Lot 129: Otto van Rees , 1884-1957 St. Benoit Labre oil on canvas

signed and dated 15; titled by Mrs Adya van Rees-Dutilh, wife of Otto van Rees on the reverse oil on canvas

65 by 55 cm.

H. Henkels a.o., Otto en Adya van Rees, Leven en werk tot 1934, Utrecht / The Hague 1975, page 95, illustrated
I. Boelema & I. Lesparre (ed.), Otto van Rees, Zwolle 2005, p. 22, illustrated
E. Van Faassen, a.o., Otto van Rees, Zwolle 2005, p. 22, no. 25, illustrated

The work is recorded in the Archives of the Van Rees Stichting under number 153
Otto van Rees had been in close contact with the Parisian avant-garde since he moved to Paris in 1904. In this painting the cubist influences are still prominent . At the same time it refers to a new era around the First World War when many avant-garde artists, writers as well as painters became Catholics in their search for a deeper meaning of life.

St. Benoit Labre is the patron of the wanderers and the poor. He spent his live on pilgrimage in France and Italy. The wanderings of St. Benoit in abject poverty whilst guided by God, were symbolic to many artist for their own search.

We kindly thank Irène Lesparre for her contribution to the research of this work