This section will be available this Autumn.
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.
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)
Stern Pissarro Gallery
maurice estève
Maurice Estève (Culan, 1904-2001) Untitled, circa 1953-1955 Gouache, watercolour and charcoal on paper 52.6 x 69.3 cm Signed lower left 'Estève' This work is registered in the archives of Mrs Monique Prudhomme-Estève under n° A.78 Provenance: private collection, UK This vibrant work by Maurice Estève dates from a pivotal moment in his career, when he was refining the style that would come to define his mature practice. A master of watercolor, this medium allowed him to develop a visual language characterized by subtle transparencies and rich chromatic nuances. The work features the bold colors and interlocking geometric forms that have made his oeuvre renowned, and its appealing format and quality make it a particularly attractive choice.
Vagabond Antiques
Pair of Roman console tables Roman Neoclassical period, circa 1770 Veneer, Sienna marble, Breccia Africana marble H 90 x W 112 x D 56 cm Provenance: previously in the collection of Cardinal Vincenzo Vannutelli (1836-1930), Dean of the College of Cardinals; thence by descent; collection of the fashion designer Stefano Gabbana Each with a rectangular top butterfly veneer in richly figured Siena marble, edged in a contrasting band of Breccia Africana marble. The frieze is crisply carved with classical laurel swags, centres by rosettes and anthemion motifs and set against a punched ground to catch the light. The square corner blocks are decorated with stylised sunflowers. The tapering fluted legs are carved in three sections, with boldly gadrooned collars and stiff-leaf details above toupie feet. The carving is of sharp quality throughout, with well-preserved original gilding enhancing the architectural lines of the design.
Laurent Schaubroeck
Jorge Zalszupin (Warsaw 1922-2020 São Paulo) Minimalist daybed, Brazil, 1963 Jacaranda, Brazilian rosewood, upholstery H 35 x W 191 x D 80 cm Provenance: Ina Zalszupin (sister of the artist) One of only two ever produced, this exceptionally rare daybed was crafted in 1963 as a personal gift for the designer’s sister, Ina Zalszupin. Its minimalist wooden frame displays a warm patina and supports a refined off-white mattress - an extraordinary example of mid-century Brazilian modernism.
Galerie von Vertes
pierre soulages
Pierre Soulages (Rodez, 1919-2022) Peinture 92 x 130 cm, 4 mai 2004 Acrylic on canvas 92 x 130 cm Verso signed and titled ‘SOULAGES 92 x 130 cm 4 Mai 2004’ On the stretcher, signed and inscribed 'soulages' Provenance: collection Essl, Klosterneuburg, Austria (acquired directly from the artist); Christie's, Paris, 23 October 2023, lot 358; private collection, Switzerland Literature: Pierre Encrevé, Soulages: l'œuvre complet, Peintures, vol. IV: 1997-2013, Paris, 2015, n° 1272, p. 148 (ill.)
