Burmese ruby and diamond ring, early 20th century and later. Estimate 48,000 — 53,000 CHF (45,283 - 50,000 EUR). Photo Sotheby's
Collet-set with a fancy-cut ruby, surrounded with single-cut diamonds, size 57.
Accompanied by SSEF report no. 77069, stating that the ruby is of Burmese origin, with no indications of heating.
Sotheby's. Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels, Genève, 12 mai 2015, 10:30 AM
Ruby and diamond brooch, circa 1900. Estimate 39,000 — 59,000 CHF (36,793 - 55,660 EUR). Photo Sotheby's
Designed as a bat, the wings pavé-set with circular-cut rubies and diamonds, the eyes composed of marquise-shaped diamonds, French assay and maker's mark, likely by Aucoq, fitted case signed A. Aucoq.
Bibliography: Cf: Henri Vever, La Bijouterie Français au XIXe Siècle (1800-1900), Vol. 3, Paris, 1908, pg. 576 for a brooch of similar design by Camille Gueyton.
Sotheby's. Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels, Genève, 12 mai 2015, 10:30 AM
Ruby, diamond and enamel brooch, Philippe Wolfers, circa 1900. Estimate 32,000 — 53,000 CHF (30,189 - 50,000 EUR). Photo Sotheby's
Designed as a winged insect, the wings applied with plique-à-jour enamel, the head, body and wings accented with an oval, two cabochon and calibré-cut rubies, and variously shaped diamonds of near colourless and yellow tints, maker's mark for Wolfers, inscribed EX. UNIQUE, brooch fitting detachable.
Please note that the diamonds of yellowish tints have not been tested for natural colour.
Bibliography: Cf: Marguerite de Cerval (Ed.), Dictionnaire International du Bijou, Paris, 1998, pg. 555 for further information on the maison Wolfers.
Cf: Shirley Bury, Jewellery 1789-1910, The International Era: Volume II, 1862-1910, Woodbridge, 1991, pg. 765 for an orchid hair ornament by Philippe Wolfers, dated 1900, of similar design.
Note: Founded in 1812, in Belgium, the Wolfers atelier produced jewels for several European royal courts. Phillipe Wolfers, born in 1858, attended drawing and sculpture classes at the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, while learning the family trade of jewellery-goldsmithing. His interest in Japanese design and the burgeoning Art Nouveau movement was cemented by his visits to the Exposition in Vienna in 1873 and in Paris in 1889. From 1893 to 1905 he produced a catalogue of one hundred and fifty-two Art Nouveau works including vases, fans, lamps, sculptures and jewels. Often compared to his contemporary, René Lalique, his motifs were inspired by flora and fauna.
Sotheby's. Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels, Genève, 12 mai 2015, 10:30 AM
Ruby and diamond pendant, late 19th century. Estimate 10,000 — 15,000 CHF (9,434 - 14,151 EUR). Photo Sotheby's.
Set with an oval ruby within a graduated frame of cushion-shaped diamonds, suspended from a similarly set surmount.
Sotheby's. Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels, Genève, 12 mai 2015, 10:30 AM
Ruby and diamond brooch, late 19th century. Estimate 20,000 — 30,000 CHF (18,868 - 28,302 EUR). Photo Sotheby's.
Designed as a butterfly with wings en tremblant, set throughout with circular-cut and cushion-shaped diamonds and oval and cushion-shaped rubies, the eyes collet-set with cabochon rubies, detachable brooch fitting.
Sotheby's. Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels, Genève, 12 mai 2015, 10:30 AM
Property from the estate of Mary, Duchess of Roxburghe. Natural pearl, Burmese ruby and diamond choker, early 20th century and later. Estimate 30,000 — 50,000 CHF (28,302 - 47,170 EUR). Photo Sotheby's.
Composed of four rows of natural pearls measuring from approximately 4.40 to 5.30mm, decorated with a floral motif set with a fancy-cut and circular-cut rubies, and single-cut diamonds, further accented with two geometric plaques set with circular-cut and baguette diamonds, length approximately 375mm.
Accompanied by SSEF report no. 79502, stating that the two hundred and forty-four pearls were found to be natural, saltwater, and that the ruby on the clasp is of Burmese origin, with no indications of heating.
Sotheby's. Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels, Genève, 12 mai 2015, 10:30 AM
Property of a European noble family. Ruby and diamond necklace. Estimate 78,000 — 115,000 CHF (73,585 - 108,491 EUR). Photo Sotheby's.
The bow motif set with two cabochon rubies, decorated with circular-cut and baguette diamonds, on a similarly set detachable necklace, length approximately 410mm, necklace may be worn as two bracelets, lengths approximately 190mm each, French assay and maker's marks.
Accompanied by SSEF report no. 78206, stating that the rubies on the bow motif are of Burmese origin, with no indications of heating, with a moderate amount of oil in fissures.
Sotheby's. Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels, Genève, 12 mai 2015, 10:30 AM
A sang-de-boeuf pear-shaped vase, Qianlong. Estimate £1,500 - 2,000 (€2,100 - 2,800). Photo Bonhams
The thickly potted vase with a bulbous body rising to a tall cylindrical neck, all covered with a mottled deep crimson glaze with a delicate crackle, thinning at the mouth to a rich creamy colour, wood stand. 36.5cm (14 3/8in) high (2).
Provenance: Roy Davids Collection, no.89
Bonhams. ASIAN ART, 11 May 2015 10:30 BST - LONDON, KNIGHTSBRIDGE
Burmese ruby and diamond bracelet, circa 1935. Estimate 78,000 — 115,000 CHF (73,585 - 108,491 EUR). Photo Sotheby's.
Set with a cushion-shaped diamond between graduated lines of circular-cut, oval and cushion-shaped rubies, within stylised scroll motifs of pavé-set circular-cut and baguette diamonds, length approximately 170mm, French assay and maker's marks.
Accompanied by SSEF report no. 79749, stating that the twenty rubies are of Burmese origin, with no indications of heating.
Sotheby's. Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels, Genève, 12 mai 2015, 10:30 AM
A coral-imitation porcelain snuff bottle, Jiaqing seal mark and period. Estimate 2,000 — 3,000 GBP (2,713 - 4,070 EUR). Photo Sotheby's.
of elongated ovoid form, densely decorated with a dragon and phoenix writhing amongst ruyi-shaped clouds and flame wisps, all between bands of ruyi heads, keyfret and raised bosses, covered overall in a coral-red glaze, the base with a four-character Jiaqing seal mark in gilt, silver-mounted jadeite stopper; Quantity: 2 - 7.7cm., 3in.
Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, London, 13 May 2015, 11:00 AM
An impressive set of Burmese 'Pigeon Blood Red' ruby and diamond jewellery. Estimate CHF1,500,000 – CHF2,500,000 ($1,577,640 - $2,629,400). Photo Christie's Image Ltd 2015
Comprising a necklace designed as twenty graduated pear-shaped diamond flower clusters, each centering upon an oval-shaped ruby, a pair of ear pendants en suite, mounted in platinum and gold, necklace 46.1 cm, ear pendants 3.5 cm
Accompanied by Premium Report no. 78386 dated 17 March 2015 from the SSEF Swiss Gemmological Institute stating that the 22 rubies are of Burmese origin, with no indications of heating, and that few of these rubies may be called 'Pigeon Blood Red', and a letter stating that the mounting prevented the SSEF to test the other rubies for 'Pigeon Blood Red' but that it cannot be excluded that additional rubies could fall within this standard, also accompanied by an 'Exceptional Ruby Necklace and Ear-Pendants' letter indication that the necklace and ear-pendants 'possess extraordinary characteristics and merit special mention and appreciation'
Report no. 6162859465 dated 7 February 2014 from the GIA Gemological Institute of America stating that the 20 rubies in the necklace are of Burmese origin, with no indications of heating, and a letter mentioning that the rubies 'are a wonderful example of the classic Pigeon Blood color'
Report no. 1167861573 dated 7 February 2014 from the GIA Gemmological Institute of America stating that the 2 rubies in the earrings are of Burmese origin, with no indications of heating, and a letter mentioning that the rubies 'are a wonderful example of the classic Pigeon Blood color' (2)
Christie's. GENEVA MAGNIFICENT JEWELS, 13 May 2015, Geneva
Francis Bacon, Self-Portrait, 1975, oil on canvas, 35.5 by 30.5cm, £10-15 million. Photo: Sotheby's.
