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De Wit Fine Tapestries
victor vasarely
Victor Vasarely (Hungary 1906-1997 Paris) WA-4, circa 1970 Wool 156 x 156 cm Signed lower right corner Aubusson, atelier Pinton (Monogram lower left corner) Edition 1/6 The WA-4 tapestry consists of a large square divided into four squares, on top of which a fifth square is placed, itself divided into four squares. The inside of each of these squares is filled with rhombuses whose colour change from dark blue to purple and then to light beige. These rhombi are arranged on backgrounds of varying colours, ranging from charcoal grey to purple and pink, then from aqua green to pale pink and dark green. The different colour areas are clearly distinct from one another when viewed up close on the tapestry's very fine fabric. But when you step back and view the tapestry from a distance, the planes and shapes seem to interact with each other, and the colours appear to move. The optical effects are particularly striking here. Our gaze is captured by the illusion of movement created by the brain. Vasarely experimented with this fascinating relationship between vision and perception in his paintings, which he then transposed into various media, including glass, ceramics, metal, goldsmithing and tapestry. Vasarely relied on science, because he believed it was the only common language available to humanity. He developed a pictorial system based on the logic of algorithms and binary codes, a square background, coloured and filled with simple geometric shapes. A champion of geometric abstraction, he is best known as the inventor of op-kinetic art (the adjective kinetic derives from the Greek word κίνησις (kinesis), meaning “movement”). Op art or optical art was revealed to the general public by the sensational exhibition ‘Le Mouvement’ (1955), which Vasarely initiated at the Denise René gallery in Paris. In this exhibition he brought together younger artists such as Bury, Jacobsen, Soto and Tinguely alongside the leading figures of Marcel Duchamp and Alexander Calder. Alongside his work as a painter, Vasarely devoted a significant portion of his activity to transposing his art into other media. He promoted the reproduction of his works as tapestries, as he saw this as an opportunity for recreation, in contrast to the concept of a unique work. He envisioned a concept of art for all, based on a new aesthetic, leading to ‘the polychrome city of happiness’. He thought of his tapestries as prototypes, hand-woven in limited numbers and displayed in the comfortable homes of art lovers. He painted around a hundred tapestry cartoons, woven in various workshops. Furthermore, he played a pioneering role by inviting other artists to try their hand at this art form, including Léger, Jean Arp, Agam, Atlan, Dewasne and Josef Albers. This textile experimentation was the result of Vasarely's encounter with François Tabard, an Aubusson tapestry entrepreneur, and Denise René, an avant-garde gallery owner. According to the artist, kinetic art, often described as cold, is compatible with tapestry insofar as it results from a "technique that allows for flat areas to retain warmth. There is none of the monotony of flat areas applied with a brush to a surface." With Tabard, Vasarely developed a systematic method of creating cartoons, allowing infinite chromatic combinations to be obtained. Denise René was the publisher of these tapestries (1952-1970). From 1966 onwards, the national tapestry manufacturers of the Gobelins and Beauvais wove Vasarely's designs. Shortly afterwards, another industrialist from Aubusson, Olivier Pinton, began weaving Vasarely's designs. More than thirty cartoons were finely woven, including WA-4, created around 1970.
Alexis Lartigue
victor vasarely
Victor Vasarely (Pecs 1908-1997 Paris) Dell-Yell, 1972 Acrylic on panel 48 x 48 cm (in square) 68 x 68 cm (in diamond shape) Signed lower center, signed, dated and titled at the back Authenticity confirmed by the Vasarely Foundation Provenance: succession from the Paris region (in their collection since the early 70s)
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.
Galerie Nicolas Bourriaud
jacq orlande sinapi
Jacq Orlande Sinapi (Marseille, 1911-1989) Bison, circa 1940 Bronze with nuanced brown patina Cast by Leblanc-Barbedienne and bearing the foundry's stamp H 50 x W 57 x D 21 cm Signed ‘Jacq Orlande Sinapi’ Only two pieces known to date Provenance: private collection, France
Gilden's Art Gallery
pablo picasso
Pablo Picasso (Malaga 1881-1973 Mougins) Le bain de pieds, 1960 Brush and India ink drawing on wove paper 20.9 x 26.9 cm This ink drawing is dated 26.1.60.II in ink in the upper image. Picasso created this work on Tuesday 26 January 1960 Provenance: Forum Fine Art, Zurich; private collection, Switzerland; Christie's, London, 10 February 2005, lot 685 Literature: C. Zervos (1968), Pablo Picasso - Œuvres de 1959 à 1961, Paris, vol. 19, reference n° 137 (ill., pl. 32)
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.
Brame & Lorenceau
marie laurencin
Marie Laurencin (Paris, 1883-1956) Jeune fille au bouquet de fleurs, circa 1935-1940 Oil on canvas 61 x 50 cm Signed upper left Provenance: private collection Literature: Daniel Marchesseau, 'Marie Laurencin, Catalogue raisonné de l’Œuvre Peint', 1986, Éditions du Musée Marie Laurencin, Japan, 1986, n° 1150, repr. B&W
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.
