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unforget Decorative Arts
fulvio bianconi
Fulvio Bianconi (Padua 1915-1996 Milan) 'Sirena' vase model 4201 Designed in 1950, manufactured by Venini Murano, Italy Blown glass in amber color, iridescent, decoration in white glass called lattimo H 30.5 x W 20 x D 10 cm Acid signed on the reverse on 4 lines 'venini murano MADE IN ITALY' Provenance: Sotheby's London, Design, 16 October 2018, lot 88 Literature: Marc Heiremans, Art Glass from Murano 1910-1970, Stuttgart, 1993, p. 270, fig. 223 Franco Deboni, VENINI GLASS: Its history, artists and techniques, Volume I, Turin, 2007, n.p. for a drawing of the model in the Venini ‘Red’ catalogue; Franco Deboni, VENINI GLASS: Catalogue 1921-2007, Volume II, Turin, 2007, pl. 193; Marino Barovier, ed., FULVIO BIANCONI AT VENINI, exh. cat., Le Stanze del Vetro, San Giorgio Maggiore, Venice, 2015, p. 16 for a sketch from the Venini ‘Black’ notebook, p. 25 possibly illustrates the present lot, pp. 130, 144, 156 In 1950, Bianconi created a series of glass sculptures, some representing marine subjects (mermaids and fish) in a playful manner, and others exploring the theme of the female body. Several of these pieces were successfully exhibited at the major traveling exhibition Italy at Work, organized in the United States between 1950 and 1953. Many of these sculptures are characterized by a technique of applying 'lattimo' threads that stand out on a transparent surface. Other sculptures feature Phoenician decorations which, like 'lattimo' decorations, are also used on vases with soft baselines.
Galerie Alexis Bordes
jacques-emile blanche
Jacques-Emile Blanche (Paris 1861-1942 Offranville) View of a longère at the end of a tree-lined path, near Offranville Oil on canvas 38.3 x 46.2 cm Signed lower right: J E Blanche Certificate of authenticity by Mrs. Jane Roberts, a specialist on the artist Provenance: private collection, France Literature: Jane Roberts, Jacques-Émile Blanche, Paris: Gourcuff-Gradenigo, 2012; Mireille Bialek, Michel Ciry, Félicien Cacan, Jacques-Émile Blanche à Offranville: peintre-écrivain, Offranville: Mairie d’Offranville, 2006
Maison D'Art
Benvenuto Tisi called Il Garofalo (Ferrara, circa 1476–1559) The Nativity, circa 1525/1540 (Adoration of the Christ Child/Adoration of the Shepherds) Oil on wooden panel 38.1 x 33 cm Literature: A. Bliznukov, Ludovico Mazzolino: catalogo delle opere, Florence (forthcoming; as Garofalo, circa 1525/1540)
Thomas Deprez Fine Arts
george minne
George Minne (Ghent 1866-1941 Sint-Martens-Latem) Baigneuse I, 1899 Boxwood (composite) H 40 cm Signed on the base: ‘G. MINNE’ Provenance: private collection by family descent, Belgium Exhibitions: La Libre Esthétique, Brussels, 1902, cat. 139, as: ‘Figure de femme. boxwood.' Related literature: Arthur Roesler, George Minne, in: Deutsche Kunst und Dekoration, 1910, 14th year, IV, 2, ill. article frontispiece, p. 240 (cf. Waerndorfer marble); Léo Van Puyvelde, George Minne, Brussels : Edition 'Cahiers de Belgique', 1930, cat. n° 31, p. 78, ill. pl. 31 (bronze); Robert Hoozee et al., George Minne en de kunst rond 1900, Gent: Museum voor Schone Kunsten, 1982, cf. cat. 95 & 96 (bronze and alabaster). Related exhibitions: Berliner Secession V, Berlin, 1902, cat. 319, as: ‘Badende’ (plaster); Wiener Secession XIV, Vienna, 1902, as: ‘Badendes Mädchen’ (plaster); Tento. Jozef Israëls & George Minne, Rotterdam, 1903, as: ‘Badende vrouw’ (marble); Berliner Secession XI, Berlin, 1906, cat. 332, as: ‘Junge Frau’ (plaster); Mücsarnok, Teli, Nemzetkozi Kiallitas, Budapest, 1908-09, cat. 285 (marble); Esposizione Internazionale d’Arte, Venice, 1909, cat. 3, as: ‘Bagnante’ (marble); Sonderbund westdeutscher K., Dusseldorf, 1910, cat. 237, as: ‘Die Badende’ (marble); Leipziger Jahresaustellung, Leipzig, 1912, cat. 