This section will be available this Autumn.
Edouard Simoens Gallery
christo and jeanne-claude
Christo (Bulgaria 1935-2020 New York) and Jeanne-Claude (Casablanca 1935-2009 New York) The Pont Neuf Wrapped (Project for Paris), 1985 Pencil, charcoal, pastel, wax crayon, and technical data 144 x 165 cm (overall) Provenance: Wolfgang Volz collection; private collection Literature: Christo and Jeanne-Claude: Water Projects, Silvana 2016, p. 167
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.
De Jonckheere
lucas van valckenborch
Lucas van Valckenborch (Leuven 1535/6-1597 Frankfurt am Main) The Kermesse of St. George, 1595 Oil on panel 22.5 x 38.5 cm Signed and dated 1595 LVV on the fountain Provenance: collection of Charles Theodore of Bavaria (1724-1799), Elector of the Palatinate and Bavaria, Munich, inv. n° 138 (according to a label in brown ink on the back dating from 1799, n° 138); collection of Maximilian de Beauharnais, Duke of Leuchtenberg (1835-1852) (fragmentary label); Almas Gallery, Munich, 1941; private collection, South Germany Literature: Pantheon, September 1941, supplement V, repr.; Bernt, Walter, Die niederländischen Maler des 17. Jahrhunderts, Munich, 1948, n° 865 (1960 edition, n° 1216, repr.); Wied, Alexander, Lucas und Marten van Valckenborch. Das Gesamtwerk mit kritischem Oeuvrekatalog, Freren, Luca Verlag, 1990, pp. 176-77, n° 81, repr. Lucas van Valckenborch was undoubtedly introduced to painting by his father Laureys van Valckenborch, before being accepted as a master of the Mechelen painters' guild in 1564. Following the religious persecution inflicted by the Duke of Alba's troops on supporters of the Reformation, he fled the city in 1567 to take refuge in Liège, then in Aachen from 1570 to 1573, where he was reunited with his brother Marten and Hans Vredeman de Vries (1527-1609). He settled temporarily in Antwerp from 1575 to 1577. He was then employed in Brussels by Matthias, the then Governor-General of the Netherlands. In 1581, he accompanied the latter to Austria, staying in Vienna and Prague, as well as in Linz and Nuremberg. As of 1593, he shared his workshop in Frankfurt am Main with his brother Marten; he was granted citizenship on 10 January, 1594, encouraged by Archduke Ernest of Austria (1553-1595). He worked actively in the family workshop until his death in 1597. Considered one of the greatest landscape painters of the 16th century, Lucas van Valckenborch's concept of landscape was derived from Joachim Patinir and Pieter Bruegel the Elder. His very detailed portrayals of the seasons, village kermesses, romantic scenes and townscapes, stand out owing to the meticulous care employed in their execution and the precise structure of the planes leading to the horizon. His panoramic landscapes are a careful observation of the Meuse valley; his anecdotal scenes are painted with the delicacy of a miniaturist, while his landscapes are presented with topographical accuracy. At the end of his life, his deep landscapes with their luminous, refined nuances, bear witness to a creative approach that sought to go beyond the Bruegelian concept, which was never surpassed by his contemporaries.
Thomas Deprez Fine Arts
franz binjé
Franz Binjé (Liège 1835-1900 Brussels) Le feu, circa 1894 Watercolour and gouache on paper 42 x 27.5 cm Signed l.l.: 'F. Binjé'. Provenance: private collection, Belgium Exhibitions: Exposition Universelle des Beaux-Arts, section Société Royale belge des Aquarellistes, Antwerp, World Fair, 1894, cat. nr. 699, as: 'Le feu'; Internationale Kunst-Ausstellung, Berlin, World Fair, 1896, Gemälde cat. nr. 228, as: 'Das Feuer. Aquarell.'