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)
COLNAGHI
Attributed to the Menzies group Red-figure epichysis in terracotta with Hermaphroditos and a woman Greek, Apulian, circa 330-310 B.C. H 21 cm Provenance: Eugène Piot collection (1812-1890); his sale, 3 May 1870, lot n° 21; private collection, France; purchased from the above, 2022 Literature: F. Lenormand, Collection d’Antiquités Grecques recueillies dans la Grande-Grèce, l’Attique et l’Asie Mineure par M. Eug. P., Paris 1870, p. 16, n° 21 This epichysis is noteworthy for its provenance, as it was once part of the prestigious collection of Eugène Piot (1812–1890) - the French art critic, journalist, publisher, collector, and photographer - and it still bears his collection label. The present example also stands out for its above-average size and exceptional quality. It is in excellent condition and is typical of 4th-century BC Apulian Greek pottery. This vessel, characterized by its elegant neck surmounting a coiled body, was probably used to contain precious liquids intended for sparing use. Its delicate mouth seems ill-suited for serving wine, as has sometimes been suggested in the past, with some even describing such vases as “low-shaped oinochoai with flat bottoms.” Rather, they were most likely used for oil or perfume. The dropper-like mouth is flanked by two small, stylized masks in relief. The wide, disc-like shoulder of the vase has been decorated with particular attention to detail and form. The border is adorned with a frieze of eggs. A hermaphroditic Eros kneels and presents a mirror to a seated young woman, who also holds a mirror and a crown. On the reverse, an elegant arrangement of palmettes unfolds from the base of the handle and frames the central scene. The concave sides of the body are decorated with a vegetal frieze, overpainted in white and incised. Comparable examples are held at the Getty Museum in Malibu and the Musée Saint-Raymond in Toulouse; both have been attributed to the Menzies Group, active during the third quarter of the 4th century BC.
Galerie Bernard De Leye
Stag hanap Germany, Melchior Mair, circa 1582-1583 Augsbourg Hall mark Bears the crest of Hans Moser, lord of Pötzleinsdorf from 1571 to 1583 Provenance: Hans Moser, Pötzleinsdorf (near Vienna), 1582-1583; collection Otto Wessner Saint-Gallen, until 1921; sale 'Galerie Fischer', Lucerne, 1922; private collection Switzerland until 2024 Comparative works: Stag hanap, identical to this model, with hallmark from Vienna, after 1582, goldsmith marked with a hunting horn, Waddesdon Bequest, British Museum inv. WB138; Stag hanap, gilded silver, Augsbourg hallmark, 1576-1586, Melchior Bair, Museum of Applied Arts, Budapest
Galerie Flak
Hemba ancestor figure Singiti (commemorative portrait of a chief) Democratic Republic of Congo-Upper Congo River 19th century or early 20th century Carved wood H 86.5 cm Provenance: Mia van Bussel collection, Amsterdam; Kevin Conru collection, Brussels; Adrian Schlag collection, Brussels; Guilhem Montagut collection, Barcelona Literature: Lexikon der Afrikanischen Kunst, Karl-Ferdinand Schaedler, Munich, 1994, p. 242
Samuel Vanhoegaerden Gallery
Hans Hartung (Leipzig 1904-1989 Antibes) P1971-20, 1971 Crayon and acrylic on baryta board 50 x 73 cm Signed and dated lower right This work is registered in The Hans Hartung and Anna-Eva Bergman Foundation archive with number P1971-20 and will be included in the forthcoming catalogue raisonné of Hans Hartung Provenance: Galerie Ludorff, Germany; Sotheby's London, July 2020; private Collection, Brussels; acquired from the above by the present owner
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Art et Patrimoine - Laurence Lenne
Potpourri vase in polychrome porcelain Tournai porcelain, second period, 1763-1775 H 36.5 cm Rare potpourri vase in soft-paste, polychrome Tournai porcelain. At its base, it depicts a gallant offering grapes to his lady Provenance: former du Bois de Roest collection Literature: a similar piece is published in Lucien Delplace, Considérations sur les porcelaines de Tournai, p. 25, plate 3; and in Soil de Moriamé & Delplace, La Manufacture Impériale et Royale de Porcelaine de Tournay, 1937, p. 341, n° 645, plate 79
Heutink Ikonen
Christ, the fiery eye Russia, Moscow Early 16th century 32 x 25.5 cm The name 'Christ, the fiery eye' is based on a text from Mark: 'He looked at them angrily, but also deeply saddened by their stubbornness.' Whether you, as a viewer, think that this Christ really looks grim is not only dependent on what the painter wanted to emphasise in the icon. It also has to do with the viewer's relationship to the person of Christ. There are several explanations for the origin of this iconography, for example that a mosaic from the Chora Church in Constantinople (Istanbul) served as its source.
Giammarco Cappuzzo Fine Art
Giovanni Giacomo Sementi (Bologna 1584-1636 Rome) The Triumph of David, circa 1630 Oil on canvas 137 x 159 cm Provenance: private collection, Italy Literature: M. Francucci, Giovanni Giacomo Sementi, Un dipinto di soggetto insolito, in Arte Cristiana, n° 869, 2012, pp. 143-148; M. Pulini, Rimini per Simone Cantarini, opere da raccolte private, Rimini 2012, pp. 20-21, fig. 20; A. Pellicciari, I'Eredita’ di Guido Reni, in la pittura in Emilia e in Romagna. The Seventeenth Century, edited by Andrea Emiliani, Milano, 1992; G. Puglia, Il Bastaro, fig. 36, pag. 79; M. Francucci, il naturalismo classicizzato nella Roma di Urbano VIII, LibroCo Italy, Florence, 2013; Ariccia, Gian Giacomo Sementi, Quaderni del Barocco, 2021, p. 8 fig. 14