LONDON.- An extraordinary private collection of rarely seen masterpieces will come to auction for the very first time this summer, as 21 superlative works are offered across a series of sales at Sotheby’s in London, New York and Paris between May and July 2015.
Assembled in the 1970s and 80s, this discerning collection encompasses outstanding works ranging from African to contemporary art, focused around a single theme – the human figure and form.
Led by a pair of re-discovered Francis Bacon self-portraits (each estimated at £10-15 million), never seen in public before, the collection is the product of diligent collecting and immersion with the key contemporary galleries and specialists of the time.
Tracing the artistic interpretation of the human form over 400 years, the collection draws together terracotta heads from Nigeria and Ghana with works by the greats of 19th and 20th century art: Edgar Degas, Edouard Vuillard, Yves Tanguy, Henry Moore, Lynn Chadwick and R.B. Kitaj.
The vast majority of these historically significant drawings, paintings and sculptures have not been seen in public since they were acquired over thirty years ago.
Oliver Barker, Sotheby’s Senior International Specialist in Contemporary Art: “I’m extremely excited that Sotheby’s is handling this collection, spearheaded by key works by British artists in two and three dimensions. This sophisticated, focused collection has been quietly enjoyed by its owners for many decades. Hidden away from the public eye, it has resolutely stood the test of time. Assembled with an unwavering commitment to works of the highest quality and with a discerning curatorial eye, it represents the very best of collections of the period. When we first saw the collection we were struck by the dialogue between sculpture, painting and works on paper.”
Highlights - Contemporary Art Evening Sale, London, 1 July 2015
Francis Bacon: Two Re-discovered Self-Portraits
Never exhibited in public before, these sublime self-portraits utterly embody the power and emotion of the very best of Bacon’s celebrated small portrait heads. Fixed against two electrifying blue grounds, they exude conceptual brilliance and, above all, painterly genius; the combination of an Impressionistic colour palette, layers of Letraset, grazes of corduroy fabric, and exigent marks award these paintings unequivocal masterpiece status.
Acquired directly from Marlborough Fine Art, London, soon after they were painted in 1975 and 1980 respectively, these magnificent works narrate the latter half of a most extraordinary decade for Francis Bacon. This sale will mark the first time that two self-portraits by the artist have been offered in the same auction. Another Bacon masterwork from the same collection was sold at Sotheby’s in 2007 for £21.6m – still the record for any self-portrait by the artist.
Francis Bacon, Self-Portrait, 1975, oil on canvas, 35.5 by 30.5cm, £10-15 million. Photo: Sotheby's.
This dramatic 14 by 12 inch single canvas hails from the very height of Bacon’s career, when he spent long periods in Paris with increasing success following his celebrated retrospective at the Grand Palais in 1971. Most likely painted from his studio in the Marais, the work shows the artist aged 65 wearing his mackintosh.
Framed by a thickly applied and electric midnight blue ground, Bacon’s three-quarter-turn profile is articulated in an extraordinary palette of green blending into purple and pink - pastel tones that are interwoven and offset by corduroy swipes of orange, and alabaster accents of white, that illuminate the entire painting. This is the only small portrait-head by the artist to be overlaid with fragments of illegible Letraset – a technique typically employed to suggest discarded newspaper sheets in his larger canvases.
Francis Bacon, Three Studies for Self-Portrait, 1980, oil on canvas, each: 35.5 by 30.5cm, £10-15 million. Photo: Sotheby's.
Executed across three canvases, this remarkably tranquil portrait shows the artist with eyes downcast and apparently shut. Aged 71, Bacon was increasingly haunted by the inevitability of death, frequently drawing attention to his age with expressions such as “What’s unpleasant when you get to my age is that you know for certain you won’t live much longer” or “My life’s nearly over and all the people I’ve been fond of are dead”. In 1979 and 1980 the respective loss of his close friends Muriel Belcher and Sonia Orwell provided a substantial blow and fuelled the artist’s intimate grasp of death’s finality.
Emanating youthfulness, the portrait belies the age of its author. Obsessed with his physical appearance and the effects of old-age, Bacon took great care with his appearance, dying his hair and applying liberal amounts of make-up as he grew older. Both ‘Figure and Form’ portraits reflect the artist’s intense desire to reject the ravages of time.
The influences of the physiognomies of two younger men who came to increasingly influence Bacon’s life at this time are clearly apparent in this portrait. While the artist normally chose to portray his subjects from all angles - like a police record from left to right - here he presents a succession of images in almost identical three-quarter turn profiles. The only other portraits he produced in this format in 1980 were of the American wildlife photographer Peter Beard and ‘a ruggedly good-looking Eastender’ John Edwards, two men who ushered in a tonal change that signalled the beginning of a late style for the artist.
Self-Portrait 1975 was painted at the height of Bacon's career.
Bacon's eyes are downcast in this artwork, as he became more haunted by the prospect of death.
The Duc d’Aumont and Louis XVI’s Brûle Parfums: A pair of gilt-bronze-mounted Japanese Kakiemon porcelain and Egyptian porphyry Brûle Parfums – the porcelain, 18th century, the gilt bronze mounts Louis XVI, circa 1770-1775. Estimate: 150,000 – 250,000 GPB (209,789 - 349,649 EUR; 228,555 - 380,925 USD). Sold for: 1,985,000 GBP. Photo: Sotheby's.
LONDON.- Yesterday at Sotheby’s London a pair of exceptional vases once owned by Louis XVI sold for 10 times the estimate at a staggering £1,985,000 (Estimate: £150,000 – 250,000). A worldwide record price for a Louis XVI gilt bronze mounted porcelain work of art.
Telling the tale of both French Royalty and revolution the Brûle Parfums once formed part of the collection of Louis XVI, who bought them in 1782 with the intention of placing them in the Louvre Museum. With his demise at the hands of Napoleon the vases were then taken to the State repository, the Dépôt de Nesle. The Dépôt was one of the cornerstones of the revolutionary drive to reorganize cultural properties and was fundamental to the success of the creation of national and provincial museums. Given their importance, in 1797 these vases were exchanged for a significant natural history collection.
Decorated with delicate phoenix birds and dragons this exquisite 18th century Japanese porcelain is of the finest quality. The gilt-bronze-mounts, later added by the great connoisseur the Duc d’Aumont, were executed by Pierre Gouthière probably to a design by François-Joseph Belanger and date to Louis XVI, circa 1770-1775.
Sold as part of A Mansion – A Private Collection, this auction launched a series of exceptional house sales taking place this year with an outstanding result. Exceeding the high estimate the sale totalled £6,631,065.