895c, as: ’Baigneuse’ (bronze); Sonderbund internationale Kunstaustellung Köln, 1912, cat. 611, as: ‘Badende’ (marble). Related works: It has been said that George Minne, with the present sculpture, directly influenced Gustav KLIMT (1862-1918) for the painting 'Wasserschlangen I' (1904/07), cf. Hoozee. Its appeal, however, has never faded, as can be seen in several variations on the pose which have been an integral part of the famous Belgian contemporary choreographer Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker’s so-called 'Attitudes'. Note on versions: Van Puyvelde mentions editions in marble, wood and bronze. In addition, several fine plaster casts with family provenances can be identified, amongst others at the MSK Gent and at the Museum Gevaert-Minne. Among the early collectors of bronze versions we find Hélène Kröller-Müller and Karl Ernst Osthaus, partly due to the fact that Minne’s ‘Baigneuse I’ has been a favourite for the inclusion in decorative settings designed by Henry Van de Velde (1863-1959). Versions in marble are held at the Royal Museums of Art & History and at the Belvedere in Vienna. We have been unable to find records of any other versions of Minne’s ‘Baigneuse I’ in wood. Executed in a fine composite of boxwood, it is likely a unique piece in the material and can therefore be identified as entry n° 139 at La Libre Esthétique in 1902; where both a bronze version and a version in boxwood of Minne's 'Baigneuse' were exhibited under the title 'Figure de femme'. Interestingly, the 1902 exhibition of La Libre Esthétique in Brussels also marked the model's public debut, ranking the present version as one of the earliest in existance and one of the first two shown publicly.
Epoque Fine Jewels
rené lalique
René Lalique (Ay 1860-1945 Paris) Art Nouveau thistle necklace Paris, circa 1905 Gold, diamond, enamel and glass Signed: Lalique The piece is housed in its original case, marked ‘Lalique, Place Vendôme 24, Paris’ Provenance: private collection, France An impressive Art Nouveau gold, diamond, enamel and glass thistle flower necklace by René Lalique, consisting of six pentagonal plaques made from moulded amber-coloured glass, each adorned with two intertwined thistle flowers facing outward, topped by three yellow enamel rods. Flanking the plaques are long curved thorns, set with diamonds and accented with yellow and brown enamel. Between the thorns are small thistle flower motifs in moulded orange glass, enhanced with diamonds. This exceptional Art Nouveau choker necklace by René Lalique (circa 1905, Paris) exemplifies his revolutionary use of glass in fine jewelry. The piece features six molded amber glass plaques decorated with intertwined thistle flowers, enhanced by diamonds and yellow and brown enamel on gold. The thistle flower motif, emblem of Lorraine and the Dukes of Lorraine, symbolizes courage and protection, reflecting the regional heritage of Nancy, where the original owner was a notable social figure likely to have commissioned it directly from Lalique. Created during the period when Lalique moved his shop to 24 Place Vendôme, the necklace illustrates his transition from Art Nouveau to early Art Deco, blending naturalistic design with modern aesthetics. Its autumnal hues, sunlit enamel details, and radiant diamonds evoke both poetic beauty and symbolic depth. Lalique drew inspiration from wild flora rather than cultivated blooms, favoring authenticity and imperfection as expressions of nature’s truth. This necklace, long preserved in a French private collection and once known only through drawings (including one published by Sigrid Barten), is a rare surviving example of Lalique’s innovation. It demonstrates his mastery in merging craftsmanship, symbolism, and modernity, affirming his reputation as the “inventor of modern jewelry.”
