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Roman Glass Bottle with Cut Crystal Decoration, ca. 1st century C.E., from the Eastern Mediterranean or Italy

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Roman Glass Bottle with Cut Crystal Decoration, ca. 1st century C.E., from the Eastern Mediterranean or Italy. Cut glass© Miho Museum. 

This bottle looks like it is a column of crystal. Blown and molded from colorless translucent glass, the bottle was shaped with cut work. Just beneath the mouth area a sharp angled cord was cut around the neck, and then after a brief hiatus slightly below, the cut surfaces begin. There are 12 cut lines that run from the right shoulder downward toward the lower left, and then another 12 cuts which run from the left shoulder to the lower right. These paired cuts form pyramid shaped cuts which protrude some 9mm from the surface of the bottle. Counting vertically from the neck to the base, there are 7 or 8 ranks of protrusions. The base has a round plate which is decorated with radiating cuts to form a floral shape. This kind of design was rarely seen in Roman period cut-glass, and this is a truly splendid work in which each of the pyramid cuts seems to capture and reflect the light.


Roman Cut Glass Cup, 1st-2nd century C.E., from the eastern Mediterranean or Italy

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Roman Cut Glass Cup, 1st-2nd century C.E., from the eastern Mediterranean or Italy. Cut glass© Miho Museum.

Translucent glass was blown and then formed in a mold. This shape was then decorated with cut work. The body is divided into three registers and two rows of rounded hexagonal cuts were then arranged in each register. The vessel walls were thinned on the area around the mouth and between the registers and a decorative cord cut into these areas. A small foot has been attached to the base. Unlike cat. No. 171, when light is shown through this glass, a large area of light remains in each cut. This cup has an elegantly gorgeous feel and today the surface has a slight cast of lovely iridescence.

Roman Cut Glass Beaker, 1st-2nd century B.C.E., from the Eastern Mediterranean

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Roman Cut Glass Beaker, 1st-2nd century B.C.E., from the Eastern Mediterranean. Cut glass, H. 13.1 cm. © Miho Museum.

The cut-glass technique using almost colorless translucent cast glass has already appeared in Assyria by the 8th century BC, but it did not become widespread until the Roman period. This cup was blown from yellowish green translucent glass which was then formed in a mold and later cut with decorations. The long narrow hexagonal cuts are ranged in three and a half vertical registers, and with each neighboring row slipped off register by half a cut, for a total of 34 rows of cuts around the entire glass. The base of the mouth and the area around the foot are thinly formed and a single decorative band surrounds the base of the mouth area. The base has a small carved foot. The cut lines at the mouth area and the base of the foot are extremely sharp. Light shines through this work and the cuts on the opposite surface reflect small bits of light into each cut surface, creating an array of delicate light particles. There is a bit missing from the foot area, but otherwise this work is intact. This is a lovely example of a standard form.

Roman Cast Glass Bowl, 1st century B.C.E.-1st century C.E.

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Roman Cast Glass Bowl, 1st century B.C.E.-1st century C.E. Cast glass. © Miho Museum.

Shallow basin cast from blue translucent glass. The rim has a rounded band while the walls of the basin are relatively curved and the outer edge is diagonal and the base has a slight hollow. A wide horizontal groove is cut into the outer side of the rim, while the inner side of the rim is circled by one and the inner side of the basin's torso circled by two thin horizontal cut grooves. Both inner and outer surfaces are smoothly finished.

Eighteen arhats (luohans), Qing dynasty (1644-1911), Reign of the Qianlong emperor (1736-1795)

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Eighteen arhats (luohans), Qing dynasty (1644-1911), Reign of the Qianlong emperor (1736-1795). Album. Ink and colors on bodhi leaves.  H. 11 in x W. 7 1/4 in x D. 1 1/2, H. 27.9 cm x W. 18.4 cm x D. 3.8 (closed album), B65D4.1-.18 © 2017 Asian Art Museum Chong-Moon Lee Center for Asian Art and Culture

Disciples of Shakyamuni, the historical Buddha, the arhats (Chinese: luohan) were entrusted with spreading the teachings of Buddhism. The arhats are especially venerated in Tibet and China, and popularly depicted in art of all media. What is unusual about these examples is that the figures are painted not on paper but on putisha, the lacelike remains of the leaves of the bodhi tree (Latin: Ficus religiosa), a plant with a fascinating history. This tree is sacred to Buddhists, for it was under a bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya, India, that Shakyamuni meditated and achieved enlightenment. Bodhi leaves are heart shaped with a characteristically long drip tip, a natural drying device that allows raindrops to roll off easily during a tropical downpour.