The Duc d’Aumont and Louis XVI’s Brûle Parfums: A pair of gilt-bronze-mounted Japanese Kakiemon porcelain and Egyptian porphyry Brûle Parfums – the porcelain, 18th century, the gilt bronze mounts Louis XVI, circa 1770-1775. Estimate: 150,000 – 250,000 GPB (209,789 - 349,649 EUR; 228,555 - 380,925 USD). Sold for: 1,985,000 GBP. Photo: Sotheby's.
each with a Kakiemon bowl and cover with ridges suggesting a pumpkin, one decorated in kakiemon style and palette with roundels of phoenix (ho-ho birds) encircling a flaming Tama, interspersed with floral sprigs of chrysanthemums, prunus and pomegranate, the decoration of the other bowl identical but with fierce dragons substituted for the ho-ho, the footrims of both bowls cut-down for fitting the mounts, the domed cover with a berried foliate finial with pierced beaded borders, each on tripod supports with chain-hung cherub terms on circular porphyry plinths mounted with ribbon-tied floral swags within a berried laurel border and with a mis au bleu ground with a female mask within a sunburst motif, on bun feet; one Kakiemon cover restored - each 33.5cm. high; 1ft. 1¾in.
Provenance: Jean de Jullienne (1686-1766), the director of the Gobelins, for one bowl and cover decorated with the phoenix, listed as no. 982 in the inventory drawn up after Jullienne’s death on 25th March 1766, which was located in the galerie of his apartment at the Gobelins.
Subsequently purchased by Louis–Marie-Augustin, 5th duc d'Aumont, (1709-1782), premier gentilhomme ordinaire de la Chambre du Roi, lieutenant-général des armées du Roi, for the hôtel d’Aumont, Place Louis XV, Paris, at the sale of Jullienne’s estate on 30th March 1767, lot 1362.
Both recorded as no. 628 in the inventory of the duc d’Aumont after his death on 1st May 1782, at 900 livres.
Purchased by Louis XVI in the sale of the duc d’Aumont’s collection by the marchand-merciers P.F. Julliot fils and A.J. Paillet on 12th-21st December 1782, lot 43 (sold to Philippe-François Julliot acting for the King for the Museum at the galleries du Louvre for 2703 livres).
Recorded in the inventory dated 9th January 1795 from the Depot de Nesle.
Purchased by Denoor and then sold for 400F in one of her sales on 14th March 1797, lot 255
Sir Alfred Chester-Beatty (1875-1968)
By descent to La Comtesse d'Aubigny sold Christie's, London, 1st July 1976, lot 82.
Literature: Sylvia Vriz, Le duc d'Aumont et les porcelaines d'Extrême-Orient de la collection de M. Jean de Jullienne,Sèvres, Revue de la Société des amis du Musée National de Céramique, no. 22, 2013, illustrated p. 90, fig.1.
Hans Ottomeyer and Peter Pröschel, Vergoldete Bronzen: Die Bronzearbeiten des Spätbarock und Klassizismus, Munich, 1986, C. Baulez, Pierre Gouthière (1732-1813) illustrated fig. 16.
COMPARATIVE LITERATURE:
Sylvia Vriz, “ Le duc d’Aumont et les porcelaines d‘Extrême-Orient de la collection de M. Jean de Jullienne“ in Sèvres: Revue de la Société des amis du musée national de céramique, n.22, 2013, p.89-98.
Jannic Durand ed., Decorative Furnishings in the Louvre from Louis XIV to Marie-Antoinette, Paris, 2014, p. 174 and pp. 444-445, no. 185.
Hans Ottomeyer and Peter Pröschel, Vergoldete Bronze: Die Bronzearbeiten des Spätbarock und Klassizismus, Munich,1986, p.577-578.
Le Baron Ch. Davillier, Le Cabinet du duc d’Aumont et les amateurs de son temps: Catalogue de sa vente avec les prix, les noms des acquéreurs et 32 planches d’après Gouthière, Paris, A. Aubry, 1870.
Gillian Wilson, Mounted Oriental Porcelain in the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, 1999, p. 107, no. 22 (87.DI. 137).
Philippe-François Julliot and Alexandre-Joseph, Catalogue de feu M. le duc d’Aumont, le 12 Décembre,1782, Paris.
THE PROVENANCE
The earliest appearance of the kakiemon bowls and covers can be traced back to when only one of the bowls and covers decorated with the phoenix and floral cartouches belonged to Jean de Jullienne (1686-1766), the director of the Gobelins, which were listed as no. 982 in the inventory drawn up after Julienne’s death on March 30th 1767, and had been located in thegalerie of his apartment at the Gobelins.
The single bowl and cover was then purchased by Louis–Marie-Augustin, 5th duc d'Aumont, (1709-1782), at the sale of Jean de Jullienne’s estate on 30th March 1767, no. 1362:
`une cassolette, aussi d’ancienne porcelain, d’excellente & rare qualitéà oiseaux, bouquets varies en couleur, & de forme à côtes peu sensibles, qui donne un double meéite à ce morceau, orné d’une garniture sagement compose en bronze, adjugée 610 livres au duc d’Aumont’, (`a cassolette from old porcelain, of excellent and rare quality with birds, bouquets of flowers in various colours with delicate moulding, which renders this piece more impressive, embellished with a subtle bronze fittings’,for 610 livres). Such was the passion of the duc for Oriental porcelain that he purchased 85 objects comprised in 46 lots in the Jullienne sale which had 198 lots of oriental porcelain, so that at least 20% of the Duke’s porcelain collection came from this sale, not including the objects he purchased later which also used to belong to Jullienne.
The single bowl and cover decorated with the phoenix and another decorated with dragons, cartouches and pomegranates were listed together as no. 628 in the inventory drawn up 1st May 1782 after the death of the duc d’Aumont valued at 900livres. It is not known how or when the duc acquired the dragon cassolette, however, what is known is that he bought objects not only from the leading marchands-merciers such as Thomas Joachim Hebert or Lazare Duvaux, but also from the most important sales of the 18th century, including the Duc D’Ancezune’s, the Duc de Tallard’s, M.Gaignat’s and later M. Randon de Boisset’s.
After the duc acquired the bowl and cover at the Jullienne sale, he must have decided to update them and make them more fashionable with gilt-bronze mounts by the most talented and celebrated bronzier of the Louis XVI era Pierre Gouthière (1740-1806), in around 1770-1775. Gouthière is known to have supplied the mounts, as in the duc d’Aumont catalogue of 12th December 1782, lot 43 is listed with a G for Gouthière :
`Deux cassolettes rondes à côtes peu sensibles, ce qui augmente leur mérite : l’une à trois cartouches de dragon entremêlés de bouquets & grenade, l’autre à trois cartouches d’oiseau séparés aussi par des bouquets, tant sur le pourtour que sur le couvercle de chacune; elles sont ornées d’un bandeau à fil de perles entre deux moulures ouvragées servant de gorge, de trépied culot en cannelures torses, chaînons entre trois consoles à tête d’enfant terme, se terminant par une griffe de lion et socle à gorge unie à feuilles d’eau, présentant sur son dessus intérieur un soleil entouré d’un cercle à entrelacs découpés à jour, avec double socle de porphyre garni du haut d’un cercle à fil de perles, de guirlandes, de roses sur les faces et de socle à tore de laurier, le tout de bronze doré d’or mat, G. diamètre de la porcelaine, 5 pouces 3 lignes (14.2105cm); Epaisseur du socle 2 pouces 9 lignes (7.4436cm), Largeur des socles 4 pouces (10.828 cm ).
