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Klaas Muller
Gerard Ter Borch (Zwolle 1617-1681 Deventer) Portrait of a man with a black hat, circa 1650 Oil on oval panel 19.9 x 16.5 cm The gallery is grateful to Marjorie Wieseman, who endorsed the attribution on the basis of a photograph, and to Guido Jansen, who confirmed the attribution after examining the painting in person Gerard ter Borch (1617-1681) was one of the most refined painters of the Dutch seventeenth century. Born in Zwolle, he received his first training from his father, Gerard ter Borch I, within a household where drawing and copying formed an essential part of daily artistic practice. Several of his siblings also became artists, contributing to a rich familial archive that documents the development of the Ter Borch workshop. After extensive travels through Amsterdam, Haarlem, London, Madrid and Münster, Ter Borch settled in Deventer, where he became a respected member of the city’s elite. Ter Borch is celebrated for his intimate genre scenes and portraits, distinguished by a subtle palette, delicate handling of light, and a keen sensitivity to gesture and expression. His paintings are marked by elegance, psychological depth, and exceptional technical skill, particularly in the rendering of skin and textiles. This portrait of a man wearing a black hat, painted on an oval panel, exemplifies these qualities. The sitter faces the viewer directly and meets our gaze with quiet self‑confidence, creating a sense of immediacy and silent dialogue. His restrained pose and understated attire suggest dignity without ostentation. The refined and harmonious colour scheme, composed of carefully balanced tones, is characteristic of Ter Borch’s portrait practice. The subtle fall of light gently models the face, giving the features clarity and depth without strong contrasts. The smooth surface of the panel enhances the precision of Ter Borch’s brushwork and contributes to the intimate character of the work. Rather than a display of status, the portrait becomes a concentrated study of presence and inner life.
Galerie Raf Van Severen
Elena Laverón (Spain, Ceuta, 1938) Pareja Sentada (Seating Couple), 1975 Cast bronze with dark patina H 170 x W 193 x D 116 cm Edition of 3 + 2 AP Literature: Antonio Abad, 'Elena Laverón, The flight of forms', 1987, p. 168; Juan Ibáñez Plaza (com.), 'de Elena Laverón', Roquetas de Mar (Almería), Ayuntamiento de Roquetas de Mar, 2008, p. 115; Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Telmo de Málaga, Anuario 2016 (n° 16), Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Telmo, 2016, p. 389; Tania Fernández de Toledo, Raya Fayad, Sotheby's France, 'UNESCO: La collection d'art', 2017, p. 431 Reference: in 1993, Pareja Sentada was installed at UNESCO's Bonvin building In 1936, the French-language premiere of Arnold Schoenberg’s monodrama Erwartung was staged at the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, with Jean Brusselmans commissioned to design the sets. 'Decor for Erwartung' is a study for the fourth scene of the drama. In this scene, the female protagonist, desperately searching for her lover, comes across a road in the middle of a forest. To her horror, she discovers his lifeless body lying beside a lonely house. Brusselmans’ distinctive painting style, characterised by its return to simplicity and its deliberately alienated figures, makes it remarkably easy to imagine what the stage sets must have looked like during the actual performance. The work offers the viewer an endless source of imagination. Combined with the fascinating history behind its creation, these qualities make 'Decor for Erwartung' an absolute masterpiece.
Stéphane Renard Fine Art
Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres (Montauban 1780-1867 Paris) Portrait of a Woman, 1802 Oil on canvas 29 x 21 cm 33 x 40.5 cm (framed) Provenance: purchased at a public auction in Asheville (North Carolina, USA) in January 2024 Exhibition: Museum Central des Arts (Salon de 1802), n° 719, Ingres, Portrait de femme This Portrait of a Woman by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres is a discovery. The gallery would like to thank Mr. Eric Bertin, Mr. Sylvain Bédard, Lecturer at the University of Montreal, and Professor Andrew Carrington Shelton of Ohio State University, all three of whom confirmed the painting’s attribution to Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres after first hand examinations.
