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Pierre et Gilles


Hubert Robert (Paris 1733 - 1808), Vue présumée du canal du parc de Sceaux

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Hubert Robert (Paris 1733 - 1808), Vue présumée du canal du parc de Sceaux. Photo Tajan

Sanguine; 23 x 18,5 cm. Estimation : 6 000 / 8 000 €

Tajan. Vendredi 23 novembre 2012. Drouot Richelieu - Salle 3 - 9, rue Drouot - 75009 Paris www.tajan.com

Adam van der Meulen (Bruxelles 1632 - Paris 1690), Etude pour la tapisserie de la prise de Dôle ; Louis XIV, le Prince de Condé,

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Adam van der Meulen (Bruxelles 1632 - Paris 1690), Etude pour la tapisserie de la prise de Dôle ; Louis XIV, le Prince de Condé, le Duc d'Enghien et le Duc de Roquelaure. Photo Tajan

Contre épreuve au lavis encollé sur toile; 42,5 x 67,5 cm. Estimation : 5 000 / 6 000 €

Provenance : Comte Oillanson, puis par descendance ; vente Christie's, le 29 novembre 1977, Londres, n°162

La prise de Dôle eut lieu le 14 février 1668 après quelques jours de sièges et en présence du roi Louis XIV.
La tapisserie se trouve actuellement dans le salon de Mercure au Château de Versailles.

Tajan. Vendredi 23 novembre 2012. Drouot Richelieu - Salle 3 - 9, rue Drouot - 75009 Paris www.tajan.com

Natural pearl and diamond sautoir, one small cultured pearl, 1930s

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Natural pearl and diamond sautoir, one small cultured pearl, 1930s - Photo Sotheby's

The front designed as six rows of natural pearls highlighted at the sides with diamond links set with baguette, single- and circular-cut stones, the back composed of four rows of pearls, length of shortest row approximately 760mm, back detachable allowing sautoir to be worn at different lengths, French assay and maker's marks. Estimation: 100,000 - 150,000 CHF - Lot. Vendu 122,500 CHF

Accompanied by SSEF report no. 60980, stating that nine hundred and seventy-one pearls are natural, saltwater, and one is cultured, saltwater.

Sotheby's. Magnificent Jewels. Genève | 14 nov. 2012 www.sothebys.com

Natural pearl, ruby and diamond necklace

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Natural pearl, ruby and diamond necklace - Photo Sotheby's

Designed as a single row of graduated natural pearls measuring from approximately 6.70 to 10.60mm, alternating with seed pearls, the clasp set with a cabochon ruby between single-cut diamonds, length approximately 445mm. Estimation: 24,000 - 33,000 CHF - Lot. Vendu 110,500 CHF

Accompanied by SSEF report no. 65333, stating that the sixty-five pearls were found to be natural, saltwater.

Sotheby's. Magnificent Jewels. Genève | 14 nov. 2012 www.sothebys.com

Ecole de Fontainebleau, Le rêve de Constantin, dans un projet d'encadrement oval de stuc en volutes

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Ecole de Fontainebleau, Le rêve de Constantin, dans un projet d'encadrement oval de stuc en volutes. Photo Tajan

Plume et encre noire, lavis gris; 37 x 21,5 cm. Petits trous d'épingles et épidermures. Dessin doublé. Cachet « PH » en bas à droite non répertorié. Estimation : 3 000 / 4 000 €

Tajan. Vendredi 23 novembre 2012. Drouot Richelieu - Salle 3 - 9, rue Drouot - 75009 Paris www.tajan.com

Ottavio Leoni dit il Padovanino (Rome 1587 - 1630), Portrait d'homme barbu

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Ottavio Leoni dit il Padovanino (Rome 1587 - 1630), Portrait d'homme barbu. Photo Tajan

Crayon noir et rehauts de craie blanche; 14 x 11,8 cm; Ancienne étiquette au verso. Quelques piqûres. Estimation : 2 500 / 3 000 €

Tajan. Vendredi 23 novembre 2012. Drouot Richelieu - Salle 3 - 9, rue Drouot - 75009 Paris www.tajan.com

Natural pearl, emerald and diamond necklace

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Natural pearl, emerald and diamond necklace - Photo Sotheby's

Designed as two rows of graduated natural pearls measuring from approximately 4.5 to 10.1mm, alternating with seed pearls, the clasp set with a cabochon emerald and rose diamonds, length approximately 420mm. Estimation: 60,000 - 90,000 CHF - Lot. Vendu 104,500 CHF

Accompanied by SSEF report no. 63282, stating that the pearls were found to be natural, saltwater. 