Claes Gallery
Reliquary Figure 'Mbulu-ngulu' Kota Kota-Obamba People Gabon, presumed late 19th-early 20th century Wood, copper and brass H 43 cm Provenance: private collection, Los Angeles, until 1979; private collection, Geneva Literature: L’Art Kota. Les figures de reliquaire, Chaffin, Meudon, 1979, pp. 234-235, fig. 133 (written height: 43.5 cm)
Pelgrims de Bigard
joachim beuckelaer
Joachim Beuckelaer (Antwerp, circa 1533-1574/75) and studio A young female seller at a fish market Oil on panel 103 x 76 cm Certificate of authenticity by Dr. Fred Meijer Provenance: possibly Christie’s sale London, 25 November 1966, lot 12; sale London, Bonhams Knightsbridge, 31 October 1996, lot 354; private collection, Spain, until 2023
Douwes Fine Art b.v.
rembrandt van rijn
Rembrandt van Rijn (Leiden 1606-1669 Amsterdam) Self-Portrait in a Cap, Wide-Eyed and Open-Mouthed, 1630 Etching and drypoint on laid paper 5.4 x 4.6 cm Signed in monogram and dated lower centre: RHL 1630 Plate not in existence – with Nowell-Usticke (1967): RRR – a very rare little plate Provenance: private collection, Germany; private collection, The Netherlands Literature: Bartsch 320; Hind 32; The New Hollstein Dutch n° 69: Second state (of II) This is a small masterpiece of Rembrandt's early etchings. The expression of this physiognomic study made by his etching needle could not be more livelike as the facial expression (perhaps "astonishment") is in perfect harmony with the round shape of the face. Rembrandt knows exactly how to hit every tonal gradation with fine, arching strokes. Of all the self-portraits in which Rembrandt depicts emotions, this one is probably the most engaging. He looks startled here, with pursed lips and wide-open eyes. You see him slightly from below, so that he seems to be recoiling. The etching is clearly executed and clever, with the contours of the shoulders and the cap fading into the edges. During his lifetime, Rembrandt's extraordinary skills as a printmaker were the main source of his international fame. Unlike his oil paintings, prints travelled light and were relatively cheap. For this reason, they soon became very popular with collectors not only within but also beyond the borders of the Netherlands. Rembrandt's etchings are remarkable for their high number of self-portraits (over 30 out of about 290). These are particularly collectible, perhaps due to the smaller number of states as well as the artist's compelling and powerful presence. Unlike his stately religious scenes, or regal, posed portraits of others, which exhibit his careful and calculating brilliance as an etcher, Rembrandt's self-portraits reveal him as an artist and a man. In them he assumes the role of the experimenting artist, approaching the most difficult of subjects - himself. These self-portraits are often described as ethereal and wistful for their notable contrasting areas of high and low etched space. A very fine impression of this famous small portrait in the second (final) state, printing clearly, just beginning to show a little wear on the tip of the nose, with narrow margins.
