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Vagabond Antiques
Pair of carved Heraldic stone lions Central European, Hapsburg Territories, late 17th century Carved limestone H 90 x W 57 x D 77 cm A striking pair of limestone lions, carved in full relief and designed as true opposites. Each is seated upright, with bared teeth, strong haunches and tightly curled manes. Both wear a crown and hold an oval cartouche carved in bold relief with an interlaced monogram. They were made to flank the formal entrance of a major estate. The form and detailing are typical of high-status Baroque culture in Central Europe and the crown design is especially telling. Each features a repeating pattern of fleur-de-lis and crosses, closely following the design of imperial crowns used in Habsburg heraldry - particularly in the realms of Austria and Bohemia. A crucial distinction is the placement of such a crown directly on the animal - not merely above the cipher - which indicates an emblem of royal standing. Comparable examples can be seen on the monumental lions at Prince Eugene of Savoy's Upper Belvedere Palace in Vienna and others across Bavaria and Austria, where lions were used as heraldic supporters for noble or imperial arms. The monograms are hard to decipher but are almost certainly ciphers for the original owners or patrons. They likely stood at the gates of a major estate or seat of power under Habsburg rule or allegiance, marking out territories and status.
Francis Janssens van der Maelen
Maurice Daurat (Bordeaux 1880-1969 Meulan-en-Yvelines) Art Deco table centrepiece Paris, circa 1927-1931 Sterling silver, Macassar ebony, marble H 42.5 x W 104 x D 20 cm This striking early 20th century French silver and alabaster centrepiece on a Macassar ebony base is a superb example of Art Deco design. Designed by Maurice Daurat in Paris, circa 1927-1931. Maurice Daurat was famous for his limited editions and large commissioned works. His style is characterised by geometrical, strict shaping, emphasising volume and material.
Galerie Flak
Yipwon hook figure Korewori river, Papua New Guinea, 19th century or earlier (C-14 test) Carved wood H 200 cm Provenance: Merrin Gallery, New York; Californian artist Tony Berlant collection; acquired from the above in the 1980s; Michael Hamson collection, USA; Dr. Jean-Philippe Beaulieu collection, France; acquired from the previous in 2022
Almine Rech
tom wesselmann
Tom Wesselmann (USA, Ohio 1931-2004 New York) 'Smoker Study (For Smoker #11)', 1972 Oil on canvas 29.2 x 29.2 cm 46.4 x 46.4 x 3.8 cm (framed) Examined by the WPI's Wesselmann committee on 13 December 2023, for inclusion in the forthcoming catalogue raisonné Provenance: estate of the artist Courtesy of the Estate of Tom Wesselmann and Almine Rech / Photo: Thomas Barratt Smoker Study (For Smoker #11), 1972 belongs to Tom Wesselmann’s Smoker series, which the artist began in 1967. Born out of a desire to isolate and further investigate the representation of lips and the act of smoking, the Smoker series also found its origin in advertising, and stands as testament to the major role Wesselmann occupied in the birth and development of the Pop aesthetic. Today, Wesselmann’s Smoker paintings are among his most renowned works. The series began with Smoker, 1 (Mouth, 12), 1967, which is now held in the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Wesselmann found photography to be a useful medium to capture his models in poses he would later translate to larger scale works. On one occasion, his friend Peggy Sarno lit a cigarette during a modeling session. Wesselmann took some photographs of her as she inhaled, still posing in a reclined position. This moment inspired the Smoker series, which is characterised by the presence of vivid red lips juxtaposed with curling white smoke. Smoker Study (For Smoker #11) is both bold and intimate, capturing a single moment of pleasure in a complex and ambitious composition indicative of the artist’s experimentation with subject, form, and color. In mid-century America, cigarette advertisements were incredibly elaborate, among the most sophisticated forms of marketing. As well as standing as an example of Wesselmann’s fascination with popular culture and the female body, Smoker Study (For Smoker #11) also demonstrates the artist’s mastery of oil paint, attention to detail, and sophisticated compositional style. In the 1960s, Wesselmann had been developing his Great American Nudes series when he was inspired to focus on specific details of female figures. In an almost fetishistic act, he started isolating elements of the female figure, creating smaller preparatory pieces as well as larger scale works depicting hands, breasts, and lips. Out of this approach his Mouth paintings and Smoker Series, works such as Smoker Study (For Smoker #11) were born. Tom Wesselmann (1931–2004) was one of the leading American Pop artists of the mid-20th Century. Departing from Abstract Expressionism, he explored classical representations of the nude, still life, and landscape, while incorporating everyday objects and advertising ephemera. Wesselmann was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on February 23, 1931. He attended Hiram College in Ohio from 1949 to 1951 before entering the University of Cincinnati. In 1953, his studies were interrupted by a two-year enlistment in the army, during which time he began drawing cartoons. He returned to the university in 1954 and received a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1956. During this time, he decided to pursue a career in cartooning and enrolled at the Art Academy of Cincinnati. After graduation he moved to New York City, where he was accepted into the Cooper Union and where his focus shifted dramatically to fine art.