Sotheby's. Magnificent Jewels. Genève | 14 nov. 2012 www.sothebys.com


Diamond earrings, Cartier, and attractive natural pearl and diamond necklace - Sotheby's

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Diamond earrings, Cartier, and attractive natural pearl and diamond necklace - Sotheby's

The necklace millegrain set with circular-cut diamonds set with a pendant of foliate design decorated with a button-shaped natural pearl weighing approximately 11.38 carats, to a natural pearl drop calculated to weigh approximately 13.00 carats, further set with circular-cut and marquise-shaped diamonds, length approximately 352mmunsigned and numbered; the pair of diamond earrings of similar design, French assay and marker's marks, signed Cartier and numbered. Estimation: 97,000 - 145,000 CHF - Unsold

Accompanied by SSEF report no. 64705, stating that the pearls were found to be natural, one saltwater, one freshwater.

Sotheby's. Magnificent Jewels. Genève | 14 nov. 2012 www.sothebys.com

An extremely rare and exquisite 'bai furong' ink rest, by Zhou Bin. Kangxi, dated early summer of 1706

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An extremely rare and exquisite 'bai furong' ink rest, by Zhou Bin Kangxi, dated early summer of 1706, Kangxi. Photo Bonhams

The stone of an attractive semi-translucent ivory white colour, exquisitely carved in a rectangular shape and worked on all sides in extraordinary detail, the upper surface intricately incised with an elaborate bafenshu inscription, the reverse with finely worked taotieruyi-head and C-scroll motifs, flanked at the sides with further archaistics scrolls, four-character inscription bingxu chuxia corresponding to the early summer of 1706, the reverse with a Zhou Bin zuogu signature of the carver and subject matter, all supported on an exquisitely carved zitanstand with four compressed globular feet at the ends, the central reticulated panel framing a bamboo shoot issuing offsprings of bamboo with leaves, the sides with alternating inverted ruyi-head scrolls. 6.7cm long (2). Estimate: HK$ 3 million - 5 million / US$ 390,000 - 650,000 / £240,000 - 400,000

Notes: Zhou Bin, alias Shang Jun, born in Zhangzhou, Fujian province is arguably the most accomplished and historically renowned soapstone carver. Although little is known of his exact dates, it is known that he lived during the early Qing dynasty and was an active soapstone carver during the Kangxi period. Zhou Bin's craftsmanship is complemented by the best quality soapstone utilised by him, demonstrable in the exquisite and rare 'baifurong' soapstone utilised here. 'Baifurong' first gained popularity in the late Ming dynasty and became a symbol of quality, especially in the early Qing period. 

Throughout the Qing period, Zhou Bin's craftsmanship was appreciated by the scholar class where he expressed himself within their aesthetic. The painter Wu Changshuo (1844-1927) once admired a carved soapstone seal with inscription by Zhou Bin where he commented, "This stone was carved by Zhou Shangjun, we should especially treasure it". Only a small number of masterpieces by Zhou Bin is recorded in museums and private collections, of which the current lot is arguably one of the rarest. The baifurong stone retains a tranquil ivory white tone; the carving of the inscription and taotie motif is simple yet strong and supple as well as superbly executed.

The incised inscription on the current lot can be translated and summarise as:

There is an old saying that,
One should always hold their tongue and mind their own matters.
When in joyous occasions, one must keep composure.
It is clear to others what we are doing, 
so even the smallest issue will have future repercussions. 
Once trouble arises, one must resolve immediately; 
this is the secret to success and happiness.
Those with greed and aggressiveness,
will meet a lot of enemies and will have bad endings.
One should be generous with good deeds to gain respect.
To be humble is to be less competitive.
Keep ones abilities within, so no one will think ill of me.

The inscription is titled 'Jinrenming' and originally derived from the 'Analects', the compilation of philosophical thoughts and moral teachings from Confucius. Is is believed to have been in existence since the Warring States and achieved its final complete form during the Han dynasty. 'Analects' had been one of the most widely read writings for the past two thousand years in Chinese history and has become a cornerstone of traditional values which has substantially influenced future generations.

The inscription is titled 'Jinrenming' and originally derived from 'Analects', the compilation of philosophical thoughts and moral teachings from Confucius. Is is believed to have been in existence since the Warring States and achieved its final complete form during the Han dynasty. 'Analects' had been one of the most widely read writings for the past two thousand years in Chinese history and has become a cornerstone of traditional values which has substantially influenced future generations.