In India and China these leaves are soaked in water for as long as a month, until the green cells have disintegrated and only the vascular system remains. The leaves are then painted with sacred images and sold to pilgrims as souvenirs. The leaf paintings are backed with brown paper and mounted on dark blue and yellow paper.

 

Lobed footed dish, Iran, approx. 1150-1250

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Lobed footed dish, Iran, approx. 1150-1250. Glazed fritware. H. 2 1/4 in x Diam. 6 1/2 in, H. 5.7 cm x Diam. 16.5 cm. The Avery Brundage Collection, B60P1890 © 2017 Asian Art Museum Chong-Moon Lee Center for Asian Art and Culture

The form of this small footed dish with petal shapes along the rim is a rarity for Persian ceramics and it may be a direct imitation of imported Chinese wares known in Persia by the twelfth century. Two other aspects of the dish are hallmarks of Persian ceramics, however: the turquoise glaze and the incised decoration, which imitates kuficstyle Arabic inscriptions but does not actually say anything.

Jug with molded decoration, Iran, Kashan or Rayy, approx. 1100-1200

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Jug with molded decoration, Iran, Kashan or Rayy, approx. 1100-1200. Glazed fritware. H. 7 in x Diam. 5 1/2 in, H. 17.8 cm x Diam. 14 cm. The Avery Brundage Collection, B60P474 © 2017 Asian Art Museum Chong-Moon Lee Center for Asian Art and Culture

Ceramic vessels from the Islamic world often imitated the shapes, and sometimes the decoration, of metal vessels. The shape of this jug, might down to its knobbed handle, is probably inspired by a metal prototype. So is the raised, molded decoration, which recalls the raised decoration created by hammering and shaping metal from the back.

The inscription boldly filling the main band of decoration is a reminder of the centrality of writing in daily life in Islamic lands. The inscription is a blessing in Arabic, "May there be Glory and Victory for you as long as the Sun [and the Moon] rise."

Rembrandt's Religious Prints: the Feddersen Collection on view at the Snite Museum of Art

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Rembrandt (Dutch, 1606–1669), Self-Portrait in a Velvet Cap with Plume, 1638, etching, 5.28 x 4.06 inches. Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Jack F. Feddersen, 1991.025.001.

NOTRE DAME, IN.- The Jack and Alfrieda Feddersen Collection of Rembrandt prints will make an encore appearance at the Snite Museum of ArtSeptember 3 through November 25. The exhibition of the renowned artist’s prints marks the publication of the first comprehensive catalog of the entire collection and the celebration of the University of Notre Dame’s 175th anniversary. 

All 70 of Rembrandt’s etchings that comprise the Feddersen Collection will be displayed together, examining the sweep of historical, theological, and artistic impulses that informed the creation of the master’s religious and biblical prints. From Jacob’s anguish resulting from the betrayal of his children to the joyous epiphany of the coming of the Messiah and the depths of despair at the entombment, Rembrandt plumbed the range of human experience and faith through keen observational skills and a supreme mastery of technique. His depictions of intimate family scenes and profound psychological engagement still resonate with visitors today.  

1634

Rembrandt (Dutch, 1606–1669), Christ at Emmaus: The Smaller Plate, 1634, etching and drypoint, 4.02 x 2.87 inches. Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Jack F. Feddersen, 1991.025.057.

Prints by other old master artists, such as Albrecht Dürer and Lucas van Leyden, which have been recently added to the Snite Museum’s holdings, will be included to illustrate Rembrandt’s development as an artist and to highlight the contributions he made to the art and philosophy of his time. 

Jack and Alfrieda Feddersen, collectors from Elkhart, first loaned their prints to the Snite Museum in 1981 shortly after the new building on the University’s campus opened. Wanting their collection to be studied and enjoyed by students, faculty, and the local community, the Feddersens donated their collection to the Snite Museum in 1991. The prints have been used by classes and exhibited to the public ever since then.  

1991

Rembrandt (Dutch, 1606–1669), Stoning of St. Stephen, 1635, etching, 3.74 x 3.35 inches. Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Jack F. Feddersen, 1991.025.063.