Galerie Dina Vierny
aristide maillol
Aristide Maillol (Banyuls-sur-Mer, 1861-1944) Léda, 1901-02 Bronze H 28.3 cm Artist's monogram (on the back of the base) Ambroise Vollard edition from 1902 Foundry Florentin Godard, executed between 1907 and 1937 Provenance: private collection, New York; private collection, London: Galerie Dina Vierny, Paris (acquired from the above in 2025) Litrature: W. George, Les albums d'art Druet, vol. II, Maillol, Paris, 1927, another cast illustrated; J. Rewald, Maillol, Paris, 1939, p. 166 and another cast ill. pp. 110-111 (dated 'circa 1902'); W. George, Aristide Maillol, Berlin, 1965, pp. 137 & 232, another cast ill. p. 137; W. George, Maillol et l'âme de la sculpture, Neuchâtel, 1977, p. 128, another cast and terracotta version ill. pl. 139; B. Lorquin, Aristide Maillol, London, 1995, p. 52, another cast ill. p. 53
Galeria Jordi Pascual
Serge Poliakoff (Moscow 1900-1969 Paris) Abstract Composition, 1967 Oil on canvas 92 x 73 cm Signed lower left This work includes a photo-certificate of authenticity issued by the archives Serge Poliakoff in 2024 Provenance: Studio Bellini, Milan Literature: Poliakoff, Alexis, 'Serge Poliakoff – Catalogue Raisonné', Volume V, 1966-1969, Munich 2016, p. 236, n° 67-101
Galeria Jordi Pascual
Joan Miró (Barcelona 1893-1983 Palma de Mallorca) Personnage, oiseau III, 1973 Acrylic and wax on paper 90x60 cm Certificate of authenticity from ADOM Provenance: Miró foundation, Barcelona; private collection, Barcelona Literature: J. Dupin y A. Lelong-Mainaud. Joan Miró. Catalogue raisonné. Drawings. vol IV: 1973 - 1976, ed. Daniel Lelong and Successió Miró publishers, 2013. p. 91, fig. 2579
Stone Gallery
Quartz crystal cluster Weight: 350 kg 87 x 135 x 75 cm Origin: quarries of Mount Ida, Arkansas, USA, discovered in 1993 Provenance: Paul Membrini collection until 2023 Rock crystal is the crystallised, colourless variety of quartz, also known as clear quartz. All the crystals with their countless facets are 100% natural. With its transparent and colourless appearance, it is revered for its purity and clarity. This giant group of quartz crystals weighs approximately 350kg and is 87 x 135 x 75 cm. It displays remarkably perfect and water-clear crystals on all sides. Discovered in one of the famous crystal quarries of Mount Ida, Arkansas, USA, in 1993. The piece was once part of the Membrini Collection from Switzerland, a phenomenal museum-quality crystal collection, meticulously assembled over the years by Membrini Kristall, a firm based in Chur, Switzerland. Founder Paul Membrini was a renowned “strahler,” a professional crystal hunter who explored the Alps. Stone Gallery acquired the Membrini Collection in early 2023. Martin Garrix Stone Gallery proudly announces that the larger sibling of this piece, a great cluster weighing an impressive 4500 lbs, is now on display at the Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden, in part thanks to Dutch DJ Martin Garrix.
Virginie Devillez Fine Art
pierre-louis flouquet
Pierre-Louis Flouquet (Paris 1900-1967 Brussels) Féminités, circa 1923-1925 Oil on canvas 125 x 87 cm Signed lower right 'flouquet' Provenance: Galerie Patrick Derom, Brussels; private collection, Brussels; private collection, Brussels (by descent to the present owner) Literature: Serge Goyens de Heusch, Pierre-Louis Flouquet. 1900-1967, Brussels, Fondation pour l’Art belge, 1993, (ill. p. 56) Exhibitions: Brussels, Galerie Patrick Derom, The Avant-garde of the 1920s in Belgium, 1992, cat. n° 12 (ill.); Drogenbos, FeliXart Museum, L’Équerre / 7 Arts 1923, scenographic reconstruction of the fair stand of the publishing house L’Équerre, 2008-2011, no catalogue published Born in Paris, Pierre-Louis Flouquet was nine years old when his family moved to Brussels. Mainly self-taught, he received a brief artistic education at the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, where he met, among others, Victor Servranckx and René Magritte. The latter soon shared a studio with Flouquet, who began producing geometric works that represented a true synthesis of Cubism and Futurism. Throughout the 1920s, Flouquet exhibited frequently on the international stage - in Paris, Madrid, New York, Chicago, Buenos Aires, and Berlin, at the Galerie Der Sturm. For the gallery’s eponymous magazine, Flouquet even designed a large number of covers. During this period, he developed an art that evolved primarily through distinct series: Paysage plastique, Féminités, Composition, Formes, and Construction. The large-scale painting Féminités belongs to the series of the same name, begun in 1922, which explores geometric variations on the morphology of the female body. The rigor and purity that Flouquet infused into these anthropomorphic stylizations - further emphasized by his distinctive sense of composition - reveal his fascination with the formal perfection of the new technological creations of the modern age. Yet, in Flouquet’s work, as in that of Fernand Léger, such faith in mechanical forms does not lead to a total rejection of figuration, but rather to a search for plastic correspondences between the human and the machine. The composition Féminités is particularly harmonious, achieving a balance between line and color, enhanced by a marble-like background that lends warmth to the work.