In his definitive work on soapstone, Shoushanshi Zhi or 'Records of Shoushan Stone' Fujian, 1982, Fang Zonggui expounds that Zhou Bin's work encapsulated the technique ofxieyi, the thin and low-relief painterly style of carving. Xieyiliterally translates as 'idea painting', but in the eyes of the literati, through its association with a free, expressionist style, it transcended the medium of sculpture and became associated with the higher art of painting, thereby association with a free, expressionist style. This transcended the medium itself and became associated with the higher art of painting, thereby assuming the potential for profundity. Besides mentioning the sheer technical skill that is evident in the current lot, Fang also refers to Zhou Bin's work as being simple and rustic, a compliment reserved only for the highest levels of literati painting and calligraphy. Fundamentally, in the eyes of the literati, the important impression from a masterpiece of Zhou Bin, such as the current lot, is not only just the quality of the carving or the stone, but the deeper meaning conveyed through the profundity of his expression.

Ink rests are prized as the ideal facility on scholar's desk for placing ground and unfinished inkcakes when writing a calligraphy. The use of ink rests were greatly admired by the Emperors who usually associated themselves with a strong preference for scholarly connoisseurship and antiquity. Extant ink rests produced by the palace workshops are in a variety of materials. For an example of an ink rest worked from white jade from the Qing court collection, preserved in the Palace Museum, Beijing, see Small Refined Articles of the Study. The Complete Collection of the Treasures of the Palace Museum, Shanghai, 2009, p.147, no.127. See also a Ming dynasty ink rest similar in form but with jade inlay from the National Palace Museum, Taipei, illustrated in Through the Prism of the Past: Antiquarian Trends in Chinese Art of the 16th to 18th Century, Taipei, 2004, p.38, pl.I-10.

Bonhams. 24 Nov 2012 15:00 CST Hong KongA Private North American Collection of Scholar's Objects

Rhinoceros horn, furnishings, decorative finery in Michaan's Asian Auction

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A Rhinoceros Horn Magnolia-Form Libation Cup, 17th/18th Century, Width: 5 1/2 inches (14 cm); Weight: 10 ounces (284 g). Estimate $20,000-30,000.

ALAMEDA, CA.- Michaan’s Auctions has once again acquired an exceptionally carved rhinoceros horn libation cup ($20,000-30,000). A larger rhinoceros horn cup was offered in the Fine Asian Works of Art Auction in June of this year, drawing international attention as well as a $70,200 selling price. The cup for sale is anticipated to follow suit in the interest it will bring to the auction house, as the piece is a wonderful testament to the traditional art form. The cup is carved as an open magnolia blossom with carved chilong dragons, fruiting lychee branches and floral petals utilized as decorative motifs. The horn is dated to the 17th century and displays a beautifully rich, dark coffee brown hue as well. Similar examples of like-minded caliber are held in the Durham University Oriental Museum collection as well as in the Beijing Palace Museum collection. 

Quality furniture pieces have consistently been a top performer in the current Asian art market. The category has a following amongst Asian art and furniture enthusiasts as well as decorators and antique collectors, providing a multidimensional buyer base. Highlighting the range of furniture pieces for sale are a large Ming style rosewood altar coffer and a zitan side table. The coffer was acquired in Beijing in the 1920s, remaining in the family through multiple generations. The piece is quite ornate, as intricately detailed carvings are crafted throughout the entire front. The concentrated carvings cover most of the space, as swirling dragons navigate their way through a continuous pattern of ruyi clouds. Brass hardware finishes the piece, that comes complete with working locks and a key ($20,000-30,000). 

FMPro

A Large Ming Style Rosewood Altar Coffer. Circa 1900, 35 x 76 x 19 inches (89 x 193 x 48 cm)Estimate: $20000-$30000.

A more compact piece of furniture is offered in a zitan side table at an auction estimate of $20,000-30,000. The streamlined design of this table lets the true beauty of the zitan wood shine through. The piece displays coveted deep purple undertones characteristic of the prized hardwood. Zitan is presently on the verge of extinction and has been in short supply for thousands of years. As a result, only the imperial household was allowed to use zitan in China from the 17th to the 19th centuries. Zitan furniture’s rarity has lead most marketable pieces to museums or private collections, with the ability to command premium prices. 

