NEW YORK — Bonhams European Paintings auction on November 6 will feature excellent late 19th century landscapes by French masters Félix François Georges Philibert Ziem (1821-1911) and Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot (1796-1875).

Corot's La Baie de Somme, painted circa 1855-1860, is a tender depiction of peasants and their cattle passing through a tranquil seaside meadow towards a rural village (est. $100,000-150,000). Corot was the leading Barbizon painter and his innovative style anticipated the Impressionist movement while simultaneously referencing the Neo-Classical. This canvas has been documented with notable galleries and collections since 1893, and was illustrated in Jean Dieterle and André Schoeller 1974 book Corot: Troisième supplement à 'L'oeuvre de Corot' par Alfred Robeau.

An equally remarkable lot, Ziem's Personnages sur le Quai des Esclavons, Venise represents the most formative place in the Burgundy native's career - Venice, Italy (est. $100,000-150,000). Originally planning to be an architect, Ziem fell in love with Venice following an 1841 visit to the city, which inspired him to pursue painting as a profession. Coming to auction from a Washington estate, the Association Félix Ziem has confirmed the authenticity of this work, which will be reproduced in the forthcoming catalogue raisonné.

"Personnages sur le Quai des Esclavons, Venise has everything a collector looks for in a Ziem," explained Madalina Lazen, Bonhams European Paintings Specialist. "His beloved Venice is the subject, and the canals, colors, and architecture are splendidly rendered with his loose, confident brushwork."

The November 6 auction is a comprehensive survey of European painting from the 16th - late 19th century, and will begin with an overview of Old Master canvases by French, Dutch and Italian artists. The auction's examples of early Dutch portraiture are especially notable, such as the portrait of a lady from the studio of Michiel Jansz. van Miereveldt (1567-1641), formerly in the collection of Marie Therese Trinidad Brocheton, Comtesse de La Beraudiere, a friend of the famous novelist, Marcel Proust, and the mistress of the wealthy Henri Charles, Comte de Greffuhle (est. $25,000-35,000).

Bonhams will also offer a splendid composition from noted costume painter Vittorio Reggianini (1858-1939) titled An Illicit Letter, showing three mischievous young women examining some surprising correspondence (est. $70,000-90,000). The painting showcases Reggianini's exceptional skill at rendering sumptuous interiors, and fabrics in particular.

Bonhams auction of European Paintings will take place November 6 in New York. The auction will preview October 18-20 at Bonhams San Francisco, and November 2-6 at Bonhams New York.

A fully illustrated catalog is available at www.bonhams.com/auctions/21018/