Exhibitions of our Rembrandt prints have long been a favorite in our community, and we are delighted to give the collectors and the artist their due on the 175th anniversary of the University’s founding,” said Charles Loving, director of the Snite Museum. 

Charles M. Rosenberg, professor emeritus of art history at the University of Notre Dame, wrote the insightful and lavishly illustrated catalog, telling the story of how the collection was formed and offering extensive analysis and interpretation of each of the prints in view of the religious turmoil prevalent in the Netherlands in the 1600s. Considering John Calvin’s sermons, the writings of contemporary rabbis, and Catholic Counter-Reformation teachings, Rosenberg sheds new light on Rembrandt’s provocative art.

O’Shaughnessy Gallery West. September 3 through November 26, 2017

1991

Rembrandt (Dutch, 1606–1669), Adam & Eve, 1638, etching, 6.34 x 4.57 inches. Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Jack F. Feddersen, 1991.025.067.

1991

Rembrandt (Dutch, 1606–1669), Death of the Virgin, 1639, etching and drypoint, 16.1 x 12.4 inches. Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Jack F. Feddersen, 1991.025.065.

1991

Rembrandt (Dutch, 1606–1669), Baptism of the Eunuch, 1641, etching, 7.01 x 8.39 inches. Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Jack F. Feddersen, 1991.025.064.

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Rembrandt (Dutch, 1606–1669), The Triumph of Mordecai, ca. 1641, etching and drypoint, 6.85 x 8.46 inches. Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Jack F. Feddersen, 1991.025.013.

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Rembrandt (Dutch, 1606–1669), The Triumph of Mordecai, ca. 1646?, counterproof from the etching, 6.85 x 8.46 inches. Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Jack F. Feddersen, 1991.025.014.

1991

Rembrandt (Dutch, 1606–1669), Christ Presented to the People: Oblong Plate, etching and drypoint, 15.08 x 17.91 inches. Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Jack F. Feddersen, 1991.025.047.

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Rembrandt (Dutch, 1606–1669), Christ Crucified between Two Thieves: Three Crosses, ca. 1653–55, etching and drypoint with burin, 15.16 x 17.72 inches. Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Jack F. Feddersen, 1991.025.049.

1654

Rembrandt (Dutch, 1606–1669), Circumcision in the Stable, 1654, etching, 3.7 x 5.67 inches. Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Jack F. Feddersen, 1991.025.021.

1991

Rembrandt (Dutch, 1606–1669), Descent from the Cross by Torchlight, 1654, etching with drypoint, 8.27 x 6.34 inches. Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Jack F. Feddersen, 1991.025.053.

1991

Rembrandt (Dutch, 1606–1669), Christ Returning from the Temple with His Parents, 1654, etching and drypoint, 3.7 x 5.7 inches. Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Jack F. Feddersen, 1991.025.068.

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Rembrandt (Dutch, 1606–1669), Image Seen by Nebuchadnezzar, 1655, etching and drypoint on vellum, 3.78 x 2.99 inches. Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Jack F. Feddersen, 1991.025.007.

1991

 

Rembrandt (Dutch, 1606–1669), David and Goliath, 1655, etching and drypoint with burin on vellum, 4.17 x 2.91 inches. Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Jack F. Feddersen, 1991.025.008.

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Rembrandt (Dutch, 1606–1669), Daniel's Vision of the Four Beasts, 1655, etching and drypoint with burin on vellum, 3.82 x 2.99 inches. Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Jack F. Feddersen, 1991.025.009.

1656-57

Rembrandt (Dutch, 1606–1669), Adoration of the Shepherds: A Night Piece, ca. 1656-57, etching and drypoint with burin, 5.83 x 7.8 inches. Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Jack F. Feddersen, 1991.025.020.

1657

Rembrandt (Dutch, 1606–1669), Christ Preaching or La Petite Tombe, ca. 1657, etching and drypoint, 6.1 x 8.15 inches. Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Jack F. Feddersen, 1991.025.038.

1658


A large black-glazed 'ribbed' jar, Northern Song-Jin dynasty

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A large black-glazed 'ribbed' jar, Northern Song-Jin dynasty

Lot 97. A large black-glazed 'ribbed' jar, Northern Song-Jin dynasty. Height 11 in., 28 cm. Estimate 15,000 — 20,000 USD. Photo: Sotheby's.

of ovoid form rising to a short neck with lipped rim, the body with a series of evenly-spaced raised vertical trails of white slip, a pair of ridged and tapering strap handles on the shoulder, covered overall in a black glaze and thinning to cream color at the raised ribs and stopping well short of the foot revealing a pale brown slip underneath, the interior and base similarly dressed, leaving the broad buff-colored knife-pared footring exposing the body, Japanese wood box (3).