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A Zitan Painting Table, The two-panel top set within a wide rectangular frame, with beaded edge above scrolling aprons and spandrels, the whole supported on beaded legs of rectangular section further joined by pairs of beaded stretchers. 32 1/2 x 58 3/4 x 20 3/4 inches (82.5 x 149.2 x 52.7 cm) approximately. Estimate: $20000-$30000.

A jade carving of a water buffalo is not only a collectible piece of artistry, but a lot offered to benefit the needy in San Mateo County ($8,000-12,000). The recumbent animal is simply carved with an attentive gaze. The natural qualities of the stone are immediately evident, wonderfully complimenting the overall look of the piece. The jade displays an even, milky, pale celadon color. Patches of russet inclusions are then scattered primarily amongst the lower portion of the body of the animal. The piece is being sold to benefit HIP Housing in San Mateo, California. For 40 years, HIP Housing has helped those in need find stable living accommodations through the various programs it provides. On average, HIP Housing aids over 4,500 people each year in San Mateo County. 

FMPro__1_

 Large Jade Model of a Water Buffalo. Length: 12 1/4 inches (31.1 cm). Estimate: $8,000-12,000.

A repousse gilt bronze figure of Amitayus is another fine decorative item for auction in the sale. Amitayus is a celestial Buddha, principle to a branch of Buddhism practiced primarily in East Asia. According to scripture, Amitayus’ merits are infinite as they have resulted from his good deeds over past lives as a bodhisattva named Dharmakara. Amitayus’ alias “Amitabha” is translatable as “Infinite Light,” therefore he is often revered as “The Buddha of Infinite Light.” The figure is dated to the 18th century and features a serene Amitayus seated in dhyanasana upon a double lotus base. He appears quite royal, furnishing a tiered crown and layers of beaded jewelry upon his flowing dhoti and draping sash. The excellent craftsmanship of the period is clear in the detailed work evident on the figure ($15,000-20,000). 

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A repousse gilt bronze figure of Amitayus, 18th Century. Height: 6 1/2 inches (16.5 cm). Estimate $15,000-20,000.

Buccellati. A Diamond and Gold Ring

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Buccellati. A Diamond and Gold Ring. Photo Philips de Pury & Company

Designed as a pierced openwork band, accented by circular-cut diamonds, to the engraved yellow gold border, mounted in 18K white and yellow gold, size 5 1/2. Signed 'M.Buccellati''Italy'. ESTIMATE $5,500 - 7,000

Philips de Pury & Company. Jewels. 6 december 2012. http://www.phillipsdepury.com

École Brugeoise vers 1530, Vierge à l'enfant

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École Brugeoise vers 1530, Vierge à l'enfant. Photo Mercier & Cie

Panneau. 23 x 17,5 cm. Estimation : 8 000 / 10 000 €

Mercier & Cie. Dimanche 25 novembre 2012. Hôtel des ventes de Lille - 14, rue des Jardins - 59000 Lille. Tel. +33 (0)3 20 12 24 24

Buccellati. A Diamond and Ruby Ring

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Buccellati. A Diamond and Ruby Ring. Photo Philips de Pury & Company

Set with three oval-cut rubies, within a pierced openwork surround, accented by circular-cut diamonds, to the engraved gold border, mounted in 18K white and yellow gold, size 6. Signed 'M.Buccellati'. ESTIMATE $8,000 - 10,000

Philips de Pury & Company. Jewels. 6 december 2012. http://www.phillipsdepury.com

Rare diorama. Allemagne, vers 1820-1830, atelier de Jensen (?)

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Rare diorama. Allemagne, vers 1820-1830, atelier de Jensen (?). Photo Mercier & Cie

à décor de paysage lacustre animé de personnages et motifs architecturaux en métal peint polychrome, et agrémenté de pierres fines et pierres dures tel que malachite, améthyste, jaspe, cristal de roche, fluorite,... Sur fond gouaché. 76 x 97 cm. Estimation : 6 000 / 8 000 €

Mercier & Cie. Dimanche 25 novembre 2012. Hôtel des ventes de Lille - 14, rue des Jardins - 59000 Lille. Tel. +33 (0)3 20 12 24 24


Buccellati. A Diamond, Emerald and Pearl Brooch

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Buccellati. A Diamond, Emerald and Pearl Brooch. Photo Philips de Pury & Company

