The following description for The Butterfly Fan has been prepared entirely by the current owner, Roberts S. Fastov, Esq., and, at the collector’s request, has not been edited by Sloans & Kenyon

Compare this auction painting, Gibbs' “The Butterfly Fan” with the two smaller Gibbs paintings (below) and their value, per auction records, and the conclusion will be drawn that the above presale estimate of $20,000-$40,000 is reasonable and justifiable. This auction painting is a c. 1900 portrayal of the most popular Impressionist subject matter in the painting of women at the turn of the century, which featured beautiful women with broad-brimmed, decorated hats and dressed essentially in white or light colored dresses, sometimes with a sensitive depiction of the female face with an aura of mystery and/or a reserved “come hither” look, that is present in this auction painting. This Gibbs' painting qualifies as a painting of this most popular Impressionist subject matter, with an extremely subtle and sensitive portrait study of beautiful damsel, who appears as a reserved, demure coquette, per Gibbs highly skilled manner of painting and use of the transparent veil and fan and gossamer, somewhat transparent dress, plus the “peekaboo” nature of her pink slipper shoe. Behind the veil is a delicate, Impressionist portrayal of what are obviously beautiful facial features viewed through the mist of the veil. In contrast with Gibbs “Ladies Playing Croquet” (below), which is significantly smaller (19 5/8 in. x 23 5/8 in.) than this Gibbs' auction painting (36 in. x 17 ½ in.) and which brought $40,000 on 5/24/1995, which features a c. 1900 study of women at play in white dresses and hats, has none of the Impressionistic, sensitive delicacy in depicting the women's' faces and the sophisticated glazing technique Gibbs used to achieve the translucent and somewhat mysterious effects of the veil, fan and dress that gives the damsel a personality and character, that is somewhat elusive, but creates a somewhat enigmatic, coquettish aura, none of which Gibbs essayed in “Ladies Playing Croquet.” The second painting below, “Summer's Evening, Taggs Island,” which brought $22,130 on 03/16/2011 (below), is less than ½ the size (14.25 in. x 12.01 in.) of the auction painting. “Summer's Evening, Taggs Island” is similar in technical style to “Ladies Playing Croquet,” in that it portrays women in an activity, but was painted at least 20 years later than the auction painting or “Ladies Playing Croquet,” as the women's' garb clearly dates to the 1920's. “Summer's Evening, Taggs Island” lacks the great popularity of the other two c. 1900 works, depicting women in broad-brimmed hats and white and light colored dresses. It also, most importantly, lacks all of the above-described Gibbs' characteristics, attributes and sensitivities presented in this auction painting, “The Butterfly Fan” that are also lacking in “Ladies Playing Croquet.”

Title/Subject: Summer's Evening, Taggs Island Signed. Oil on canvas. 14.25 in. x 12.01 in. sold for $22,130 on 03/16/2011 at Christie’s, London

Title/Subject: Ladies Playing Croquet Signed. Oil on canvas. 19 5/8 in. x 23 5/8 in. sold for $40,000 on 5/24/1995 at Sotheby’s, New York

See also (below) “By The Pond.” From the encore-editions.com website advertising for sale, among other things, Giclee painting reproductions on canvas of this authentic work by Percy William Gibbs.