ProvenanceMichael B. Weisbrod, New York. 

Note: The attractive ribs adorning this jar were carefully applied in slip onto the surface of the vessel before the application of glaze. During firing the glaze pulled away from the ribs to result in a striking contrast of delicate white lines emerging from a glossy black ground. A similar jar from the collection of Mr. and Mrs. Janos Szekeres was included in the exhibition Hare’s Fur, Tortoiseshell and Partridge Feathers, Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Harvard University Art Museums, Cambridge, MA, 1995, cat. no. 61, where it is noted that these ribs were first used on ceramics during the Tang dynasty in imitation of Tang lacquer and silver, and emerged as a decorative category by the 12th century (p. 176). 

Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 13 Sep 2017, 10:00 AM

NDB: A similar jar in the exhibition "Porcelaine, chefs-d'œuvre de la collection Ise" at Musée Guimet, Paris, 21 june-4 september 2017.

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Jarre à deux anses, Chine, lignée des fours de Cizhou, Dynastie Jin, 12e-13e siècle. Grès, engoble blanche et glaçure au fer. Collection Isé.

An extremely large and important 'Lingwu' cut-glaze wine jar, Xixia dynasty (1038-1227)

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An extremely large and important 'lingwu' cut-glaze wine jar, Xixia dynasty (1038-1227)

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Lot 99. An extremely large and important 'Lingwu' cut-glaze wine jar, Xixia dynasty (1038-1227). Height 20 1/2  in., 52 cm. Estimate 120,000 — 150,000 USD. Photo: Sotheby's.

of tapered ovoid form rising to a broad shoulder applied with four strap-handles, the body deftly cut through the brown glaze with two main registers of decoration, the lower band with four large peony sprays within shaped cartouches reserved on a ground of leaves and scored lines, the upper band with four large peony blooms interspersed between the handles, all within double bowstring borders and below wide plain clear and brown-glazed borders at the shoulder, the interior and lower body also glazed brown, the unglazed base with a shallow countersunk medallion incised with a cross, the lower body pierced by a bung hole.

Provenance: The Malcolm Collection, probably acquired before 1953. 
Sotheby's London, 29th March 1977, lot 144.
Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 30th April 1991, lot 5.
Yeung Wing Tak Collection, Singapore.
Collection of R. Hatfield Ellsworth (1929-2014).
Christie's New York, 21st March 2002, lot 135.  

ExhibitedYang Yongde kangli zhencang heiyou ci / Black Porcelain from the Mr & Mrs Yeung Wing Tak Collection, Museum of the Western Han Dynasty Mausoleum of the Nanyue King, Guangzhou, 1997, cat. no. 21. 

NoteThis magnificent jar belongs to a rare group of wares from the Xixia (also known as Tangut or Western Xia) dynasty in the northwest of China, which coexisted with the Song, Liao and Jin dynasties who all produced their own wares. The discovery of the Lingwu kiln was initiated by the lack of records from this kingdom, which was destroyed in 1227 and remained a mystery until relics and literary works in the Xixia language were excavated amongst the ruins of the city of Heicheng in northwest Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in the early 20th century.

The Lingwu kiln was located at Ciyaobao of Lingwu country, Ningxia, which lies 50 kilometres south of the capital of Xixia, Yinchuan, and was one of the major sites of ceramic production under the Xixia. From 1984 to 1986, the kiln site was excavated resulting in the discovery of shards and kiln implements piled up four meters deep that covered an area of 200,000 square meters. A comprehensive report was published by the Institute of Archaeology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing, in 1995, Ningxia Lingwu yao fajue baogao, which published shards of vessels decorated with the same technique as the present discovered at the site. Furthermore, incised marks, similar to that on the present jar, have been found on the base of bowl shards excavated at Lingwu, and several jars of related form with four ridged handles and wide unglazed bands at the shoulder appear on many excavated vessels.