Designed as a flower bouquet, with six flowerheads set with old-cut diamonds and pearls, within rose-cut diamond petals, accented by carved emerald leaves, extending textured gold leaves and stem, mounted in platinum and 18K yellow gold, length 2 1/2 inches. Signed 'Buccellati'. Pearls have not been tested. ESTIMATE $10,000 - 15,000

Philips de Pury & Company. Jewels. 6 december 2012. http://www.phillipsdepury.com

École française du XVIIIe siècle, entourage de Nicolas Baudesson, Bouquet de fleurs sur un entablement de marbre

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École française du XVIIIe siècle, entourage de Nicolas Baudesson,  Bouquet de fleurs sur un entablement de marbre. Photo Mercier & Cie

(Restaurations). 63,5 x 77,5 cm. Estimation : 6 000 / 8 000 €

Mercier & Cie. Dimanche 25 novembre 2012. Hôtel des ventes de Lille - 14, rue des Jardins - 59000 Lille. Tel. +33 (0)3 20 12 24 24

Buccellati. An Impressive Cultured Pearl and Diamond Necklace

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Buccellati. An Impressive Cultured Pearl and Diamond Necklace. Photo Philips de Pury & Company

Designed as a graduated line of engraved pavé-set diamond leaf links, interspersed with five cultured pearls, each suspending a baroque cultured pearl, from a pavé-set yellow diamond cap, to the collet-set yellow diamond spacer, mounted in 18K white and yellow gold, length 16 1/2 inches. Signed 'Buccellati''Italy', with a Buccellati blue leather box. ESTIMATE $55,000 - 70,000

Philips de Pury & Company. Jewels. 6 december 2012. http://www.phillipsdepury.com

After four years in the making, first major Francis Bacon exhibition in Australia opens

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Francis Bacon, Portrait of Michel Leiris, 1976. Oil on canvas, 35.5 x 30.5. Louise and Michel Leiris Collection. Pompidou Centre, Paris. ©The Estate of Francis Bacon, DACS/Licensed by Viscopy.

SYDNEY.- Surveying Francis Bacon’s life and work, this is the first major exhibition in Australia of rare works by the master of post-war British art.

With over 50 paintings as well as archival material from his studio, films and photographs, the exhibition covers every decade of his career, from the pensive and shocking works of the 1940s to the exuberantly coloured and visceral large paintings of the 1970s and 80s. 

Organised by the Art Gallery of NSW, the exhibition has been four years in the making, with works drawn from private collections and Australian and international institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art and Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Tate Britain in London, the Pompidou Centre in Paris, and the Francis Bacon Estate.

Michael Brand, director, Art Gallery of NSW: 'Francis Bacon: five decades presents a dazzling picture of a complex and conflicted artist whose work retains its visceral impact 20 years after his death. It’s an exhibition not to be missed.’ 

Francis Bacon’s aim was to make a viewer come face to face with the process of looking at and interpreting art.

What he wanted – and what he makes possible – is for each individual to experience a personal, and usually very physical, response to the painting, where their own feelings override any attempt to interpret what Bacon himself was thinking or feeling.

Bacon didn’t intend his painting to be narrative or illustrative or psychoanalytical or autobiographical. He was about sensation. That was the reason he gave for fragmenting and distorting the body in the way that he did. 

The figures in Bacon’s paintings aren’t characters in a story; they are the body as a material fact. Yet there is a strong connection between the imagery in Bacon’s work and the circumstances of his life, including the influence of his close friends and five long-term lovers.

From 1929 until 1949 Bacon had a relationship with Eric Hall, a collector, businessman and great supporter of Bacon. In 1952 he began a tumultuous and sometimes violent affair with Peter Lacy, an ex-Royal Air Force pilot with whom he often travelled to Tangier in Morocco. George Dyer was possibly Bacon’s most important lover and appears frequently in his paintings. They met in 1963 and shared a turbulent life until Dyer’s death in 1971 on the eve of a major exhibition of Bacon’s work at the Grand Palais in Paris. In 1976 Bacon met John Edwards with whom he had a paternal relationship that lasted until the end of his life. Although Edwards had a long-term lover outside the relationship and Bacon had a final passionate affair with José Capello, a young Spanish businessman, it was Edwards who inherited the artist’s estate in 1992. 

Bacon collected massive amounts of visual information – photographs of friends, pages from magazines, art journals, newspapers and film posters – with which he surrounded himself in his small studio at 7 Reece Mews in South Kensington, London. The floor and tables were piled high with scraps of photographs, pages torn from books and journals, empty boxes often glued together by splattered paint, old paint rollers, coagulated brushes, spray cans, pieces of fabric coated in paint, rubber gloves, and discarded plates once used as palettes.