`Two round cassolettes very slightly lobed which increase their worth: one cassolette with three dragon cartouches entwined with bouquets and pomegranates, the other with three bird cartouches also separated by flower bouquets, both on the surrounds and the covers. They are decorated with a beadwork set between two moulded bands serving as collars, the tripod base with twisted and fluted base, chain links between three console with child head ends and paw feet, the base with a rim of leaves, presenting on its interior a sun surrounded by fashionable tracery work; each with a double base consisting of a porphyry pedestal decorated with a circle beadwork and applied garlands of roses on the sides, and a plinth with a laurel wreath, the whole made of gilt bronze with a matt effect by G’.
The duc’s collection was feted by his contemporaries and as a great collector and connoisseur himself, d'Aumont would assemble one of the largest collections of oriental lacquer and porcelain, marbles and hardstones in the second half of the 18th century, many of these set in superb gilt-bronze mounts by Gouthière. Significantly Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette acquired more than 52 lots from his sale both for their own personal collections and the future Louvre Museum. The sale catalogue of 1782 is divided into sections, starting with porphyry, hardstones and marbles, followed by a small section with coloured porcelain, a Japanese and Chinese porcelain section, ending with Japanese lacquer, furniture and clocks. Among the celadon porcelain, described as porcelains d'ancien celadon du japon or porcelains de truité fin d'ancien japon, many items are marked with 'G' denoting Gouthière's authorship. Mounting oriental porcelain, particularly celadon wares, was clearly one of his main areas of interest and in the 1782 sale, these items fetched extremely high prices with many being acquired by the King (J. Parker, Le Cabinet du Duc d'Aumont, 1986, p. 67). The duc’s sale catalogue included 17 lots of `old Japan porcelain’ which differs from the porcelain of the brûle parfums which indicates the great diversity and quality of his porcelain collection.
The brûle parfums were bought for 2703 livres at the Duc d’Aumont sale by the dealer Philippe-Francois Julliot on behalf of Louis XVI, with the intention of installing them in the Louvre Museum, but by 1792 the Museum had still not been established. Since 1768, the King had the intention to create a public Museum in the galerie of the Louvre and to use his purchases to decorate the new galleries, however, the project was only realised in 1793.
Front cover of the 1782 Duc d’Aumont sale catalogue.
Catalogue entries from the 1782 Duc d’Aumont sale catalogue.
Catalogue entries from the 1782 Duc d’Aumont sale catalogue.
Julliot had the brûle parfums in his possession on the 22 Brumaire an II (the beginning of November 1793). Then they have been listed on January 9th 1795 in the inventory from the Depot de Nesle amongst the objects deposited by Julliot and belonging to the State,`Deux Cassolette de forme ronde à côté, cartouches de dragons, bouquets et oiseaux sur le pourtout, les dessins de la peinture sont différents l’une de l’autre, ells sont richement montées en bronze doré d’or mat, sur fûts de colonees de porphyre rouge aussi ornés de bronze doré au mat’.(“Two round cassolettes with dragons cartouches, bouquets of flowers and birds on the surround, the painting designs differ from one another, they are richly mounted with matt effect gilt bronze...”). After that, they were delivered and purchased by Denoor, interestingly in exchange for the natural history collection of her husband Levaillant and they can later be found in one of her sales on March 14th 1797 under lot 255 where they sold for 400 frcs. More recently, they were owned by Sir Alfred Chester-Beatty and by descent entered the collection of La Comtesse D'Aubigny until sold at Christie's, London,1st July 1976, lot 82.
THE KAKIEMON BOWLS AND COVERS
They are made of the finest quality Japanese kakiemon porcelain, not only evidenced by their acquisition by the duc d’Aumont and Louis XVI, but also confirmed by the comments by Le Baron Ch. Davillier in his publication Le Cabinet du duc d’Aumont et les amateurs de son temps : Catalogue de sa vente avec les prix, les noms des acquéreurs et 32 planches d’après Gouthière, published in 1870,`Ces deux cassolettes, de parfait qualité, font deux bijoux précieux e curiosité, par le genre de leur dessins le goût piquant & le fin du travail de leur garniture’ (`These two cassolettes, of perfect quality, are precious jewels of curiosity, with their style of design, the discerning taste and quality of their embellishments’). Although in the literature they were always stated to be circa 1700, the delicacy of the decoration indicates a mid 18th century date. They are decorated with an association of phoenix birds (fong-honag in Chinese), the emblem of the Chinese Empress and symbol of the South and Summer and the other one has a decoration of dragons, the emblem of the Chinese Emperor, representing the East and Spring. It is intriguing to conjecture whether it was the aim of the duc to unite the bowls and covers with the symbol of the Emperor and Emperess, as he had a very good knowledge of Far Eastern culture or whether this was purely an aesthetical coincidence. However, the choice he made to change the old mounts of Jullienne and replace them with the ones of Pierre Gouthiere is totally intentional. There are no records found to date to indicate where the duc d’Aumont purchased the dragon bowl and cover.
The term`Kakiemon’ derives from the name of the celebrated Japanese potter from the mid 17th century, who is credited with being the innovator of overglaze enamel decoration. The finest examples date from the late 17th century and have a brilliant white glaze and are delicately coloured with enamels in red, orange, blue and green and according to Durand,..elegant sweetly sober compositions that attracted the attention of collectors. Such decoration was considered to be the highest quality and was extremely sought after.‘
It is known that Chinese porcelain was imported into Europe in larger quantities and for a far longer period than Japanese porcelain, which being so different from Chinese blue and white porcelain, greatly appealed to collectors with its delicate polychrome decoration so much so, that the demand from Europe for the polychrome decoration resulted in the Chinese shifting their production to polychrome. From the second quarter of the 18th century, interiors also reflected the move from blue and white porcelain so synonymous with 17th century interiors. Japanese porcelain was so highly thought of it spawned imitators in China and Europe and by the end of the 17th century the demand for the cheaper Chinese porcelain meant it surpassed the market for Japanese porcelain which had vanished entirely by the mid 18th century.
THE MOUNTS
The mounts are superbly cast and chased and the matte gilding is a typical finish of Gouthière at this time and were probably designed by François-Joseph Bélanger (1744-1818), architect and designer to the duc d’Aumont. Gouthière and Bélanger collaborated for many years following their appointment by the duc to the Menus Plaisirs in 1767. Gouthière was a consummate master of the art of chasing and devised a new type of gilding that left a matt surface a technique that imparted to the gilt-bronze a soft, mellow tone.
The mounts are by Pierre Gouthière as the letter `G’ mentioned in the catalogue entry indicates that the gilt-bronze mounts made for the vases as well as the gilding and chasing were all executed by Gouthière himself. When the duc’s affairs were settled in 1784, Gouthière received the enormous payment of 76,955 Livres to settle all outstanding work he had carried out for the duc.
It is worthwhile noting that Bélanger wrote the following to the duc after visiting Gouthière’s workshop on 17th November 1774: `J’ai encore vu hier tous les travaux qui se font pour vous chez le Sr Gouthière; je les ai trouvés tous entre les mains de ouvriers et très avancés; je les suis avec exactitude et je ne les perdrai point de vue qu’ils ne soient entièrement terminés’ It is not inconceivable that the brûle parfums were among the pieces in Gouthières workshop in 1774 and thus had been completed in 1775.
The brûle parfums are in the form of an Antique perfume burner on a tripod base and it is surely not purely coincidental that they have a porphyry base so synonymous with Antiquity. Whilst this pair of bowls and covers are not unique, their gilt-bronze mounts elevate them to the exceptional and to date no other pair with identical mounts is recorded. However, a pair of similar proportions and decoration to this pair were owned by Louise-Jeanne de Durfort de Duras, duchesse de Mazarin (1733-1781), the duc’s daughter-in-law. The duchesse’s pair is described under lot 37 in the duchess’s estate sale on December 10th 1781: “ Two cassolettes with dragons, flower branches and pine cones on the lid, the collar and the bronze with interlacing circles and rings. They sit on a tripod base, with roundels and matt gilt bronze feet, and are raised on pink granite bases with ribbons and water leafs, both in gilt bronze.”