Wares of this carved type were produced by glazing the entire yellowish body and then marking out the central and background parts. Within the central area, three techniques of glaze removal were employed: champlevé in the scraping off the glaze to make the outline of the peonies; incising for the petals and leaves; and sgraffiato in the removal of thicker carved lines. For the background, only oblique lines were used to accentuate the delicacy of the peony. The clay consisted of little sand to result in hard and compact bodies that turned pale yellow after firing, while the black glaze was composed of a type of local black slip with iron oxide as the coloring agent. It was fired in an oxidizing kiln at a temperature of approximately 1260°C to result in an aesthetically pleasing contrast between the glazed and exposed body, as well as a textural contrast between the glossy glaze and matte unglazed body. These techniques show that Xixia ceramic production was strongly influenced by Cizhou and Ding wares. 

Further examples of Xixia jars decorated with similar cut-glaze techniques include one in the Meiyintang Collection, illustrated in Regina Krahl, Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, vol. 1, London, 1994, pls 454 and 455. See also a white ‘cut-glaze’ meiping with leafy peony design, from the collection of Ruth and Bruce Dayton and now in the Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis, acc. no. 2001.8. Of the related examples, it is interesting to note not only the similarities but also the subtle differences in the gestural quality of the carving, the proportions of the blossoms and scrolling of the leaves which highlight the individual effort in their making.

Vase, late 13th century

Vase, late 13th century. Lingwu ware Stoneware with white "cut-glaze" floral decoration under a transparent glaze, 5-3/4 x 6-13/16 x 6-13/16 in. (14.6 x 17.3 x 17.3 cm). Gift of Ruth and Bruce Dayton, 2001.8. © Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis

This tall, slender, mei ping shape vase displays an exceptionally well-cut floral design. The vessel was first covered with a white slip through which the decoration was incised. The areas intended as background were then shaved away to reveal the light-grey stoneware body of the vase. Finally, the entire vessel was given a transparent glaze before firing. This so-called "cut-glaze" (tia hua) technique had been used at Cizhou type kilns throughout north China since the Jin dynasty (1115-1234).

Recently excavated kilns near Lingwu in northern Ningxia, Huici autonomous region, reveal that the area produced excellent wares during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries of the Xixia period (1032-1227). The black and white "cut-glaze" wares of these kilns included a large variety of bottle-vase forms. Black glazes predominated, however, and white glaze vessels of this size, condition, and design quality are relatively rare.

Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 13 Sep 2017, 10:00 AM

A 'Cizhou' white-glazed sgraffiato jar, Northern Song dynasty (960-1127)

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A 'Cizhou' white-glazed sgraffiato jar, Northern Song dynasty (960-1127)

Lot 103. A 'Cizhou' white-glazed sgraffiato jar, Northern Song dynasty (960-1127). Diameter 9 7/8  in., 25.2 cm. Estimate 5,000 — 7,000 USDPhoto: Sotheby's.

the baluster body rising to a slightly tapered short neck, boldly carved with a floral scroll between lappet bands, all reserved on a ring-punched ground, covered in a creamy-ivory glaze stopping just above the foot revealing the gray body, the interior and rim applied with a brown glaze.

ProvenanceCollection of Ambassador Dr. Carlos Augusto R. Santos-Neves (b. 1944), acquired in the 1980s.

Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 13 Sep 2017, 10:00 AM

A 'Cizhou'-type cut-glaze jar, Yuan-Ming dynasty (1279-1644)

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A 'Cizhou'-type cut-glaze jar, Yuan-Ming dynasty (1279-1644)

Lot 105. A 'Cizhou'-type cut-glaze jar, Yuan-Ming dynasty (1279-1644). Height 8 1/8  in., 20.5 cm. Estimate 5,000 — 7,000 USD. Photo: Sotheby's.

the globular body rising to a short straight neck, carved through the dark brown glaze with two large peony sprays and two butterflies, framed by a floral scroll border at the neck and a keyfret band below.

Provenance: Collection of Ambassador Dr. Carlos Augusto R. Santos-Neves (b. 1944), acquired in the 1980s.

Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 13 Sep 2017, 10:00 AM

Giampiero Bodino et les pièces Haute Joaillerie Corona CG

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Giampiero Bodino. Collier CORONA. Saphirs, émeraudes, opales de feu, diamants, or blanc.

On pourrait humer les odeurs et voir les couleurs du sud de l’Italie à travers cette création de Haute Joaillerie, joyaux aux couleurs d’exception dans lesquelles Giampiero Bodino fait renaître la nature et la beauté de son pays natal.