Bacon spoke about his need for chaos. In one interview he said, ‘The mess here around us is rather like my mind; it may be a good image of what goes on inside me, that’s what it’s like, my life is like that.’ In another: ‘I work much better in chaos…chaos for me breeds images.’

He absorbed all this visual information and it erupted in his art. He used the images as objects – holding, bending and folding them, splattering them with paint, pinning them and gluing them down. Although not a literal history or pictorially illustrative, his work captured the events of his lifetime and conveyed their pain.

Much has been said about the violent nature of his imagery but very few of his works depict scenes of violence, although his paint is often violently applied so that the viewer experiences the raw sensation of the subject ‘directly on their nervous system’.

Bacon experimented obsessively with the sense of motion caused by the different ways that paint leaves the brush or the piece of cloth he often used in place of a brush. Large areas are left unpainted so that the raw linen acts as both colour and texture. Different kinds of paint are used in the same composition, such as oils, acrylics and spray paint, as well as found materials. Sometimes these have a direct relevance to the subject – for example, applying dust or fluff to the paint to describe the fabric of a coat. These vital details are not readily visible in reproduction, hence the importance of this exhibition.

An inveterate gambler, Bacon prized an element of chance and often risked everything on an outside bet at the casino, as well as in his art. He once said, ‘...moving – even unconsciously moving – the brush one way rather than the other will completely alter the implications of the image…’

Bacon’s method was always presented as an unconscious, almost drunken, leap into the dark, but there was a prodigious intellect driving his work. Afterall, a good drunk, like a cat, knows exactly how to land.

Adapted from the exhibition catalogue, Francis Bacon: five decades, edited by Anthony Bond. 

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Francis Bacon, Seated Figure, 1978. Oil on canvas, 198 x 147.5 cm. Private Collection. Courtesy Richard Nagy Ltd., London. ©The Estate of Francis Bacon, DACS/Licensed by Viscopy.

Christie's shares remarkable family insights into Djahanguir Riahi, an impassioned collector

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Bernard II van Risenburgh (BVRB), A magnificent ormolu-mounted Japanese lacquer secretaire-à-abattant, circa 1755. Estimate: GBP3,000,000–5,000,000. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2012.

LONDON.- Ahead of the sale of Masterpieces Formerly in the Collection of Monsieur and Madame Riahi in London on Thursday 6 December, Christie’s shares remarkable family insights into Djahanguir Riahi, an impassioned collector whose focused commitment over 50 years to collect world class 18th century furniture and works of art provides inspiration for connoisseurs around the globe. From placing adverts in the hunt for key missing examples to going in to battle at auction with other leading names in the field of collecting, the tale of Djahanguir Riahi’s collecting epitomizes the lengths that “Passion for the Love of Art” can drive the true collector. 

“Collections are alive. They are neither an amalgamation of objects, nor an addition of dates; they are not even a sum of monetary amounts. A collection lives as it is first and foremost the history of a man, of a woman, of a family, of a collector - its creator - the one whose vision, whose particular personality shapes its ensemble, sometimes in a heterogeneous and miscellaneous manner, giving it a life and mind of its own.” 

“Djahanguir Riahi is such a man, a creator of collections and one of the most important of the past century. Decade after decade, piece after piece, he has shaped a collection without precedent. As a man enamoured with a past century, it was his eye, passion and the soul of a strategist that helped him conquer and build an outstanding and beautiful collection of 18th century French furniture.” 

“La notion de Chef d’Oeuvre”

“To begin with, there was a man, a Persian child who became a great industrialist, an immigrant who became French at heart. At the start, there was a name, coming from Iran, a name that became symbolic of taste and success in Paris during the „Glorious Thirty‟ (1945-75).” 

“Djahanguir Riahi and his collection are one. The story of this collection is the story of symbiosis - an encounter between a unique eye and the masterpieces amidst a crowd, an encounter between the most beautiful pieces of furniture from 18th century France and the man who reinstated their lustre from the past.”

“Djahanguir Riahi identified 18th century French furniture as a „moment de grâce‟ within the history of art, a moment during which Man‟s creative Genius was at its peak.” 

