This oil on canvas by Eugène Boudin is estimated at $25,000-40,000 in Freeman’s sale of European Art and Old Masters in Philadelphia on February 18.
The painting, with a farmyard scene of a woman feeding hens, is titled La Provende des Poules and is signed and dated E Boudin/Fervaques 76 lower left.
Fervaques is in Normandy where Boudin painted throughout his life. Staying with his friends Dr Eugène and Stéphanie Jaquette, he painted in this village location between 1869-97 depicting its market stall and nearby houses and farmhouses.
The work has a provenance to ‘Ch Ricada’, then Dr Delineau, Paris, from whose sale it was auctioned at Drouot in 1901, passing into two private collections, the second one in New York. It is also listed in Robert Schmit’s catalogue raisonné on the artist.
The estimate is $25,000-40,000.