Collier et bracelet CORONA de la collection Mediterranea évoquent les mosaïques siciliennes d’antan typiques du sud de l’Italie, à travers un motif complexe de pierres multicolores aux tons contrastés, reliées par des fils de diamants blancs.

Associées à l’orange vif de l’opale de feu, les perles de saphirs et d’émeraudes forment des motifs floraux qui exaltent les tons vert et bleu intense des pierres précieuses.

Les bijoux de cette collection témoignent des techniques artisanales extraordinaires utilisées par les orfèvres, capables de créer des bracelets au corps métallique très fin et articulé, et des colliers confortables qui s'adaptent parfaitement à l'échancrure du décolleté de celles qui les portent.

www.giampierobodino.com   

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Giampiero Bodino. Bracelet CORONA. Saphirs, émeraudes, opales de feu, diamants, or blanc.

Christie’s Frieze Week 2017 - Innovative Line Up Of Curated, Cross-Category And Masterpiece Auctions In October

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Jean-Michel Basquiat, Red Skull (1982), Acrylic, oilstick and paper collage on canvas, 60 × 60 in. (152.4 × 152.4 cm.), Estimate on request. 

London - This October during London’s Frieze Week, Christie’s will present a second major season of Post-War and Contemporary Art in 2017 at King Street, bringing together the very best in art and design across the 20th and 21st centuries.  Following the successful move of the London auctions in March this year, Christie’s sales this October demonstrate a diversity that reflects the breadth and depth of taste across the international collecting community. Christie’s innovative programme will bring together five auctions and one exhibition, which will showcase the highest quality in not only painting, drawing and sculpture but also design and photography.  On view at Christie’s King Street, London, from the 29 September; a selection of highlights will be on view in New York, Rockefeller Center from 8 to 12 September and Hong Kong from 18 to 21 September.  

Francis Outred, Chairman and Head of Post War and Contemporary Art, EMERI “In recent years we have seen the growing importance both curatorially and commercially of London’s Frieze week in October. The art fairs, museums, galleries and auction houses together attract a huge global audience. This year the exhibitions in London’s museums and galleries are of the highest calibre: Jasper Johns at the Royal Academy, Jean-Michel Basquiat at Barbican, Rachel Whiteread at Tate and Brice Marden at Gagosian Gallery all stand out as highlights. Christie’s presentation this year is unlike anything we have ever seen before in October.  When I began in this business, eighteen years ago, October was a mid-season auction with a value of around one million pounds and now we will have five auctions and one exhibition that cross all aspects of creative visual production in the 20th and 21st centuries. I am particularly excited by the ‘Masterpieces of Design and Photography’ auction since these two fields have huge potential and by creating this unique auction platform with price points at relatively accessible levels, we are looking to encourage both established and younger collectors to come together and experience the special excitement and drama of an Evening auction at Christie’s King street.”

Francis Outred, Chairman and Head of Post War and Contemporary Art, EMERI “In recent years we have seen the growing importance both curatorially and commercially of London’s Frieze week in October. The art fairs, museums, galleries and auction houses together attract a huge global audience. This year the exhibitions in London’s museums and galleries are of the highest calibre: Jasper Johns at the Royal Academy, Jean-Michel Basquiat at Barbican, Rachel Whiteread at Tate and Brice Marden at Gagosian Gallery all stand out as highlights. Christie’s presentation this year is unlike anything we have ever seen before in October.  When I began in this business, eighteen years ago, October was a mid-season auction with a value of around one million pounds and now we will have five auctions and one exhibition that cross all aspects of creative visual production in the 20th and 21st centuries. I am particularly excited by the ‘Masterpieces of Design and Photography’ auction since these two fields have huge potential and by creating this unique auction platform with price points at relatively accessible levels, we are looking to encourage both established and younger collectors to come together and experience the special excitement and drama of an Evening auction at Christie’s King street.

Christie’s Frieze Week Calendar 2017 – On View from 29 September

Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Auction: 6 October

Christie’s Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Auction is a highlight of the Frieze Week calendar. This season the auction is led by Jean-Michel Basquiat’s Red Skull (illustrated top), a powerful expression of his most important motif set ablaze in technicolour glory. The work is one of around five known major skull paintings executed during the pivotal year of 1982. The Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Auction will also see major masterpieces from across the 20th and 21st centuries, including works by Peter Doig, Jenny Saville, Georg Baselitz, and Albert Oehlen.