The pair was bought by the duchesse at the Julliot sale on November 20th 1777 for 1399 livres and 19 sols. The dealer who sold them had purchased them at the Blondel de Gagny sale. Julliot was the one who changed the mounts, thus transforming the items into more fashionable pieces. They were sold at the sale of the duchesse’s estate in 1781, lot 37, after which they entered several collections before ending up in the possession of the dealer Le Brun in 1791.
Also see Durand op. cit., p. 445 for a pot pourri vase made from a Japanese kakiemon bowl and cover circa 1670-90, with Parisian gilt-bronze mounts, circa 1770, although much larger at 60cm high, once owned by Paul Randon de Boisset and then the duc d’Aumont, now in the Louvre, Paris (OA 5488). It is also on an antique style tripod stand and is stated to have been made expressly for Randon de Boisset. It did have a pendant mounted in the same way which has now disappeared.
The base of the socle behind the mask on the offered pair is in 'mis au bleu' which is copper sheet metal covered in blue varnish. It is rare for it to survive as it is normally worn and regilded or overpainted. It is also very apposite that the sunburst and mask motif, the symbol of le roi soleil (the Sun King, Louis XIV) are on this pair once owned by his grandson, Louis XVI.
Gouthière is also known to have used cherubs and swags on many of his pieces, for the swags see a line drawing for a pair of porphyry gris vases and covers by Gouthière in the 1782 catalogue of the sale of the duc d’Aumont, plate 6. The berried laurel band and paw feet can be seen on a Chinese Kangxi porcelain vase mounted by Pierre Gouthière around circa 1770, now in the Getty Museum, illustrated by Wilson, op. cit., p. 107, no. 22 (87.DI. 137). However, the idea of the cherub terms supporting the vase seem to be a unique feature.
THE PORPHYRY BASES
The duc when he set up the Menus–Plaisirs to cut and polish precious marbles, employed a Genoese sculptor Augustin Bocciardi (active Paris 1760-1790), who had worked for the Menus-Plaisirs in 1766 and been appointed sculptor in 1768, who was responsible for cutting and polishing the stones. The observation in his sale catalogue notes states `M. le duc d’Aumont, jaloux de donner le plus grand caractere à son Cabinet, a fait les plus grandes recherches pour se procurer à Rome et dans tout l’Italie les marres le plus rares…’. The present bases are carved from Red Egyptian porphyry the so-called porfiro rosso antico, a porphyry which is only found in the mons porphyrites region betweeen the Middle Nile and the Red Sea. This type of Egyptian porphyry was first quarried by the Romans. After the fall of the Roman Empire the quarries ceased to be worked. Half cut monolithic columns and other fragments are still to be found in the deserted quarries today. Almost the sole source for the red porphyry of this type used in Western Europe were columns taken from classical temples and other ruined Roman remains.
PIERRE GOUTHIERE (1732-c 1812)
He was maître doreur in 1758 and was to become one of the most celebrated ciseleur-doreurs of the Louis XVI period. He originally began working for the gilder François Thomas Germain, one of the most celebrated doreurs of his era. On 7th November 1767, he was appointed Doreur ordinaire des menus plaisirs. In this role he worked with Bélanger for the Dauphine Marie-Antoinette from 1770. He also undertook a considerable amount of work for Madame du Barry especially for her Pavilion de Louveciennes. Among his other patrons were of course the Duc d'Aumont and his daughter-in-law, the duchesse du Mazarin and also the Comte d'Artois, later King Charles X for whom he made the chimney mounts for the Château de Bagatelle. He was subsequently employed by Les Batîments du Roi, in 1777 for the boudoir turc of the young queen Marie-Antoinette at Fontainebleau. By the 1770's Gouthière was in effect bronzier to the Queen whose shared passion for gilt-bronze mounted marbles was further emphasised by the fact that she purchased pieces mounted by him at the legendary sale of the Duc d'Aumont's collection in 1782. The Queen's purchase of five lots was from her own privy purse and included the celebrated brûle parfum of red jasper in the Wallace Collection (P. Hughes, The Wallace Collection. Catalogue of Furniture, vol III, London, 1996, pp.1340-1345). Gouthière’s style is markedly neoclassical, with such motifs as fauns, sphinxes, Egyptian terminal figures, thyrsi, etc. softened by the extensive use of floral and leaf (particularly vine-leaf) motifs. He was never as austerely classical as Thomire.
DUC D'AUMONT (1708-1782)
Louis-Marie-Augustin, succeeded as 5th Duc d'Aumont in 1723 and in the same year took up his family`s hereditary position as premier gentilhomme de la chambre to the King. This position included the supervision of the Menus-Plaisirs who were responsible for commissioning Royal gifts and for supplying articles for the royal wardrobe. He and his duchesse lived at the hotel de Mailly from 1741, which they rented from the marquis de Nesle where they resided until 1753, until the inventory after the death of the duchesse was made. He moved to Place Louis XV in 1776.
The duc d'Aumont was responsible for appointing artists and craftsmen to the Menus-Plaisirs and appointed François-Joseph Bélanger (1744-1818) and Pierre Gouthière and he personally signed their warrants. Together they were both to be involved with the creation of many important pieces which included the famous jewel cabinet, now lost, but completed in 1769, to contain Marie Antoinette`s wedding present. The duc extended these ateliers in 1770 to include the production of bronzes d'ameublement and works of art, particularly those made of marble and precious hard stones, and employed the most talented architects, designers and craftsmen to produce costly and intricate objects made of Ancient and newly quarried stone.
JEAN DE JULLIENNE (1686-1766)
Jean de Jullienne (1686–1766) was one of the leading French amateurs and collectors of the eighteenth century. He was a great patron and protector of Watteau and owned more than four hundred drawings and up to forty paintings of his. He held an influential position as director of the Gobelins until 1729. Jullienne’s collection epitomised the most advanced taste of Parisian private collectors of the period. The two sales of his collection were major events for the European art market. His house still exists at 3b on the rue des Gobelins, where he had a great gallery displaying paintings from different schools, the most precious marble tables covered with antique bronze figures, busts and beautiful terracottas. In the windows, there were also marble tables covered with the most exquisite porcelain and biscuit and bronze groups.
SIR ALFRED CHESTER BEATTY (1875-1968)
`He was the greatest of all living figures in the mining industry, and with his passing the world has lost one of its most romantic characters', thus wrote the Times of London after his death in Monaco on January 19th, 1968 at the age of 92. He was an American by birth and one of the original mine prospectors in the American Wild West at the end of the 19th century and became a millionaire before he was thirty-five. He subsequently became a naturalised British citizen and earned a knighthood. He was responsible for the discovery and development of minerals in the British commonwealth and other parts of the world. However, he was most well known as an art connoisseur, especially of Impressionist paintings and he loved and collected rare Oriental manuscripts and the monument to the latter is the Chester Beatty Library and Museum of Oriental Art in Dublin. He made this gift as he was the first honorary citizen of Ireland and enjoyed a state funeral when he died.
Du Nôà Mata Hari : Affiche.
PARIS - Le musée national des arts asiatiques – Guimet propose une exposition sur 2000 ans de théâtre en Asie. Ce panorama inédit s’anime de ce qui participe, comme signes visibles et tangibles, de l’essence même du théâtre : le costume, la parure et le masque.