Maison d'Art
Karel van Vogelaer called Carlo dei Fiori (Maastricht 1653-1695 Rome) Still life with flowers Oil on canvas 64.5 x 46 cm Literature: From Light to Enlightenment, Exhibition catalogue, Shanghai Art Museum, 2005, n° 30, pp. 114-116, 150 Exhibition: From Light to Enlightenment, Exhibition in the Shanghai Art Museum, China, 12-17 November 2005
Samuel Vanhoegaerden Gallery
Karel Appel (Amsterdam 1921-2006 Zurich) People, Birds and Sun, 1951 Gouache and pastel on paper, mounted on canvas 65 x 100 cm Signed and dated lower right Provenance: the estate of the artist; Galerie Max Hetzler, London Exhibition: Karel Appel-Cobra/Non Cobra, Galerie Max Hetzler, London, January-February 2024 This work by Karel Appel embodies the playful, instinctive visual language that makes his finest Cobra-period pieces so instantly recognizable. As the original version of the painting held in the Tate Gallery’s collection, this piece offers a glimpse into the evolution of a composition in which the imagination is given free rein. A child, a bird, a sun, and fantastical creatures appear alongside and intertwined with one another, without ever conforming to a traditional representation of reality. The figures are childlike and direct. Large eyes, erratic contours, and bold, spontaneous lines lend them an expressive presence. Appel does not paint what he sees, but rather he paints what he imagines and senses. The exuberant colors - yellow, red, green, blue, and black - collide, overlap, and amplify one another. The yellow plane infuses the composition with light and energy, while the dark lines provide structure to the various figures. This combination of childlike spontaneity and controlled painterly craft lies at the heart of Appel’s Cobra aesthetic.
Galerie Alexis Pentcheff
Carved wooden frame, gilded with gold leaf, fitted with its original mercury glass Spain, 17th century Symmetrical decoration featuring four cherubs, stylised scrolls, acanthus leaves and gemstones at the corners Provenance: Amedeo Montanari collection Literature: Amedeo Montanari and Roberto Lodi, Directory of European frales, editions Galleria Roberto Lodi, 2003, repr. n° 641, p. 323
Galerie Alexis Bordes
Constant Montald (Ghent 1862-1944 Woluwe-Saint-Lambert) View of Houses in Spring, 1917 Gouache on paper laid down on cardboard 70 x 88.5 cm Signed and dated lower right 'C. Montald 17' Provenance: private collection, Belgium (acquired at public auction in 1993); private collection, France
Costermans
Louis XV writing table Paris, Louis XV period, circa 1750 Ormolu-mounted tulipwood, satinwood, amaranth, and red leather H 66 x W 55 x D 37 cm Stamped I·P·LATZ Jean-Pierre Latz (Cologne 1686-1754 Paris) was titled as favoured craftsman to the king This small folding table stands at the very top of the social hierarchy of objects: beneath its top, a sliding shelf reveals a writing desk upholstered in red leather, whilst a side drawer conceals an inkwell. This transformation mechanism is remarkably discreet, requiring the cabinetmaker to collaborate with a mechanic and a locksmith. On the top, a lyre adorned with a ribbon – a rare motif on small pieces of furniture from this period – reflects the era’s taste for the arts. It is reminiscent of the writing table commissioned for the Marquise de Pompadour, now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. This table is the work of Jean-Pierre Latz, who came to Paris from Cologne in 1719 and became the King’s favoured cabinetmaker. Inventive and daring, he cast and chiselled his own bronze fittings in defiance of the regulations, and counted Frederick II of Prussia, Augustus III of Poland and the eldest daughter of Louis XV amongst his clients. Furniture bearing his signature is rare.