Thinking Italian: Evening Auction, 6 October

This year’s focus on 20th century Italian art will present a tightly curated selection of artists including Alberto Burri, Lucio Fontana, Marino Marini, Michelangelo Pistoletto and Salvatore Scarpitta. A highlight will be Lucio Fontana’s Concetto spaziale, In piazza San Marco di notte con Teresita (1961, estimate on request) from the much-celebrated cycle of paintings titled Venezie. An ever-changing animated play of light, space and colour, the work is a spatial concept of St Mark’s Square in Venice. Another leading work is Michelangelo Pistoletto’s early mirror painting Alighiero Boetti che guarda un negativo (1967, estimate: £2,500,000 – 3,500,000), which brings together two iconic figures of post-war Italian art.

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Lucio Fontana, Concetto spaziale, In piazza San Marco di notte con Teresita (1961) acrylic and stones on canvas, 59 × 59 in. (150 × 150 cm.), Estimate on request ‘Thinking Italian’ (6 October). 

Up Close: Curated Evening Auction: 3 October

Andy Warhol’s seminal Coke Bottle will lead ‘Up Close’, a specially curated evening auction that will take place 3 October 2017, during London’s Frieze week. The auction will bring together an exceptional group of works to shed light on how artists, including Twombly and Warhol, have turned to small-scale compositions to challenge themselves and unlock new modes of expression. These works can offer a zone of emotional intimacy, an exercise in delicate skill, or even a refreshing liberation from the supervening order of size.

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Andy Warhol, Coke Bottle (1962), silkscreen ink, acrylic and ballpoint pen on canvas, 11⅛ x 6in. (28.3 x 15.2cm.) Estimate: £1,800,000 – 2,500,000 ‘Up Close’ (3 October)

Masterpieces of Design and Photography: Evening Auction 3 October

Masterpieces of Design and Photography is a curated auction that showcases great examples from these two complementary categories. Celebrating these art forms, the auction will bring new artistic dialogues to light, re-evaluating the masterpieces within the context of the 20th century. Art and design draw together aesthetics, technology, psychology and sociology, while both reflect and reinvent the world around us. Works by artists and designers including Julia Margaret Cameron, Helmut Newton and Thomas Demand, Gio Ponti, Finn Juhl and Gerrit Rietveld will be presented.

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Gilbert & George, Red Morning (Hell) (1977). Gelatin silver prints, in 16 parts, 95 × 78 in. (241.3 × 198.1 cm.), £800,000 – £1,200,000, Masterpieces of Design and Photography (3 October)

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Gerrit Thomas Rietveld, A rare ‘Elling’ sideboard, designed 1919, executed by Gerard van de Groenekan, circa 1970, painted beech, 41 in. x 78 ¾in. x 17 ¾in (104 x 200 cm x 45 cm.) Estimate: £60-90,000, Masterpieces of Design and Photography (3 October)

Post War and Contemporary Art Day Auction: 7 October

The Post-War and Contemporary Art Day Auction will showcase fresh talent alongside more established names from across the 20th and 21st Centuries.  Major highlights include Gerhard Richter’s Abstraktes Bild (1986, estimate: £2,200,000-2,800,000) as well as works by David Hockney, Tom Wesselmann, Bridget Riley, Sigmar Polke and Asger Jorn.  There is also a strong line-up of Italian works in the section ‘Thinking Italian Part 2’, which is headlined by a large selection of works by Lucio Fontana, showing the incredible eclecticism of his practice, and also features Vincenzo Agnetti, Carol Rama, Piero Dorazio and Fausto Melotti. The contemporary field is led by artists including Ibrahim Mahama, Laura Owens, Katharina Grosse, Karin Kneffel and Henry Taylor. In addition, the Post War and Contemporary Art Day Auction will feature works for the benefit of the charity ‘Art for Tropical Forests’, which was founded by legendary art dealer Ernst Beyeler in 2001. 