Dei Bardi Art
Marcus Aurelius (121-180 AD) Inspired by the Ancient Roman Type III bust of the Emperor Northern Italy, late 16th century Marble H 22.5 x W 16 x D 11 cm H 35 cm (with red marble base) Provenance: private collection, South of France Carved in Northern Italy in the late 16th century, this refined marble head portrays Marcus Aurelius, revered as the emblematic 'philosopher emperor'. Deliberately modeled on the ancient Roman Type III portrait created at the outset of his reign (161–180 AD), it reflects the Renaissance passion for reviving imperial imagery. Its intimate scale points to a cultivated humanist milieu - likely a private studiolo or collector’s cabinet. Responding to antiquarian collecting and humanist scholarship, the sculptor reinterprets the imperial model as an exemplum virtutis for early modern audiences. Throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, scholars and collectors, deeply engaged with ancient texts and material remains, regarded imperial portraiture as a privileged vehicle of moral exemplarity and aesthetic perfection.
Chambre professionnelle belge de la Librairie Ancienne et Moderne (CLAM)
Unique binding of incredible modernity, produced circa 1925 by the great architect and designer Josef Hoffmann (Pirnitz 1870-1956 Vienna), one of the founding members of the Wiener Werkstätte and the creator of the fabulous Palais Stoclet in Brussels. Large quarto, full fawn morocco on wooden boards with undulating decor, dark fuchsia silk doublure and endpapers, interior gilt signature Wiener Werkstätte with, above, Hoffmann's small gilt monogrammed mark. On: Henny Bauer & Wilhelm Kienzl, Sanctissimum (1924), first edition of the score for voice and piano. Signed by Josef Hoffmann Literature: Isabella Croÿ-Frick, Bookbinding and Leather in Christian Witt-Dörring & Janis Staggs, Wiener Werkstätte 1903-1932, The Luxury of Beauty, (2017), pp. 192-211; MAK Wien: Archiv der Wiener Werkstätte, Entwurfszeichnungen, Bucheinband, inventarnummer WWE 24-9; Yves Peyré, Histoire de la reliure de création, (2005), p. 138, p. 140; Ruperta Pichler, Wiener Werkstätte. Lederobjekte aus den Sammlungen des Österreichischen Museums für angewandte Kunst, (1992), pp. 77-92; Werner J. Schweiger, Wiener Werkstätte, art et artisanat, 1903-1932, (1982), p. 183 Pierre Coumans, Antiquarian bookseller
Florian Kolhammer
louis c. tiffany
Louis C. Tiffany (New York 1848-1933 New York) Jack-in-the-pulpit vase Tiffany, 1906 Yellow glass H 44 x 23.5 x 12.5 cm Marked 'L.C.T.' and '2210A' underneath Provenance: Christie's sale The 'Jack-in-the-pulpit' vases represent a special design category within the production of the Louis Comfort Tiffany company. These glasses were modeled after the Arisaema Triphyllum plant and are among the most iconic designs of this famous manufacturer. Our example shines in pure gold. It was made in 1906 and received as a wedding gift at the time.
Barbara Bassi
afro, berrocal, bury, cesar
Afro: Bracelet in yellow gold 18 kt, red coral, diamonds and rubies, unique piece 1960's Miguel Berrocal: Microdavid - 1969/71 - Pendant/sculpture in bronze - Signed and numbered 17388 - cm. 6,5 x 2 Pol Bury: Ring hexagonal in silver - 2005 - Signed and numbered 3/8 - Silver 925 - gr. 20 ca - cm. 3 x 3,5 César: Brooch/pendant in yellow and white gold 18 kt - 1980's - Signed and numbered 1/4 PA - gr. 19 - cm. 5,3 x 4,5
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
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
Objects With Narratives
ben storms
Ben Storms (Ghent, 1983) Ex Hale coffee table, 2024 Miel onyx H 32 x W 180 x D 90 cm Provenance: the artist's studio Ex Hale is a marble table that mimics the shape of a monumental cushion, resulting from a transformation of materials. Two metal sheets are blown up with the same technique that Ben Storms first used for his In Vein and In Hale tables. The resulting cushion shape is then scanned in 3D, after which a CNC machine mills the same shape from a block of marble. Ex Hale plays with our common notions of materiality: the hard stone looks soft instead, an impression that is further enhanced by the delicate surface treatment.