MassModernDesign
pierre weckx lougne chair brazil 1950s
Low lounge chair designed by Pierre Weckx and manufactured in Brazil 1950s. This low lounge chair is an expressive example of Brazilian modernism, revealing Pierre Weckx’s refined understanding of structure, material, and repose. Designed in the 1950s, the chair embodies a period in which Brazilian designers began to reinterpret international modernist ideas through local materials, craftsmanship, and climate driven lifestyles. The low, reclining posture reflects a relaxed approach to seating, prioritising the body at rest while maintaining a sculptural presence within the interior. The frame is executed in solid caviuna wood, a dense and richly grained Brazilian hardwood prized for its durability and warm tonal depth. Weckx uses the material with confidence, shaping the structure into a continuous, angled silhouette that feels both grounded and fluid. The extended rear legs and subtly inclined seat create a dynamic profile that is visually light despite the solidity of the wood. The armrests are integrated seamlessly, reinforcing the sense of cohesion between form and function. A system of rope supports the original golden toned cowhide cushion, allowing the seat and back to respond gently to the body. This construction not only enhances comfort but also introduces a tactile contrast between the smooth wood, the tensioned rope, and the supple cowhide. The cushion, with its natural patina, contributes significantly to the character of the piece and speaks to its authenticity. This chair has been published several times in Casa e Jardim, underscoring its importance within the canon of mid century Brazilian design. Preserved in fully original condition, it stands as a rare and compelling example of Pierre Weckx’s work, where craftsmanship, material honesty, and an effortless sense of leisure converge into a timeless modern object.
Galerie Lowet de Wotrenge
david vinckboons (mechelen 1576 - 1629 amsterdam)
David Vinckboons (Mechelen 1576-1629 Amsterdam) The Triumph of Bacchus Pen and brown ink and grey wash over black chalk, within brown ink framing lines on laid paper 68 x 114 mm Provenance: Dr. Einar Perman (1893-1976), Stockholm; by descent to the previous owners; sale, New York, Sotheby's, 31 January 2024, lot 104 Literature: Laren, Singer Museum, Oude Tekeningen uit de Nederlanden. Verzameling Prof. E. Perman, Stockholm, 1962, cat. n° 121 (as Adriaen van de Venne)
De Jonckheere
pieter brueghel the younger
Pieter Brueghel the Younger (Brussels 1564-1638 Antwerp) The Payment of the Tithe or the Village Lawyer, 1622 Oil on panel 78.9 x 123.2 cm Signed and dated: P. BREVGHEL, 1622 Provenance: private collection, Belgium; Galerie Legenhoek, Paris, 1991; private collection, France Literature: Ertz, Klaus, Pieter Brueghel der Jüngere: Die Gemälde mit kritischem Oeuvrekatalog, Lingen, Luca Verlag, Vol. I, 2000, p. 513, cat. E 507, repr.; Curie, Christina, Allart, Dominique, The Brue[H]el Phenomenon, Brussels, Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage, vol. III, p. 1030-1031 This Payment of the Tithe, or The Village Lawyer, is marked by Pieter Brueghel the Younger’s verve, meticulous execution, and vibrant colours. The satirical subject mocks the profession of the lawyer responsible for collecting the heavy tax that the poorest peasants struggled to pay. The grotesque faces of the petitioners, as well as the lawyer’s prognathous jaw - associating him with the Spanish authorities then in power - fascinate through their caricatural force. This original composition by Pieter Brueghel the Younger stimulated the market of the time, generating strong demand. The success of this still-relevant satire has endured to the present day.
Pron
fausto melotti
Fausto Melotti (Rovereto 1901-1986 Milan) Il meridiano delle campane, 1979 Brass H 97.5 x W 74 x D 38 cm Literature: Milan, Galleria Stendhal, Cascella Consagra Melotti, 1980; Padua, Stevenson Arte Contemporanea, Fausto Melotti. Sculture, tecniche miste e incisioni, 1982; Intra, Galleria Corsini, Fausto Melotti. Sculture e Acquarelli. Un'opera d'arte è un'oasi, 1982; Busto Arsizio, Galleria Il Punto Sette, Fausto Melotti, 1984; Parma, Galleria La Sanseverina, Fausto Melotti, 1986, pp. 29, 47, n° 29, ill. Exhibitions: Gianni Cavazzini, Poetiche sosprese di Fausto Melotti, in Gazzetta di Parma, May 23rd, 1986, ill.; Germano Celant, Melotti, Catalogo generale, Tomo secondo, Sculture 1973-1986 e Bassorilievi, Milan 1996, p. 512, 1979 n° 21, ill.
