This morning auction of Impressionist and Modern Art at Sotheby's May 8, 2008 is highlighted by an excellent still life by Edouard Vuillard, an "alluring" nude by Théo van Rysselberghe, a lovely portrait by Emile Bernard, a great drawing by Honoré Daumier and good works by Robert Delaunay, Camille Pissarro, Jean Metzinger and André Lhote.

One of the loveliest works at either Sotheby's or Christie's Impressionist and Modern Art auctions this season is Lot 204, "Jonquilles et bocal," by Edouard Vuillard (1868-1940). An oil on canvas, it measures 12 1/2 by 15 1/2 inches and was painted circa 1889-1890. It was once in the collection of Donald S. Stralem of New York. It has a conservative estimate of $300,000 to $400,000. It sold for $629,000 including the buyer's premium as do allresults mentioned in this article.

One of the most beautiful paintings in the auction is Lot 154, "Portrait d'Emile Schuffenecker," by Emile Bernard (1868-1941). An oil on canvas, it measures 21 1/8 by 25 5/8 inches and was painted in 1888.

The catalogue provides the following commentary:

"In the years just preceding the execution of the present work, 1886-1887, Bernard was at the forefront of a decorative anti-naturalistic style called Cloisonnism, characterized by flattened areas of pure color, circumscribed by strong black outlines, with its visual suggestion of the enamelled metalwork known as cloisonné. Vincent Van Gogh, a close friend by the mid-1880s, admired his Cloisoneist portraits and Van Gogh and Bernard started a lively correspondence. ...Through Claude-Emile Schuffenecker's introduction, Emile Bernard also met Gauguin, who became a profound influence and led him to the small idyllic town of Pont-Aven, where Gaugin welcomed many artists who came to see him there between 1886 and 1894....In 1889, Schuffenecker was primarly responsible for arranging the seminal Café Volpini exhibition to which he, Gauguin, Bernard and others contributed."

The lot has a modest estimate of $80,000 to $120,000. It sold for $49,000.

Lot 155 is a large and fine oil painting on canvas by Bernard entitled "Le Repos à Pont-Aven (La Gardeuse d'Oise)." It measures 33 1/2 by 43 1/4 inches. This work is, according to the catalogue, "a brilliantly refined example of Bernard's mastery of the Symbolist interpretation and of the distinguishing characteristics of Bernard's work in contrast to Gauguin's." It has an estimate of $400,000 to $600,000. It sold for $301,000.

Lot 158 is a large, very bright and impressive oil on linen by Robert Delaunay (1885-1941). Entitled "Portugaise au Potiron," it is closely related to a more sharply defined work of the same subject entitled "La grande portugaise," a work in wax, at the Museo Thyseen-Bornemisza in Madrid. This work measures 51 1/4 by 38 1/4 inches and was executed in the same year, 1916. The lot has a modest estimate of $300,000 to $400,000. It sold for $657,000.

One of the major highlights of this auction is a beautiful painting of a nude on reclining on a couch by Théo van Rysselberghe (1862-1926). Entitled "Modèle au Repos, Maud," it is an oil on canvas that measures 36 5/8 by 57 1/2 inches. It was painted in 1914. It has an estimate of $500,000 to $700,000. It sold for $1,105,000.

Lot 118 is a very lovely charcoal on paper drawing by Honoré Daumier (1808-1879). Entitled "Mére et Enfant," it measures 12 1/8 by 9 1/4 inches. It is property from the estate of Catherine Gamble Curran. It has an estimate of $60,000 to $80,000. It sold for $103,000.

Another very fine work from the same collection is Lot 121, "Au Repos Aprés Le Bain," a pastel and charcoal on paper laid down on canvas by Edgar Degas (1834-1917). It measures 15 1/8 by 13 inches and was executed circa 1895. It has an estimate of $600,000 to $800,000. It sold for $993,000.

Lot 144 is a lovely landscape by Camille Pissarro (1830-1903) that is entitled "La Maison de Piette à Montfoucault." An oil on canvas, it measures 18 by 21 7/8 inches and was painted in 1874. It has an estimate of $700,000 to $900,000. It sold for $824,000.