Herwig Simons Fine Arts
Game box with chess and backgammon Eger, 17th century 48 x 48 x 11.5 cm Provenance: Lothar Schmid (1928-2013), German chess Grandmaster Literature: publications World of Art: Art chamber games by the Kunsthistoriches Museum in Vienna Double-sided game box : one side shows a bas-relief depicting the meeting of Aeneas and Dido, accompanied by a Putto. The other side features a chessboard in finely executed marquetry. The interior reveals an elegant backgammon board decorated with double-tailed dolphins. Eger, a Bohemian Free City (now Cheb, Czech Republic), was well known in the 17th century for a specialised type of woodworking, particularly for intarsia panels. This set belonged to Lothar Schmid, the German chess Grandmaster and collector of chess books, boards and pieces. He is best known as the chief arbiter of the World Championship of chess in 1972 between Bobby Fisher and Boris Spassky in Reykjavik.
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
Galerie de la Béraudière
germaine richier
Germaine Richier (France, 1902-1959) Le Couple, 1956 Natural bronze Fonderie Susse, Paris Lost wax cast (except for the base and arms, sand casted) H 139 x W 74.5 x D 74.5 cm Signed and numbered on the terrasse: G. Richier, 3/6 Edition 3/6 out of 11 (1/6 - 6/6 + HC1-HC2-HC3 + EA + 0/6) Posthumous cast: 1963 Provenance: Galerie Creuzevault, Paris; private collection, France; Galerie Cazeau-Béraudière, Paris; private collection, France; private collection, Belgium Literature: Jean-Louis Prat et Françoise Guiter, Germaine Richier, Rétrospective, Saint-Paul-de-Vence, Fondation Maeght, 1996, p. 172, ill. (another cast); Maîtres des XIXe et XXe siècles, Galerie H. Odermatt-Ph. Cazeau, Paris, 1989, repr. n° 46; Eddie Wolfram et William Packer, London, art and artist, Londres, juillet 1973, n° 8, pp. 46-49; Germaine Richier, Galerie Creuzevault, Paris, 1966 Exhibitions: 2022, Brussels, Galerie de la Béraudière, Germaine Richier et la couleur (this cast); 1996, Saint-Paul-de-Vence, Maeght Fondation, Germaine Richier, Retrospective (another cast); 1957, Paris, Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, XIIIe Salon de Mai, n° 27, ill. (another cast); 1956, Paris, Musée National d'Art Moderne, Germaine Richier, n° 13, referred as 'Figures' (another cast); Jean Cassou, Richier, Editions du Temps, Paris, 1961; René de Solier, Germaine Richier, in Les Cahiers d'art, Paris, June 1953, n° 28, pp. 123-129 With Le Couple, Germaine Richier reached a point of fulfilment in her exploration of the human figure and its metamorphoses. The two figures, united by a skilful interplay of triangles and balances, seem caught in a silent movement where tension becomes harmony. The rigour of the construction is combined with an organic, almost primitive energy that animates the bronze with a vibrant presence. Le Couple embodies this rare alliance between construction and emotion, where the bronze material seems to be animated by a vital breath.
Mearini Fine Art
Romano Alberti (Sansepolcro, 1502-1568) known as Nero Alberti da Sansepolcro o Maestro di Magione Sora Giulia Italy, 16th century Polychrome sculpture of stucco and paper mache constructed around a wooden core H 70 cm Provenance: private collection Literature: Sculture da vestire, Nero Alberti da Sansepolcro e la produzione di manichini lignei in una bottega del cinquecento. Cat. pp 69-70 and pp. 175-176 Exhibition: Museo di Santa Croce, Umbertide (Pg), 2005