - $25,000
Provenance History
The original 1912 masterpiece is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This specific work likely originates from a private collection, possibly acquired during the height of the painting's fame in the 1910s-20s.
Art Historical Significance
The painting became a 'cause célèbre' in 1913 due to a censorship controversy in Chicago and New York, making it one of the most famous images of the early 20th century. It represents the height of French Academic taste just as Modernism was emerging.
Notable Features
Signature 'Paul Chabas' visible in the lower left. The Louis XV style gilded frame with rounded corners is typical of the early 20th-century salon presentation.
Condition Issues
Fine spiderweb craquelure throughout; slight yellowing of the varnish layer; possible minor abrasions around the frame edges.
Conservation Recommendations
Surface cleaning and potentially a light revarnishing by a professional conservator. Display in a climate-controlled environment away from direct UV light.