“Queen of Arts, the Marquise de Pompadour ”

“Most likely the mother of all masterpieces, the magnificent ormolu-mounted Japanese lacquer secretaire-à-abattant, circa 1755 by Bernard II van Risenburgh (BVRB) (estimate: £3 million to £5 million) is recorded in the journal of Duvaux, 19 February 1757. The only other secrétaire of this model by BVRB in Japanese lacquer - of an identical form and sharing most of the ormolu mounts - is the extremely closely related secrétaire (now lacking its apron mount) in the Royal Collection at Windsor Castle. Supplied by the marchand Simon-Philippe Poirier (and bearing his trade label on a drawer) the Royal Collection secrétaire was acquired by the Duchesse de Mazarin and was part of her collections at the hôtel de Seignelay until it was sold in her sale of 1781. It was purchased by the marchand Lebrun but subsequently changed hands until it was acquired by the dealer Benoist for George IV in 1820. That Mme. de Pompadour‟s secrétaire was supplied by Duvaux, who was a contemporary rival of Poirier, is seen to prove almost categorically that Mme. De Pompadour‟s secrétaire and the Riahi secrétaire are one and the same.” 

“The term masterpiece starts to make sense when looking at the purity and line of the ormolumounted Japanese lacquer secretaire-à-abattant and the Louis XV ormolu-mounted Japanese lacquer and vernis martin bureau en pente, attributed to Bernard II van Risenburgh (BVRB), circa 1756, which was also almost certainly supplied by Duvaux to Madame de Pompadour (1721-1764) on 22 December 1756 (estimate: £2 million - £4 million).”

“More than simply pieces of furniture, these two works are true gems of all time.” 

“Rothschild Provenance”

The Rothschilds have been the greatest collectors of superlative French 18th century Decorative Arts throughout many generations. The Riahi Collection was the finest private collection of this type to be assembled in the 20th century and it is fitting that this sale presents six significant pieces with Rothschild provenance some threads of which have only recently been traced, shedding new light on the historical importance of these works of art, such as the rare Louis XVI ormolu-mounted polychrome-painted mahogany and sycamore meubles d'entre deux attributed to Ferdinand Bury, the decoration attributed to JeanLouis Prevost, circa 1775-1790, possibly retailed by Jean-Baptiste II Tuart (estimate: £300,000-500,000), which were purchased in 1977 by Riahi for his living room.

Further lots with Rothschild provenance include one of only two library commodes from the era of Louis X known to this day, produced circa 1763-68 by Jean-François Oeben (estimate : £1.5 million - £2.5 million). This piece is offered with newly discovered Viennese Rothschild provenance, having most likely been part of the collection of Baron Nathaniel Meyer von Rothschild (1836-1905). 

“A tale of Battles, Kings and Titans of Collecting”

“Self-made man Djahanguir Riahi knew how to transpose his business skills when negotiating the purchase of works that he sought. His collection speaks of war, kings and competing with other titans of collecting; of the ensuing victory, beauty, the absolute!”

“The collection represents the remnants of an era, all of which carry the history of those who had previously owned them.” “In order to acquire certain works, the collector had to strategize and deliver Homeric battles against other legendary collectors of the 20th century, including Getty, Niarchos, Onassis, Rockefeller and Gulbenkian.”

“As such, the pot-pourri de Tallard (lot 3, estimate: £250,000 - 400,000), acquired in 1973, was an object very much desired by Onassis, who offered his rival a blank cheque in exchange of its acquisition. But to Riahi, certain objects had no price, and once in his possession, could no longer be sold.”

“The near pair of Louis XV ormolu-mounted Japanese and Chinese lacquer commodes attributed to Bernard II van Risenburgh or Jean Desforges, circa 1740-50, possibly supplied by Charles Darnault tell a remarkable tale of acquisition via ingenious strategy (lot 40, estimate: £2 million- 4 million). 12 years prior to purchasing the Chinese lacquer commode, Djahanguir Riahi had purchased a similar Japanese lacquered commode from the collection of Baron Stieglitz which had been dispersed by the Soviet government in Berlin between 1928 and 1930. Obsessed with symmetry, upon discovering the existence of the Chinese lacquer commode ahead of its planned sale at Druot, Riahi knew that it must be united with the Japanese lacquer commode he already owned. Fearing that billionaire Stavros Niarchos would also want to acquire this piece, Djahanguir Riahi did not hesitate, contacting the buyer directly and successfully purchasing it just three days before its sale at auction in Paris.” 

“50 Years in the Making”

“Riahi‟s love of symmetry encouraged him to acquire objects in pairs. Pragmatic in his approach, Djahanguir would often post adverts in the relevant newspapers and specialist art publications to find the missing twin of a specific treasured object.”