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.
Galerie Bernard De Leye
Enamel basin 'Adam and Eve Mourning the Death of Abel' L 47.5x W 38.7 cm Provenance: sale Tajan 17 juin 1977, n° 127; former collection of Henry Kravis, New York; gallery 'à la Façon de Venise', Paris; former private collection, Switzerland Most Limoges enamel pieces were created over a very short period, between 1540 and 1580, marking the peak of Limoges enameling art. They reflect the French Renaissance and the Fontainebleau School. These secular objects were cherished by court dignitaries and the wealthy bourgeoisie. Too precious and fragile to be used, they adorned the sideboards of reception rooms or the cabinets’ display shelves. Comparative pieces: Musée du Louvre, Paris, eight plates from 1540/1560 by Jean Miette in Limoges enamel; Victoria & Albert Museum, London, a closed cup and two plates, circa 1560 by Jean Miette in Limoges enamel; British Museum, London, three plates, circa 1570 by Jean Miette in Limoges enamel; State Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersbourg, five plates, mid-16th century by Jean Miette in Limoges enamel
Desmet Fine Arts
Pietra dura table top Coloured marble, alabaster and onyx Roman workshop, circa 1565-1600 H 6 x W 104.5 x D 83 cm Accompanied by Art Loss Register certificate: S00253658 Provenance: private collection, Lombardy (Italy) The pietra dura tabletop represents a symbiosis that evokes the rediscovery of the ancient world. The colored marbles used all originate from ancient Roman marble, brought to Rome from across the Roman Empire as early as the 3rd century BCE. In late 16th-century Rome, artists repurposed columns and all manner of these ancient Roman artifacts, reshaping them into sumptuous tabletops to decorate the grand palazzi. This work visualizes how 16th-century Rome sought to reclaim the identity and power of the great Roman Empire, and it must be fully understood within the context of the decoration of St. Peter’s Basilica, when Rome was once again regarded as the center of the world. The patterns are architecturally and geometrically designed to showcase the rarest marbles to their fullest effect. In this specific example, around 1800, the edge underwent restoration, during which the finest artists of the time added a black decorative band. Their aim was to frame what was already spectacular with a dignified restoration. Although created in the late 16th century, this piece radiates two millennia of superiority—politically, socially, artistically, and art historically.
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
Patrick Derom Gallery
günther förg
Günther Förg (Füssen 1952-2013 Freiburg) Untitled, 2003 Acrylic on canvas 140.5 x 160.5 cm Signed and dated upper right ‘Förg 03’ This work is registered in the archives of the Günther Förg Estate under number WVF.03.B.0242 Provenance: Alcalá Subastas, Madrid, 12 May 2011; private collection, Madrid; private collection; sale Christie’s Amsterdam, 8 April 2014, lot n° 74; private collection, Belgium Exhibition: 2003-2004, Galerie Heinrich Ehrhardt, Madrid, 18 November 2003-30 January 2004, Günther Förg
Grusenmeyer-Woliner
flute stopper Wunear Biwat (Mundugumor), Yuat River, late 19th - early 20th century Papua New Guinea Wood, feathers, shell H. 64 cm ( 85 cm including the base) Provenance: Charles Ratton; Kamer Gallery, acquired in 1966 by Emiel Veranneman; Emiel Veranneman; Thence by descent Literature: Rotary Club Sint-Niklaas, Oude Kunst uit Afrika en Oceanie, Exhibition catalogue, Sint-Niklaas, May 5-20, 1979, n° 31; Veranneman Emiel, Visie & Passie, 2002, pp. 72-73 Exhibition: Oude Kunst uit Afrika en Oceanië, Ex-Libriscentrum, Sint-Niklaas, 5–20 May 1979, Rotary Club Sint-Niklaas
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.