Virginie Devillez Fine Art
gustave de smet
Gustave De Smet (Ghent 1877-1943 Sint-Martens-Latem) Nu couché, 1928 Pencil, pastel and oil on paper 35 x 43 cm Signed lower right 'Gust. De Smet' Provenance: Walter Schwarzenberg, Brussels (Georges Giroux sale, Brussels, 1-2 February 1932, lot 43); Tony Herbert, Kortrijk; private collection, Belgium (by descent to the present owner) Literature: Piet Boyens, Gust. De Smet. Chronicle et Analysis of the Work, Antwerp, Fonds Mercator, 1989, CR 744 (p. 386); The Tony Herbert Collection, Deurle, Museum Dhondt-Dhaenens, 2011, p. 39 (ill.) Exhibitions: Brussels, Galerie Le Centaure, Gust. De Smet, 1928, cat. n° 69; Brussels, Galerie George Giroux, Gust. De Smet, 1929, cat. n° 160; Luxembourg, Musée d’Art et d’Histoire; Tony Herbert Collection, 1963-1964, cat. n° 38
Dr. Nöth kunsthandel
peter leftwich
Peter Leftwich (Great Britain, 1913-?) Bawilele, 1937 Oil and tempera on canvas 102 x 77 cm Signed and dated lower right: Peter Leftwich 37 Verso inscribed on the canvas: No 2 'Bawilele' by Peter Leftwich and on the stretcher Provenance: Otto Rasmussen, Danish director of the East Asiatic Company Exhibition: Capetown, South African National Gallery: Annual Exhibition of Contemporary Art 1937-38, n° 107
Hartford Fine Art - Lampronti Gallery
Giovanni Antonio Canal, also called Canaletto (Venice, 1697-1768) Capriccio of Piazza San Marco from the Basin of San Marco with the Church of the Redeemer Oil on canvas 130 x 105 cm Written expertise by A. Morassi and by R. Pallucchini Provenance: Mrs. Van der Gucht collection; Christie’s sale, catalogue n° 78, November 1965; Fogg collection, acquired from the above sale; Sotheby’s sale, catalogue n° 110A, March 1968; Johnson collection, acquired from the above sale; Sotheby’s sale, catalogue n° 70, June 1970; Harlow collection, acquired from the above sale Literature: W. G. Constable, Canaletto, second edition, ed. J. G. Links, Volume II, n° 459, p. 438, pl. 208
Galerie Raf Van Severen
théo van rysselberghe
Théo Van Rysselberghe (Belgium, Ghent 1862-1926 Le Lavandou, France) Ile du Levant, circa 1904 Oil on panel 30 x 41.4 cm Signed with monogram bottom left Provenance: Foundation Catherine Gide; private collection, Brussels Literature: Feltkamp, 2003, réf. 1924-034, p. 441; Catalogue de l'exposition, Bruxelles, La Haye, 2006, p. 258; Théo Van Rysselberghe, l'instant sublimé, Museé de Lodève, 2012, p. 99; Théo Van Rysselberghe, Intime, 2005, p.65; Théo Van Rysselberghe, Bozar Books by Fonds Mercator & Palais Des Beaux-Arts, Belgian Art Research Institute, 2005, p. 229 Exhibitions: 2005, TVR, Intime, Espace Culturel, Le Lavandou, n° 37; 2006, Brussels, La Haye, without number, p. 229
Desmet Fine Arts
giovanni & giacomo zoffoli
Giacomo (Italy, 1731-1785) & Giovanni Zoffoli (Italy, 1745-1805) Capitoline Flora, late 18th century Bronze H 34 x W 10 x D 7 cm Signed 'G.Z.F' (base) After the antique model (Capitoline Musea, Rome) Accompanied by Art Loss Register certificate: S00247973 Other versions: Victoria & Albert: Museum inv. n° A.14-1974; Saltram, National Trust, 871621.4; Philadelphia Museum of Art, Acc # 1978-70-139; Oxford, Ashmolean Museum: Acc # WA1899.CDEF.B449
De Wit Fine Tapestries
After David Teniers II The Fish Quay–Return of Fishermen Brussels, 1725-1750 Wool and silk 264 x 390 cm Celebrated for their lively depictions of rural life, sets of tapestries inspired by the famous peasant scenes of David Teniers II (1610–1690) formed some of the most popular tapestry series in late 17th- and early 18th-centuries. Their extraordinary appeal is reflected in the sheer number of workshops that produced them. In Brussels alone, seven ateliers wove this distinctly Flemish genre, while so-called Teniers tapestries were also produced in other European centres such as Amsterdam, Aubusson, Beauvais, Lille, London, Madrid, and Oudenaarde. Owing to this widespread production and the enduring commercial success of the genre, attributing individual designs can often be challenging. The present example, however, belongs to a distinguished series that laid the foundation for the genre and was designed