“Djahanguir Riahi loved the idea of reuniting objects and pieces of furniture that had been separated over time, in the course of revolutions or wars. Examples of works that he was able to reunite include: the famous pair of lacquered commodes previously detailed (lot 40); two small marquetery tables (which lot?), a near pair of céladon vases (lot 14, estimate: £400,000-600,000), a pair of pair of Louis XV ormolu threebranch wall-lights, attributed to Jean-Claude Duplessis, circa 1745-55 (lot 22, estimate: £150,000-250,000) and two chandeliers: a Louis XIV ormolu six-light chandelier attributed to André-Charles Boulle, circa 1700-10 9lot 10, estimate: £400,000 - 600,000) and a restoration ormolu six-light chandelier circa 1830-40, after the design by André-Charles Boulle (lot 11, estimate: £30,000-50,000).” 

“A Stellar group of Silverware”

“The extraordinary reunion of a suite of 28 silver candlesticks by Lenhendrick (lot 46, estimate: £1 million to £2 million) is the result of Djahanguir Riahi chasing pair by pair, sale after sale, over a 50 year period – providing a remarkable illustration of the collector‟s tenacious hunt for treasures.”

“The group of silverware is worthy of Royalty. Never has such a group of French silverware been presented at auction, with 4 soup tureens, stands and liners (lots 33 and 35), with ram heads, by Robert Joseph Auguste, silversmith for King Louis XVI.”

Further silverware highlights include a pair of Louis XV silver dish-covers and a pair of Russian silver dishes from the Orloff service - which was commissioned by Queen Catherine of Russia for Count Orloff - the dishcovers with the mark of Jacques Nicolas Roettiers, Paris, 1771, one dish with the mark of Johan Heinrich Blohm, St. Petersburg, 1782, the other apparently unmarked, circa 1782 (lot 31, estimate: £150,000-250,000). 

“Objects as gems, symbolic of Love”

“Djahanguir Riahi saw himself as a pearl-fisher, criss-crossing the oceans to find the perfect „gem‟ that would complete a unique „necklace‟, which his visionary eye patiently created with the tenacity of a treasure hunter. This analogy goes beyond the simple anecdote. Indeed, Riahi considered each piece that he searched as a precious jewel.”

“He would often present these jewels as gifts to his wife. During Christmas in 1963, although he had only recently met her, he purchased a superb bureau plat by Joseph Baumhauer, circa 1765 (lot 30, estimate: £2 million to £3 million), a gem he considered to be the epitome of elegance and purity of line.”

“What would an epic story be without the love of a woman? The collector‟s search for perfection was also pushed by the love he had for his wife.”

“For his wife, Riahi demanded only the best works, with the best provenance: Objects of royal quality for his queen. As such, he presented her with the pair of Orloff silver dishes with covers (lot 31), the Auguste soup tureens (lots 33 and 35), and le secrétaire en pente which had formerly belonged to the Marquise de Pompadour (lot 20).” 

“A Persian name forever engraved in the History of Art”

“More than a carefully selected group of masterpieces, this collection is itself a masterpiece, and as such, rendered the collector famous beyond his native country.”

“Between the rooms of Marie Antoinette and Rothschild, The Louvre now dedicates a room to Riahi. This is without a doubt the most powerful tribute that France could have given its adoptive son. This room displays a variety of donations made by the collector: a stellar médailler Louis XIII, a porcelain vase-ballon de Sèvres and a pair of porcelain cuvettes „Mahon‟ de Sèvres.”

“Commandeur of the Légion d‟Honneur and Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres, he was friends with Georges Pompidou, Valéry Giscard d‟Estaing and Jacques Chirac, and acted as a consultant to the conservateurs of great French museums such as the Louvre, Versailles and the Rohan Palace.”

“All the greatest 18th century French furniture experts maintain that the RIAHI collection is worthy of the Louvre or Versailles, and, as described by M. Alcouffe, chief conservator of the Louvre: „this is an immense œuvre composed of an ensemble of works that were impressively gathered in our era.‟”

“In terms of 18th century French furniture, the name Riahi is more than a reference; it is a model, a name which will never cease to exist as a synonym with excellence, perfection and taste.”

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Jean François Oeben, Ormolu-mounted amaranth and burr-walnut bibliothèque en commode, circa 1760. Estimate: GBP1,500,000–2,500,000. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2012.

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