NEW YORK, NY.- Laitière normande (Norman milkmaid), by renowned French Artist, Jean-François Millet, is one of the highlights of
Bonhams 19th Century European Paintings sale in New York on Wednesday 8 July. This painting, one of the first in the artists series of works depicting milkmaids, has an estimate of $250,000-350,000.
Passed down for generations within a New York family, Laitière normande has not been seen by the public at large for nearly 90 years. A version is in the collection of the Barber Institute of Fine Arts in Birmingham, England.
Bonhams specialist in 19th century painting Rocco Rich said: Its a great pleasure to bring this wonderful and important work one of the very earliest of Millets celebrated milkmaids to auction. The subject fascinated the artist throughout his life and, of course, offered him many opportunities to pay homage to his beloved native Normandy.
Additional highlights of the sale include:
A landscape of Environs d'Arras, borde de la Scarpe by Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot (French, 1796-1875), oil on panel, executed circa 1860-65 (estimate: $80,000-120,000)
A maritime painting of The battle off Lagos, August 18, 1759 by Richard Paton (London 1717-1791), oil on canvas (estimate: $20,000-30,000)
A bronze sculpture of Jeune Fille de bou Saada by Louis Ernest Barrias (French, 1841-1905), bronze with gold-brown patina (estimate: $10,000-15,000)