Beck & Eggeling International Fine Art
heinz mack
Heinz Mack (Germany, Lollar 1931) Weisse Vibration, 1958 Synthetic resin in wood (relief) H 28 x W 68 x D 4 cm Signed and dated lower middle 'Mack 58', verso titled 'Weiße Vibration' Provenance: estate of Franz Swetec, Düsseldorf (acquired from the artist)
Galerie de la Béraudière
joan miró
Joan Miró (Barcelona 1893-1983 Palma de Majorque) Femme, oiseaux, 1976 Oil, gouache and oil stick on scratched board 65.1 x 50.2 cm Signed lower right 'Miró' Signed, dated and titled on the reverse: MIRÓ., 20/IV/76., Femme, oiseaux Provenance: estate of Joan Miró; Sotheby's, Madrid, 42 works by Joan Miró, 9 December 1986, lot 4 (in aid of the Fundaciò Pilar i Joan Miró, Palma de Mallorca); Quitana Fine Arts, New York; Ramis Barquet Gallery, Mexico City; private collection; Christie's, New York, 9 November 2000, lot 460; Waddington Galleries, London; private collection, Portugal (acquired from the above in 2004); Phillips, New York, 8 November 2015, lot 14; private collection, Europe Literature: Jacques Dupin, Ariane Lelong, Joan Miró, Catalogue raisonné. Paintings, vol. VI: 1976-1981, Paris, Gallery Lelong and the Miró Succession, 2004, ill. n° 1737, p. 49 Exhibitions: 2018, Brussels, Galerie de la Béraudière, Calder, Miró et leurs rencontres parisiennes; 2017, Brussels, Galerie de la Béraudière, La figure animalière; 2016, Brussels, Galerie de la Béraudière, Chefs-d'oeuvre de la galerie et Surréalisme In Woman, Birds, Joan Miró unfolds a free and vibrant universe, where colour and line become forces in motion. Against a deep black background, reds, yellows and whites burst forth with an almost musical intensity. The artist condenses the essence of his language into this work: the spontaneity of gesture, the simplicity of form and the poetry of symbolism. The woman and the bird, emblematic motifs in his work, merge into a space that is both controlled and spontaneous. Created at the end of his life, this composition expresses the supreme freedom of an artist at the height of his powers.
Hoffmans Antiques
Chandelier in the 'Retour d’Égypte' style Paris, early 19th century Attributed to Benjamin Ladouèpe-Dufougerias and the 'Manufacture de Cristaux de Montcenis' Ormoulu, patinated and fire-gilt bronze for twelve candles H 130 cm - Ø circa 80 cm Provenance: private European collection This magnificent chandelier exemplifies the short-lived yet influential 'Retour d’Égypte' style, which emerged in the wake of Napoleon’s Egyptian campaign (1798–1801). At its centre stands an amphora-shaped patinated urn, crowned with a flaming finial and surmounted by a pinecone. From the urn’s body spring twelve elegantly curved candle arms arranged in two tiers, richly ornamented with foliage motifs and set between four stylised Egyptian masks. The chandelier is suspended by four chains leading to an imposing corona adorned with leonine masks and voluted floral decoration. The style was largely shaped by the architects Charles Percier and Pierre François Léonard Fontaine, whose neoclassical designs laid the foundation for this decorative vocabulary. It endured only briefly before giving way to the Empire style with the establishment of Napoleon and the First French Empire. Provenance and Comparanda: A closely related chandelier for twelve lights, attributed to the Manufacture de Cristaux de la Reine, is preserved in the collections at Versailles, formerly installed in Marie-Antoinette’s inner cabinet at the Petit Trianon.