Galerie Berès
Fernand Léger (Argentan 1881-1955 Gif-sur-Yvette) 'Composition pour les Illuminations d'Arthur Rimbaud', 1949 Gouache and ink on paper 33 x 24 cm Monogrammed and dated lower right 'F.L.49' Certificate of authenticity by the Comité Fernand Léger Certificate of authenticity by Irus Hansma Provenance: private collection, Paris
Stoppenbach & Delestre
Raoul Dufy (Le Havre 1877-1953 Forcalquier) Nu aux papillons, 1930 Watercolour on paper 26 x 51 cm Signed lower left Provenance: sale Paris, Hôtel Drouot, 28 February 1951, lot 31; thence by descent to the previous owner, France Literature: F. Guillon-Laffaille, Raoul Dufy, catalogue raisonné des aquarelles, gouaches et pastels, Vol. II, Editions Louis Carré & Cie, Paris, 1982, n° 1853, repr. b/w
Labellov
Delvaux Lady Gipset, Brillant black edition Box calf leather, silk pink, hand-embroidered with sequins and semi-precious stones: rose quartz, tourmaline, red jasper, sodalite and amazonite H 36 x W 20.5 x D 35 cm Limited edition of 9 pieces worldwide Entirely embroidered by hand, requiring approximately 100 hours of craftsmanship
Galerie Haesaerts-le Grelle
Gustave Serrurier-Bovy (Liège 1858-1910 Antwerp) Paravent, circa 1905 Padauk, brass and embroidered fabric H 146 x W 59 cm (each panel) Saint-Saëns series, produced by Serrurier et Cie Provenance: private collection, Liège Literature: F. Bigot du Mesnil du Buisson & E. du Mesnil du Buisson, Serrurier-Bovy-un créateur précurseur-1858-1910, Paris, Faton, 2008 p. 200; Jacques-Grégoire Watelet, Serrurier-Bovy, Ateliers Vokaer, Bruxelles, 1986, p. 102; Art Nouveau Belge: Vers l’idéal (tome 3), 2024, Les Éditions du Musée Horta, pp. 163-164
Galerie des Modernes
Jean Dubuffet (Le Havre 1901-1985 Paris) Personnage (buste) M. 406, 29 March 1967 Marker pen and gouache on paper with cut and pasted elements 45.5 x 26 cm Signed with the artist’s initials and dated lower right Annotated lower right Provenance: Jean Dubuffet collection, Paris; Ludovic Massé collection (1900–1982), Perpignan (gift from the artist, March 1968); private collection, France Literature: Max Loreau, 'Catalogue des Travaux de Jean Dubuffet, Fascicule XXII: Cartes, Ustensiles', Weber Publisher, Lausanne, 1972, pp. 145 and 188, ill. p. 145, n° 371
Gallery Sofie Van de Velde
Georges Vantongerloo (Antwerp 1886-1965 Paris) Spiral with Certain Spots, 1946 Oil on masonite 73.8 x 58.8 cm Signed and dated: 'Spirale avec certaines taches Paris 1946 G. Vantongerloo' (title / verso) Provenance: Georges Baines collection (acquired directly from the artist); Bernard Baines; private collection, Switzerland; Galerie Ronny Van de Velde, Antwerp Literature: Georges Vantongerloo, Paintings, Sculptures, Reflections, in Problems of Contemporary Art n° 5, New York, 1948, n° 176, Wittenborn, fig. 44; Georges Vantongerloo: A Traveling Retrospective Exhibition, Corcoran Gallery of Art / Dallas Museum of Fine Arts / Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Loiseau, Brussels 1980, p. 146; Jan Ceuleers, Ronny Van de Velde, Georges Vantongerloo 1886-1965, Antwerp, OCNO, 1996-1997, n° 176, ill. p. 157; Serge Lemoine, Georges Vantongerloo (1886-1965). A Pioneer of Modern Sculpture, Musée Matisse, 2007, ill. p. 148; Larkin Erdmann, Five Years, Zurich, 2019, pp. 83-84; Ostend, Mu.ZEE, Belgium-Argentina. Transatlantic Modernisms, 1910–1958, 2022 Exhibitions: Paris, Palais des Beaux-Arts de la Ville de Paris, 1st Salon des Réalités Nouvelles. Abstract Art, Concrete Art, Constructivism, Non-Figurative, July 1946; Zurich, Kunsthaus Zürich, Antoine Pevsner, Georges Vantongerloo, Max Bill, 15 October-13 November 1949, n° 78; Washington, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Georges Vantongerloo. A Traveling Retrospective Exhibition, 22 April-17 June 1980, n° 176 (later shown in Dallas and Los Angeles); Brussels, Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, Georges Vantongerloo 1886-1965, 23 January-16 March 1981, n° 176; Zurich, Kunsthaus Zürich, Georges Vantongerloo, 3 April-17 May 1981, n° 176; Antwerp, Ronny Van de Velde, Georges Vantongerloo 1886-1965, 15 December 1996-31 March 1997, OCNO n° 176; Barcelona, MACBA-Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona, Force Fields: Phases of the Kinetic, 19 April-18 June 2000, n° 232 (later at the Hayward Gallery); Le Cateau-Cambrésis, Musée Matisse, Georges Vantongerloo 1886-1965, A Pioneer of Modern Sculpture, 28 October 2007-2 March 2008 (later at Mu.ZEE); Madrid, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Georges Vantongerloo: A Longing for Eternity, 3 November 2009-22 February 2010