Des costumes du théâtre indien aux kimonos et masques de nô japonais, en passant par les robes de l’Opéra de Pékin et le théâtre d’ombre de l’Asie du Sud-Est, c’est tout un monde de divinités, d’animaux et de personnages qui prend vie.
Robe de princesse pour Le Mahabharata mis en scène par Peter Brook. Costume réalisé par Chloé Obolensky. Textile, soie et coton brodés, miroirs 150 x 130 cm. © Museu do Oriente/Lisboa/Portugal
L’exposition aborde les aspects épique et dramatique qui caractérisent les différentes créations théâtrales asiatiques dans toutes leurs variétés. Les premières représentations qui en sont conservées sont les substituts funéraires de terre cuite – minqi– montrant des danseurs et des acrobates datant de la Chine des Han (206 av. J.-C. – 220 ap. J.-C.). L’exposition culmine avec une relecture contemporaine des traditions théâtrales avec la présentation concertante de kimonos paysages d’Itchiku Kubota qui donne tout son sens à la dimension scénique du costume.
Sacre de Râma, Scène du Ramayana, Inde, Tanjore, 18e siècle, 57 x 43 cm. © RMN-Grand Palais (musée Guimet, Paris) / Thierry Ollivier
Dépassant leurs sources rituelles, les théâtres dansés en Inde se sont épanouis en une perfection gestuelle qui a donné naissance à des formes complexes et raffinées tel le kathakali dès le 17e siècle. En Asie orientale, un théâtre historique, s’appuyant sur des chefs d’oeuvre littéraires a suscité la création de costumes chatoyants mais extrêmement codifiés.
Rama, Inde, Kerala, 1980, Kutiyattam. Bois, textile, miroirs, papier doré, 180 x 70 cm. © Museu do Oriente/Lisboa/Portugal
Le masque est particulièrement mis à l’honneur dans l’exposition, tant il est indissociable des formes du théâtre en Asie, de l’Inde jusqu’au Japon, du théâtre épique au drame historique.
Hanuman, Théâtre Khon, Thaïlande, 1985. Papier mâché, miroirs, verre et métal 29 x 26 x 30 cm. © João Silveira Ramos/Museu do Oriente/Lisboa/Portugal
Marionnettes et théâtres d’ombres de l’Asie du Sud-Est et de la Chine forment un autre pan de cette création et servent tantôt des textes épiques, tantôt des textes historiques, leur présentation évocatrice introduisant le visiteur dans un espace peuplé de silhouettes. Les cuirs découpés, âmes des ancêtres, confèrent un pouvoir surnaturel au montreur capable de faire revenir les morts, de guérir ou d’exorciser.
Indrajit, Figures du théâtre d’ombre “Sbaek Thom”. Cuir découpé et peint Cambodge, 1973, 119 x 87 cm. © RMN-Grand Palais (musée Guimet, Paris) / Thierry Ollivier
Un grand barong – lion à l’ossature légère habillée de textiles ou de fibre végétale – accueillera le visiteur de l’exposition au milieu de silhouettes architecturales asiatiques et modernes, exprimant ainsi la capacité d’adaptation et de réinvention de ces traditions millénaires et toujours en pleine effervescence.
Personnages pour la pièce L’Investiture des dieux, Chine, Sichuan ?, XIXe siècle. Peau de bovidés. © João Silveira Ramos/ Museu do Oriente/Lisboa/Portugal
L’auditorium du musée offrira de nombreuses représentations de spectacles de théâtre chanté et dansé. Outre la projection des épopées fondatrices du Ramayana et du Mahabharata, il proposera une riche programmation de films et documentaires. Ainsi Mata Hari, qui, en exécutant en 1905 des danses brahmaniques dans l’ancienne bibliothèque du musée Guimet aménagée en petit temple hindou, s’illustra devant le Tout Paris orientaliste médusé, sera mise à l’honneur dans les salles mais également à travers un documentaire et deux films de fiction. Quant au célèbre opéra chinois, Le pavillon aux pivoines, celui-ci sera projeté en intégralité durant trois jours.
Ensemble de Mingqi, danseurs-acrobates Chine, Dynastie Han (206 av.JC – 220 ap.JC). Terre cuite. © RMN-Grand Palais (musée Guimet, Paris) / Thierry Ollivier
Le catalogue, premier ouvrage de référence sur ce sujet, présentera un panorama des types de théâtre asiatique des origines à nos jours : théâtre joué, dansé, chanté, acrobatique et animé.
Cette exposition est rendue possible grâce à des prêts importants accordés par la Fondation Oriente de Lisbonne, la collection Kubota de Kawaguchiko, le musée du Quai Branly et des collectionneurs privés.
15 avril 2015 - 31 août 2015
Personnage pour la légende de Serpent Blanc : Serpent Bleu, Chine, Guangdong, Canton, milieu XXe siècle. Bois, textile, paillettes, 90 x 70 x 20 cm. © Antonio Rento /Museu do Oriente/Lisboa/Portugal
Marionnette à tige, série des Généraux de la famille Yang, Chine, Province du Guangdong, Chaozhou, début 20ème, 41x18x7,5cm. Photo DR/ Kwok-on
Robe de cour à motifs de dragons et coiffe réservée aux lettres, grands aristocrates et premiers ministres pourvue d’ailettes (shamao), Chine, milieu du XIXe siècle. Soie et fils métalliques, Environ 170 x 300 cm. © Collection privée/ Image MNAAG-Artlys/ Photo Thierry Ollivier
Jeune femme : Manbi, Japon, Époque d’Edo (1603-1868). Bois laqué, 21,2 x 13,5 x 7,6 cm. © RMN-Grand Palais (musée Guimet, Paris) / Thierry Ollivier
Acteur de Nô, Japon, Époque Momoyama (1573-1603). Bois peint, 44 x 27 x 22 cm. © Collection Myrna et Samuel Myers /Image MNAAG-Artlys/Photo: Thierry Ollivier
Toshusai Sharaku (actif 1794-1795), L’onnagata Segawa Tomisaburo, Japon, 1794. Xylographie en couleurs (nishiki-e) sur papier, 36,1 x 24,8 cm. © RMN-Grand Palais (musée Guimet, Paris) / Harry Bréjat
Shunshô Katsukawa (1726-1792), L'acteur Matsumoto Kôshinô se maquillant dans sa loge, Japon, 1789. Xylographie en couleurs (nishiki-e) sur papier, 36 x 24,2 cm. © RMN-Grand Palais (musée Guimet, Paris) / Peter Willi
Mata Hari dansant dans la bibliothèque du Musée Guimet. 1905, Anonyme. © Musée national des arts asiatiques - Guimet / Image MNAAG
Albrecht Dürer (Nuremberg 1471 – 1528 Nuremberg), Christ carrying the Cross, Bartsch 12, Hollstein 12 ii/ii 118 x 75 mm. Original engraving, 1512, for the Engraved Passion. The plate signed with the monogram and dated. Second state with the ‘hanger’ on the monogram tablet. A very good impression, trimmed to the platemark and remargined with thread margins. A tear and repair affecting the tablet. A couple of patches verso strengthening past skimming, not affecting the engraving itself recto. Courtesy Elizabeth Harvey-Lee
LONDON.- The 30th London Original Print Fair at the Royal Academy came to a close on Sunday 26 April following a spectacular four-day celebration of the print medium with a strong international feel. This much loved fair brought together print specialists from around the globe, including the very best galleries, dealers, publishers, curators and leading artists, giving visitors a chance to see, buy and learn more about original prints. Significant sales were made across the board, including strong interest in the Old Masters and brisk sales of newly published prints by contemporary artists. Visitors were treated to an extensive talks programme, which catered for new collectors, seasoned enthusiasts and those seeking an understanding of printmaking techniques.