Pauline's Jewellery Box
Art Deco emerald & diamond necklace, circa 1920-1930 Platinum, emerald and diamond Provenance: France A beautiful Art Deco Colombian emerald & diamond pendant necklace, set with a pear shaped Colombian emerald weighing approximately 13.44 carats surrounded by old mine cut diamonds. Estimated total diamond weight is approximately 3.00 carats. Estimated colour H-I on average. Estimated clarity VS on average. The diamonds are bright & lively. Mounted in platinum.
Chambre professionnelle belge de la Librairie Ancienne et Moderne (CLAM)
miquel barceló – josé bergamín la solitude sonore du toreo paris : éditions du solstice, 2015
Folio (40 x 38 cm), Coptic binding, original publisher's printed wrappers, publisher’s chemise and slipcase. An artist’s book presenting multiple challenges, resulting in an exceptional work. Text by José Bergamín, translated from Spanish by Florence Delay, who also wrote the preface. 8 full-page engravings by Miquel Barceló. Edition limited to 140 copies. One of 20 artist’s copies on papier vélin BFK Rives des papeteries Antalis, signed by the artist. With an additional signed suite of the 8 engravings on papier Hahnemühle. "A print is a major undertaking, involving fifteen different stages. There are fewer hours of work in a large painting than in a small print; it demands willpower, precision, and hours upon hours of concentration" Miquel Barceló. Painter, sculptor, and ceramist, Miquel Barceló has shown from the beginning a keen curiosity for printmaking techniques. He has experimented with them at various stages of his career, both alone and in collaboration with renowned printers, and continues to practice in a dedicated space in his studio. Ingert - Antiquarian Bookseller
Galerie La Patinoire Royale Bach
alfredo jaar
Alfredo Jaar (Chili, Santiago 1956) Life Magazine, 19 April 1968 1995 Three lightboxes, analog C-print on Duratrans 183 x 360 cm (entire dimension) 183 x 120 cm (one lightbox) Unique piece Life Magazine, 19 April 1968 (1995) by Alfredo Jaar is one of the Chilean artist’s iconic lightbox works in which he pointillistically engages an image from the public archive, intervening with his signature cutting precision to highlight social inequities and the politics of image making. The source image for this work is a documentary photograph of Martin Luther King’s funeral printed in 1968 in Life Magazine, the magazine of reference for a generation of Americans. In the image, a horse drawn casket is surrounded by supporters, and behind, a crowd fills the boulevard, stretching into the vanishing point beyond. It is a powerful representation of the late civil rights leader’s influence. The source photograph is presented large scale on the left third of the lightbox. In the center, the image is whited over, and in the place of faces in the crowd are black dots, massing and overflowing the street. In the rightmost part of the triptych, the source image is similarly whited out, but this time only a smattering of red dots appear — a handful scattered across the crowd. The artist placed black dots on the faces of African Americans. The red dots highlight White attendees. Created while Jaar was researching the Life archives for another iconic lightbox work, Searching for Africa in Life (1996), in which the artist reprints every cover of the magazine, highlighting through the punctum of the title the glaring absence of adequate representation of the continent, Life Magazine, 19 April 1968 (1995) similarly makes manifest a glaring absence. Through the precision of the artist’s intervention, and rendered in the artist’s signature clean lines, a singular gesture evokes the imbroglia of lingering racism and inequality in contemporary society.
Galerie Perrin
walter sauer
Walter Sauer (Brussels 1889-1927 Algiers) Pensive woman, circa 1925 Mixed media 78.5 x 61.3 cm Signed upper left 'WS Walter Sauer' Provenance: private collection A unique, elegant style characterises the art of Walter Sauer, an artist who, in his short lifetime, lit up the Belgian art scene in the first twenty years of the twentieth century. Sauer's hand has a sensitivity to form that is characteristic of decorators; reality, in his eyes, is stripped of that which is superfluous, showing the noble essence of form. This essentiality, combined with an absolutely personal technique, makes Sauer's works instantly recognisable. The figure of the woman is the leitmotif of the artist, who combines his vision of the model with a series of cultural references ranging from Japanese art to Western tradition.
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