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
Galerie de la Présidence
Nicolas de Staël (Saint Petersbourg 1913-1955 Antibes) Composition, 1949 Oil on canvas 38 x 46 cm Signed lower left Provenance: Henriette Gomès collection, Paris; private collection, Paris; private collection, Luxembourg Literature: J-P Jouffroy, Nicolas de Staël, p. 161; Jacques Dubourg and Françoise de Staël, Nicolas de Staël, Catalogue Raisonné des peintures, ed. Le temps, Paris, n° 195, p. 121; Françoise de Staël, Nicolas de Staël, Catalogue Raisonné des peintures, ed. Ides et Calendres, Switzerland, n° 189, p. 259; Françoise de Staël, Nicolas de Staël, Catalogue Raisonné des peintures, ed. Ides et Calendres, Switzerland, revised and expanded by Marie du Bouchet and Gustave de Staël, n° 189, p. 209 Exhibition: Nicolas de Staël, Musée Réattu, Arles, June-September 1958, n° 18 The year 1949 was a crucial period for Nicolas de Staël: he continued to explore and refine his style, marking an important transition towards painting that would become more fluid and expressive. Among his notable works this year is this 'Composition', which reflects his continued use of thick layers of paint and his extensive play with materials, moving from impasto to knife painting. For Nicolas de Staël, although abstract his paintings are 'images of life', his coloured masses generate vibrations. Lastly, this painting has always been kept in private hands until now, and was never presented at auctions.
Herwig Simons Fine Arts
Wooden chef-d'oeuvre of the Compagnonnage France, 19th century Walnut, maple and mohogany wood H 185 cm Provenance: former private collection, France A fine, rare and large nineteenth-century wooden exhibition model, the chef-d'oeuvre of a master carpenter of the Compagnonnage. These models were made to show the technical expertise and skill of the master carpenter. The Compagnonnage is an old French guild with roots in the 12th century. In the eighteenth century, they incorporated symbols and rituals, many of which were borrowed from Freemasonry to create an initiatory progression for its members.
Chambre professionnelle belge de la Librairie Ancienne et Moderne (CLAM)
Heinrich Eggestein (Rosheim 1415/1420-1488) [Strassburg, not after 24 May 1466] […]. Biblia Latina 2 vols. Royal folio, with contemporary Augsburg binding Fifth edition of the Latin Bible and the first published by Heinrich Eggestein Librairie Lardanchet, Antiquarian bookseller
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
Guy Pieters Gallery
yves klein
Yves Klein (Nice 1928-1962 Paris) La Terre Bleue, 1957 IKB Pigment H 41 x Ø 29 cm Provenance: Galerie Bonnier, Geneva; private collection, Sweden Literature: P. Wember, Yves Klein, Cologne, 1969, p. 109, n° RP7 (another example ill.); P. Restany, Yves Klein, New York, 1982, p. 226 (another example ill.); J.P. Ledeur, Yves Klein: Catalogue of Editions and Sculptures Edited, Belgium, 1999, p. 242 (another example ill.); N. Charlet, Yves Klein, Paris, 2000, p. 230 (another example ill.); H. Weitemeier, Yves Klein: International Klein Blue, Cologne, 2001, p. 83 (another example ill.) Exhibitions: Paris, Centre Georges Pompidou Musée National d'Art Moderne, Yves Klein, March-May 1983, p. 109, n° 56 (another example exh.); Nice, Musée d'Art Moderne et d'Art Contemporain and Museo Pecci Prato, Yves Klein: Long Live the Immaterial!, April 2000-January 2001, p. 184 (another example exh. and ill.); Musée des Beaux-Arts d'Angers, Marie Raymond, Yves Klein, November 2004-February 2005, p. 190 (another example exh. and ill.)
Galerie Perrin
oskar bergman
Oskar Bergman (Stockholm 1879-1963 Saltsjöbaden) The Lagan from Laholm, 1925 Watercolour and gouache on paper 19 x 30.5 cm Signed and dated lower right: Oskar Bergman, Lagan Fran Lahollni, April 1925 Provenance: private collection There are artists who throw themselves wholeheartedly into the various currents during the course of their lives, following the frenetic rhythm of fashions, becoming the icons of an historical moment or a particular group. Others, conversely, take a vow of fidelity to their nature, far removed from the ephemeral unfolding of art, working and meditating as if in a kind of reclusion on a subject to which they devote their entire work. Oskar Bergman belongs to the latter category. His long and prolific career was nothing more than a variation on the theme of landscape, interpreted in a highly personal style that is instantly recognisable, the result of his self-taught training and few outside influences.
Edouard Simoens Gallery
walter leblanc
Walter Leblanc (Antwerp 1932-1986 Silly) Torsions, 1977-1978 Black and white enamelled steel sculpture 200 x 130 cm Provenance: Walter & Nicole Leblanc Foundation; private collection; André Simoens Collection Literature: Linea Catalogue raisonné, 1997, Ludion, Brussels, CR 1271, p. 282 Exhibitions: Brussels, Tecno, Walter Leblanc Integratie, 1983; Gent, Floraliapaleis, Linea ’83, 1983