Claesz Jansz. Visscher d. J., Supplicium de octo coniuratis sumtum in Britannia (....) The execution of the conspirators in the Gunpowder Plot, 30 and 31 January 1606, 1606. Engraving. 23 x 32.6 cm. Watermark: Eagle. Literature: Hollstein 17. Courtesy Emanuel von Baeyer - London
The 30th anniversary was marked with a special loan exhibition from the Royal Collection, Thirty Print Highlights, a survey of portraits, topographical prints, maps, prints of historic events and prints made by the Royal Family themselves, among them Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Selected from over 100,000 prints in the Royal Collection, the exhibition offered visitors an insight into the diversity and wealth of the medium and its importance in art history. As noted by the Daily Telegraph the collection reflects the tastes and interests and, in some cases, the personal creative endeavours of the Royal family, “Until the end of the 19th century, prints were esteemed far above drawings. While the handmade seemed merely commonplace, the mechanical processes of printmaking – which seemed at once quasi-magical and hi-tech – were of intense fascination to connoisseurs and collectors. Now the LOPF is on a mission to raise the profile of the print.”
Jacques Callot (1592-1635), The Fan. Etching with engraving showing the Battle of the “King Cloth” and “King Dye” on July 25th, 1619, an annual festival of the Florentine Guilds of silk weavers and dyers presented on the River Arno. Lieure No. 302. 223 x 300mm. Courtesy Christopher Mendez
A number of exhibitors who have participated since the inaugural year of the fair in 1985 returned for the 30th year including Andrew Edmunds, Christopher Mendez, Gerrish Fine Art, Frederick Mulder, The Redfern Gallery, Gordon Samuel and The Fine Art Society. Alongside those veteran exhibitors were a number of new galleries and dealers who reported good sales and commented on the international platform the fair offered. Ann Marshall of American newcomer, Durham Press commented, “The LOPF has been a fantastic platform for meeting European print enthusiasts and potential buyers, we are delighted with the new audiences we have met at the fair.”
Harmenszoon van Rijn Rembrandt (Leiden 1606-Amsterdam 1669) Abraham Entertaining the Angels. Etching and drypoint, 1656. B.R.S. 29. Hollst. 29; New Hollst 295 only state 16:13 cm. Courtesy August Laube Buch-und Kunstantiquariat
LOPF reinforced its eminent position in the arts calendar as a showcase for the very best prints on the market. Old Master prints included Hill-Stone’s fine impression of the Dürer engraving Knight, Death and the Devil, 1513 and August Laube’s Rembrandt etching and drypoint, Abraham Entertaining the Angels, of 1656. Newcomer, Brigitta Laube of August Laube commented, “It is a pleasure to be given such beautiful surroundings here in the RA’s Main Galleries and certainly encourages us as exhibitors to bring our finest quality works.”
Albrecht Dürer (Nuremberg 1471- 1528 Nuremberg), Knight, Death and the Devil. Engraving, 1513. Signed with the artist’s monogram and the date. Courtesy Hill-Stone, Inc.
20th century and contemporary printmaking masters on show at this year’s fair included Eric Ravilious, Pablo Picasso and Howard Hodgkin. On the opening night, Jennings Fine Art reported the sale of their complete set of ten Ravilious lithographs known as the Submarine Series, with an asking price of £140,000. Likewise, The Fine Art Society sold their three Ravilious works on the same night and Abbott & Holder were delighted to sell their showpiece set of seven etchings Dance of Death by First World War artist Percy Delf Smith, as much admired in the Imperial War Museum’s recent reopening exhibition.
Eric Ravilious (1903-1942), Wardroom 1, 1941. Lithograph, 11 x 11 7/8 inches (28 x 30 cm). Courtesy The Fine Art Society
Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) Homme dévoilant une Femme Drypoint, 1931. Bloch 138; Baer 203 second state of two, II.B.c (of II.B.d); S.V. 203; HP 203. Signed in pencil. An impression from the edition of 50, also called the deluxe edition or the large margin edition. Inscribed '203' in pencil lower left corner. Watermark: Montgolfier. Courtesy Frederick Mulder Ltd
Howard Hodgkin, Autumn, 2014. Carborundum relief from 3 plates printed sequentially with Geranium/Magenta mix, Yellow Ochre, and Sap Green/ Lemon Yellow mix on Moulin Du Gué 350 gsm paper. Paper and Image, 26.5 x 32.5 cm. Edition of 30. Image: Courtesy Howard Hodgkin and Alan Cristea Gallery, London.
LOPF continues to be an important platform for newly published works. Alan Cristea Gallery was delighted with the sales and interest in their solo Howard Hodgkin display, including his latest etching For Anthony, first exhibited at the fair. This year, Tom Hammick’s printmaking was celebrated with Flowers Gallery and the publication of his new monograph. Miles Aldridge, Gavin Turk and the Chapman Brothers with Kate Moss also gained huge interest from visitors with their new prints launched at the fair. Paupers Press sold a complete set of Mat Collishaw’s latest work to a new private collector. Paragon Press used the LOPF as a platform for new and emerging artists with their display of ink jet prints by Sarah Morris. Gallery Jin, from Japan who exhibited for the first time at the LOPF commented, “We have been overwhelmed by the response to our solo show of work by Shoji Miyamoto, an artist never shown by us in the UK before. The Young Collectors Evening was particularly busy for us and we are delighted with the number of works we have sold to this new audience.”
After Robert Dighton I (1752-1814), Life and Death contrasted– or, an Essay on Woman. Published by Bowles & Carver, 25 March 1796. Etching & engraving, with publisher’s watercolour, 350 x 250 mm. B.M. Satires Catalogue 3792 (a later state with the date erased). Courtesy Andrew Edmunds.
James Ensor (1860 – Ostende – 1949) La Kermesse au moulin – Village Fair at the Windmill, 1889. Hand-colored etching on simili Japan paper; 135 x 173 mm. Titled in pen and ink at lower left “La Kermesse au Moulin”, signed and dated “1889” at lower right; titled and countersigned on the verso in pencil Delteil, Croquez, and Tavernier 72 only state. Courtesy C.G. Boerner
Henry Moore, Two reclining figures. Etching with aquatint, 30.2 x 22.5 cms, c.1977. Courtesy James Hyman Gallery
Andy Warhol, Siberian Tiger, 1983. Screenprint in colours, signed in pencil and numbered from the edition of 150 (total edition includes 30 artist’s proofs), Full sheet printed to the edge: 965x 965 mm on Lenox Museum Board, with the blindstamp of the printer, Rupert Jasen Smith. Courtesy Shapero Modern
NEW YORK, NY.- Three new world records were set at Bonhams’ Photographs sale on April 28.
Ansel Adams (1902-1984), Winter Sunrise, Sierra Nevada from Lone Pine, California, 1944. Sold for US$ 179,000 (€162,697). Photo: Bonhams.
Mural-sized gelatin silver print, mounted on Crescent illustration board, printed between 1963 and 1973, signed in ink on the mount; titled in ink and his Carmel credit stamp on the mount verso. 22 1/8 x 30 5/8in
Provenance: Collection of Ansel Adams.
Gift to Wallace and Mary Stegner, Los Altos, California, 1975.
By descent to the present owner.
Exhibited: Shelburne Museum, Vermont, Ansel Adams and Edward Burtynsky: Constructed Landscapes, 19 June-24 October 2010.
Literature: De Cock, Ansel Adams, Morgan & Morgan, Hastings-on-Hudson, 1972, pl. 77.
Szarkowski, Ansel Adams at 100, Little, Brown and Co., Boston, 2001, pl. 85.