Heutink Ikonen
Year Icon (Menologion) Russia, late 19th century Egg tempera on gesso on linen-covered wood 35.5 x 30.5 cm Provenance: private collection, Germany This beautifully painted year icon (menologion) brings together the entire Orthodox liturgical year in a single composition. The twelve months are divided into separate sections, each depicting the saints and feast days commemorated throughout the calendar year. At the centre of the composition is the Anastasis (the Resurrection of Christ), surrounded by scenes relating to the Church’s movable feasts, including the Ascension and Pentecost, as well as scenes from Christ’s Passion. Along the edge are numerous venerated images of the Mother of God - each associated with its own feast day in the church year. This icon stands out for its unusually compact size. Despite its modest dimensions, the painter has succeeded in incorporating an exceptionally extensive iconographic programme without compromising on clarity or refinement. Hundreds of figures, scenes and inscriptions are depicted with remarkable precision and virtuosity. Thanks to its good preservation, even the smallest of details remain clearly visible.
COLNAGHI
Robert Mapplethorpe (New York 1946-1989 Boston) Female torso, 1978 Silver gelatin photograph 50.8 x 40.6 cm Made in 1978, the photograph belongs to a life-long dialogue in Mapplethorpe’s work between photography and sculpture. The subject would later serve as the opening image of his 1989 volume Some Women, where its classical reference establishes a point of comparison for the contemporary women portrayed in the book. The photograph was produced in an edition of ten. Impressions of the image are held in major public collections, including the J. Paul Getty Museum and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The documented provenance of this impression begins with the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation in New York, from which it passed into a private collection in Belgium.
Marty de Cambiaire
Hans Rottenhammer (Munich 1564-1625 Augsburg) Minerva and the Muses, 1606 Oil on copper 32.8 x 39.4 cm Signed with a monogram and dated '1606/ HR' on the rock, centre right Provenance: said to have belonged to the Earl of Roseberry, Mentmore, Buckinghamshire; private collection, Danbury, Connecticut; Jean-Luc Baroni Ltd., London, 2011; Charles Petit collection, London, 2011; Sotheby’s, London, 8 July 2015, lot 39; private collection Literature: Bernard Aikema, in 'Hans Rottenhammer', exhibition catalogue, Munich, 2004, p. 38, repr. fig. 55; Jean-Luc Baroni, 'Master Paintings at the Tefaf Art and Antiques Fair', cat. 2011, n° 8 Painted on copper, signed and dated 1606 by Hans Rottenhammer, this work captivates through its delicate execution, distinctive palette and refined subject matter. It brings together two formative influences on the artist: the northern landscape tradition, absorbed through his association with Paul Bril and Jan Brueghel the Elder and evident in the finely delineated foliage and blue atmosphere of the distance; and Venetian culture, which provided the inspiration for the subject, notably through the work of Tintoretto. The subject of the painting, variously described in the sources as 'The Muses Tuning Their Instruments' or 'The Concert of the Muses', reflects Rottenhammer’s broad artistic culture and his familiarity with courtly life. The variety of instruments and the open mouth of the singing putto in the foreground convey the presence of sound within the image. Yet the painter also seems intent on suggesting his knowledge of music through the means proper to his own art: the harmonies and nuances of colour, the correspondences between the figures and the movements of their arms invite us to see the composition as a pictorial rendering of musical harmony. Rottenhammer frequently depicted the Muses and the arts, contributing to the development of an iconographic programme intended to elevate the status of artists.
