JEAN LÉON GÉRÔME 1824 Vesoul - 1904 Paris 'Les misères de la guerre' Oil on canvas. 36 x 31 cm (F. 66 x 60 cm). Signed lower left 'J. L. Gerome'. Verso: canvas with manufacturer-stamp LECHERTIER. BARBE SC. 6O REGENT STREET LONDON.' as well as with remains of wax, wich fixed the label that notes title and desciption 'Au fond à droite, un village en feu d'où s'enfuient les habitants. Sur le devant, au pied d'un rocher, s'est affaissé une vieille femme, à la contenance morne et désespérée. Sa douleur peignante est rendue avec une grande vérité. H. 35 cent. L. 28 cent. Toile. Ce tableau a été donné par l'artiste pour être vendu au bénéfice des [pay]sans français ruinés par la guerre.' On stretcher handwritten inscription by the artist in blue ink regarding the donation of the painting 'Tableau qui peut être vendu au profit des paysans français J L Gérome 1870' as well as two handwritten abbrevations ' G. C. IHbb' et 'GH' and an old wax seal on canvas and stretcher. On frame an old label by the framemaker and materials merchants 'Hugh Paton; Carber, Gilder and Printseller; To her majesty Queen Victoria, Head of Horse Wynd, West Corner of College Edinburgh' as well as another label (torn-down) 'With ca.; Deliver(?) L; Lessr.' Rest. Frame. The presented work is likely identical to the lost number 278 in the artist`s oeuvre catalogue. The title mentioned there is in accordance with the old lable on the painting`s reverse side ('Les misères de la guerre'). Its presumed origin before 1880 is consistend with the old handwritten dating of '1870' on the stretcher. Unfortunately, neither subject nor composition was handed down. In regard to the provenance it is known that the painting was acquired by Goupil (Léon Goupil, 1834-1890, French painter?) from E. Weill and then sold at Secretan in 1880 for 6500 francs. On June 12 1900 the painting was resold at Vente X in Paris for 500 francs. After World War II the work became part of the present collection via a private exchance of paintings. Jean Léon Gérôme gehört zu den bedeutendsten französischen Malern und Bildhauern des 19. Portrayed is a young girl that has fled from the riots of the German-French war. In the backround we see a burning city and its population escaping the threatening danger. Gérôme made the painting to financially support the French farmers affected by war in their time of need. This he noted in handwriting, including signature and date, on the stretcher. Gérôme certainly engaged in charitable purposes, such as collecting donations for the victims of the Great Fire of Chicage (08.-10. Oktober 1871). Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres (1780-1867), einem der bedeutendsten Vertreter des Literature: Ackermann, Gerald M.: Jean-Léon Gérôme. Monographie révisée, catalogue raisonné mis à jour, Paris 2000, p. 296.