Alinder and Szaskowski, Ansel Adams: Classic Images, Little, Brown and Co., Boston, 1985, pl. 38.
Yosemite and the Range of Light, Little, Brown and Co., Boston, 1979, pl. 99.
Ansel Adams: An Autobiography, Little, Brown and Co., Boston, 1985, p. 262.
Alinder, Stillman, and foreward by Wallace Stegner, Ansel Adams: Letters and Images 1916-1984, New York Graphic Society, and Little, Brown and Co., Boston, 1988, p. 274.
Notes: Ansel Adams had a close friendship with Wallace and Mary Stegner that lasted for more than forty years. They were like-minded about their love and reverence of the American landscape. Stegner was a Pultizer Prize-winning novelist, American historian, and environmentalist. He and Ansel shared a passion for the preservation of the American wilderness. Wallace was on the board of directors for the Sierra Club from 1964 to 1966, and special assistant to Secretary of the Interior. Over the years, Ansel gave Wallace and Mary several of his photographs, Winter Sunrise, Sierra Nevada from Lone Pine, California, being one of his best-known prints.
This mural-sized print was taken 14,444 feet above sea level and about 11,000 feet above a little town called Lone Pine, about fifteen miles south of Manzanar. Ansel poetically commented about this place: "I have often thought what a privilege it would be to live and work in this environment, perhaps best before the turn of the century when the efforts of man brought more beauty to the land than now, without pavements, wires, contrails, and desolation. This photograph suggests a more agreeable past and may remind us that, with a revived dignity and reverence for the earth, more of the world might look like this again."
Ansel Adams (1902-1984) Maroon Bells, near Aspen Colorado, 1951. Sold for US$ 112,500 (€102,254). Photo: Bonhams.
Gelatin silver print, printed 1974, Pl. 3, from Portfolio VI,signed, numbered 17/110 and annotated 'VI-3' in pencil on the mount; the portfolio stamp on the mount verso. 15 1/4 x 19 1/2in
Literature: Szarkowski, The Portfolios of Ansel Adams, New York Graphics Society, Little, Brown and Co., Boston, 1977, p. 99.
Stillman, Ansel Adams: 400 Photographs, Little, Brown and Co., New York, 2007, p. 367.
Hiromu Kira (1898-1991), The Thinker, c. 1930. Sold for US$ 27,500 (€24,995). Photo: Bonhams.
Toned bromide print, mounted to black paper. 10 1/4 x 13 3/16in
Provenance: Collection of Hiromu Kira, Los Angeles.
Acquired directly from the above by Kango Takamura, Los Angeles (1895-1990).
By descent to Togo W. Tanaka, Los Angeles (son-in-law of Kango Takamura).
The Estate of Tago W. Tanaka, Los Angeles (1916-2010).
Exhibited: George J. Doizaki Gallery, Japanese-American Cultural and Community Center, Los Angeles, Japanese Photography in America, 1920-1940, 19 April-1 June 1986, and traveling thereafter to the Oakland Art Museum; Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; and the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., from 1988-1989.
Literature: Vanity Fair 36, No. 1 (March 1931), p. 42.
'Hiromu Kira, Still Life Photography,' Camera Craft, August 1928 (vol. XXXV, no. 8), p. 353.
Dennis Reed, Japanese Photography in America, 1920-1940, Japanese American Cultural and Community Center, Los Angeles, 1985, p. 173, plate 64 (this print).
Chang, Johnson, Karlstrom, Asian American Art: A History, 1850-1970, Stanford University Press, Stanford, California, 2008, p. 157, fig. 130.
Notes: In the early decades of the twentieth century, the Pictorialist movement was paramount for many photographers on the west coast of the U.S., and bromide was their favored photographic medium. Hiromu Kira and Kango Takamura were active participants of Pictorialism and were part of a thriving community of Japanese American photographers living and exhibiting their work in Los Angeles. Kira was particularly influenced by the avant-garde photography of certain European artists at the Bauhaus like Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, and locally by Edward Weston, who exhibited his photographs in Los Angeles's Little Tokyo between 1925 and 1931. Kiru even collected several of Weston's images.
Though most of Kira's subject matter was still life, the circumstances of how he came to shoot this image are unique. At the time, he was working at T. Iwata's Camera shop when a customer came in, purchased an expensive camera, but needed some instruction in how to fully operate it. Kira and the customer went to several locations, including the Hollywood Dam. There Kira asked the customer to sit on the steps and took this image. The visual simplicity of the image of the repetitive shapes, accentuated by one sole sided figure, is a synthesis of western modernity and Asian sensibility. Dennis Reed, the Japanese-American photography authority of Kira prints has commented that "this is one of his finest photographs."
As with many art works by the Japanese American artists, much of it was abandoned, lost or destroyed during WWII. Three other prints of this image have been located: in the Collection of Dennis Reed, Glendale, California; the Marjorie and Leonard Vernon Collection at Los Angeles County Museum of Art; and a private collection.
The photograph offered here is believed to be the only print of this image to have been offered at auction.
Very fine 10.96 carats Kashmir sapphire and diamond ring. Estimate 1,070,000 — 1,560,000 CHF (1,009,435 - 1,471,700 EUR). Photo Sotheby's
The cushion-shaped sapphire weighing 10.96 carats, claw-set between demi-lune diamond shoulders, size 52.
Accompanied by SSEF report no. 68900 and Gübelin report no. 13067099, each stating that the sapphire is of Kashmir origin, with no indications of heating, each with an appendix letter, the SSEF report in a hardbound case.
"The velvety blue of this sapphire is due to very fine and subtle inclusions and a combination of well-balanced trace elements in the gemstone, typical and characteristic for the finest sapphires of Kashmir," SSEF appendix letter, 26 June 2013.
Sotheby's. Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels, Genève, 12 mai 2015, 10:30 AM
Important 32.94 carats Burmese sapphire and diamond ring, Bulgari. Estimate 780,000 — 1,360,000 CHF (735,850 - 1,283,021 EUR). Photo Sotheby's.
The cushion-shaped sapphire weighing 32.94 carats, set between tapered baguette diamond shoulders, size 48, sizing band, signed Bulgari.
Accompanied by SSEF report no 33104, dated 15 December 1998, and Gübelin report no. 0201001, dated 8 January 2002, each stating that the sapphire is of Burmese origin, with no indications of thermal enhancement.
Sotheby's. Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels, Genève, 12 mai 2015, 10:30 AM
A blue and white altar vase, fang zun, Wanli. Estimate £5,000 - 8,000 (€6,900 - 11,000). Photo: Bonhams.
Modelled after an ancient bronze form, each mid section facet applied with a beast mask handle, the foot with a moulded serpentine frieze, the body painted with ascending dragons and descending phoenix amongst trailing flower sprays, above rockwork and foaming waves, the neck reduced. 44cm (17.3/8in) high.
Note: For a further example of a blue and white fang zun, Wanli, see J. Harrison-Hall, Ming Ceramics In The British Museum, British Museum Press 2001, p.289, pl.11:31. Also a wucai version, p.340, pl.11:168.
Bonhams. ASIAN ART, 11 May 2015 10:30 BST - LONDON, KNIGHTSBRIDGE
A large blue and white jar, Wanli. Estimate £2,500 - 4,000 (€3,400 - 5,500). Photo: Bonhams.
Boldly painted with shaped panels of flowers issuing from rockwork, all joined by strapwork borders and reserved on a blue-washed diaper ground. 35cm (13 3/4in) high
Bonhams. ASIAN ART, 11 May 2015 10:30 BST - LONDON, KNIGHTSBRIDGE