by David Teniers II himself. Description The tapestry depicts a bustling quay where fishermen unload and sort their catch. On the left, a boat carrying five men arrives, still hauling in its nets, while one fisherman on the bow hands a line to a man standing at the end of the quay. In the foreground, a fisherman empties a barrel of fish and shellfish, while three men nearby appear to be negotiating. Further along the quay, another sorts his catch, two men converse, and a man leans casually on a donkey. Behind them, a figure with his back turned adds a touch of unvarnished realism. In the background, a bay stretches out, framed by a wooded coast to the left and a fortified structure to the right, complete with patrolling figures and a tall, three-tiered tower. Through the central passageway, two additional boats are visible. One hauling in its nets, the other lowering its mast. Attribution The Fish Quay was executed in the Brussels workshop of Hieronymus Le Clerc (1643-1722) or that of his associate Gaspar van der Borcht (1675-1742). Several editions of the scene are known, some bearing the signature of one of these associated tapissiers: Le Clerc or Van der Borcht’s Latinized form, A Castro. A now-lost edition formerly in Dresden bore Van der Borcht’s signature along with an extensive inscription identifying David Teniers II – the court painter to Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of Austria (1614-1662) and Don John Joseph of Austria (1629-1679), governors of the Southern Netherlands from 1648 to 1656 and 1656 to 1658 respectively – as the designer. Teniers is also cited as the designer in a 1701 archival document recording that Le Clerc and Van der Borcht sold a six-part edition of the series, including a tapestry described as “un port de mer, où l’on pesche le poisson” (a seaport, where fish are caught). Dating the collaborative production of this particular example is difficult. The earliest known editions of the series were likely produced in the 1680s, with production continuing until Le Clerc’s death in 1722. The Fish Quay lacks the usual outer border, suggesting it was intended for mounting on wainscoting.
Gallery de Potter d’Indoye
georges jacob
Pair of bergères 'à la Reine' Georges Jacob (Cheny 1739-1814 Paris) France, Louis XVI period Carved and gilded wood H 100 x W 69 x D 61 cm Stamped Georges Jacob Provenance: Jacques Perrin, Paris, 1997 Pair of carved and gilded wood Bergères with rounded backs, decorated with acanthus leaves and an interlacing frieze. Tapered and caned legs with gadroons. The arched crest surmounts padded armrests, the frames carved with guilloche patterns and foliage, resting on turned fluted legs, stamped G. Jacob. Georges Jacob, received as master on the July 5th, 1765, is the most famous of all the 18th-century French menuisiers. Unlike his colleagues, Jacob founded his company from scratch in 1765 and moved his workshops to Rue Meslée in 1775. This is where the most brilliant period of his career took place and where the major royal commissions were produced. From 1773 he was solicited by the Garde-Meuble de la Couronne, for which he continued to work until the Revolution. In addition to the Queen and, to a lesser extent, the King, his clientele included the main members of the royal family and its entourage. As ordinary carpenter to Monsieur, Count of Provence and brother of the King, the future Louis XVIII, he furnished most of his homes. He also worked for the Count of Artois, another brother of the King and future Charles X, Madame Élisabeth, sister of Louis XVI, the Prince of Condé, the Duke of Penthièvre, the Duke of Bavaria and Deux-Ponts Charles-Théodore, etc.
Galerie de la Présidence
geer van velde
Geer van Velde (The Netherlands, Lisse 1898-1977 Cachan, France) Composition - atelier, circa 1951 Oil on canvas 134 x 148 cm Signed lower right with initials This work will be included in the forthcoming catalogue raisonné of Geer van Velde - Painted Work, currently in preparation by Pierre François Moget, son of Piet Moget Provenance: Galerie Hautefeuille, Paris; private collection, Brussels