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Gerhard Richter, Abstraktes Bild (1986). Oil on canvas, 38 x 36¼in. (96.5 x 92cm.). Estimate: £2,200,000-2,800,000, Post-War and Contemporary Art Day Auction (7 October)

About the Line: Exhibition 29 September – 24 November (103 New Bond Street)

From the rigidity of Piet Mondrian through to the Baroque of Cy Twombly, this exhibition looks at drawings, paintings and sculptures from 1900 to the present day, and will include works by Piet Mondrian, Pablo Picasso, Cy Twombly, Agnes Martin, Willem de Kooning, Bridget Riley, Ben Nicholson, Bob Law, Brice Marden, Christopher Wool, Maria Lassnig, Julie Mehretu, Gunther Uecker. From ancient carvings on bone and stone to the intricate sketches and working drawings of Leonardo da Vinci and Albrecht Dürer, the use of line has pervaded art throughout the centuries and across many different cultures.

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Willem De Kooning, Triptych (Untitled V, Untitled II, Untitled IV), (1985). Oil on canvas, in three parts, (i) 80 x 70in. (203.2 x 177.8cm.)(ii) 77 x 88in. (195.6 x 223.5cm.)(iii) 80 x 70in. (203.2 x 177.8cm.)overall: 80 x 228in. (203.2 x 579.1cm.), ‘About the Line’ 29 September – 24 November

A rare incised yuezhou celadon leys jar, zhadou, Southern Dynasties-Sui dynasty, 6th century

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A rare incised yuezhou celadon leys jar, zhadou, Southern Dynasties-Sui dynasty, 6th century

Lot 1117. A rare incised yuezhou celadon leys jar, zhadou, Southern Dynasties-Sui dynasty, 6th century, 3 ½ in. (9 cm.) high. Estimate USD 6,000 - USD 8,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2017

The sloping shoulder is incised with bands of lotus petals above a band of stylized cloud motif, and the jar is covered inside and out with a finely crackled clear celadon glaze that stops above the base exposing the greyish body and a brown wash that also covers the base. 

ProvenanceIn New York prior to 2000. 
J.J. Lally & Co., New York, 19 September 2003.
Peter Scheinman (1932-2017) Collection, New York.

NotesCeladon wares with carved or incised lotus design are known to have been produced in Yuezhou ware in what is now modern day Xiangyin county, Hunan province. See a discussion about the Yuezhou ware in Mino and Tsiang, Ice and Green Clouds: Traditions of Chinese Celadons, Indianapolis, 1986, p. 112. Compare, also, the incised decoration on the base of an iron spot-decorated celadon figure of a lion sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 1 June 2016, lot 3101. 

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An extremely rare iron-spot decorated celadon figure of a seated lion, Southern Dynasties-early Tang dynasty, 6th-7th century. Sold for HKD 4,600,000 at Christie's Hong Kong, 1 June 2016, lot 3101. © Christie's Images Ltd 2016

(Cf. my post: An extremely rare iron-spot decorated celadon figure of a seated lion, Southern Dynasties-early Tang dynasty, 6th-7th century)

The result of Oxford Authentication thermoluminescence test no. P100y68 (14 September 2000) is consistent with the dating of this lot. 

Christie's. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, 14 - 15 September 2017, New York


A rare splash-glazed applique-decorated ewer, Tang dynasty, 7th-8th century

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A rare splash-glazed applique-decorated ewer, Tang dynasty, 7th-8th century

Lot 1118. A rare splash-glazed applique-decorated ewer, Tang dynasty, 7th-8th century, 8 ¾ in. (21.7 cm.) high. Estimate USD 7,000 - USD 9,000© Christie's Images Ltd 2017

The ovoid body is covered with a dark brown glaze decorated with splashes of pale bluish cream color that highlight the three arrangements of floret appliques on the shoulder and the handle that rises to the pinched mouth rim.

Provenance: IIn Hong Kong prior to 1996.
Sotheby's New York, 22 September 2005, lot 10.
Peter Scheinman (1932-2017) Collection, New York.

NoteThe result of Chinese University of Hong Kong thermoluminescence test no. 1171 (8 October 1996) is consistent with the dating of this lot.

Christie's. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, 14 - 15 September 2017, New York

A sancai-glazed applique-decorated tripod jar, Tang dynasty (AD 618-907)

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A sancai-glazed applique-decorated tripod jar, Tang dynasty (AD 618-907)

Lot 1107. A sancai-glazed applique-decorated tripod jar, Tang dynasty (AD 618-907), 7 in. (18 cm.) high.  Estimate USD 12,000 - USD 18,000© Christie's Images Ltd 2017

The globular body is supported on three animal-claw feet and has a waisted neck with flared rim. The sides are decorated with alternating large and small molded floral appliques, and are covered with streaked glazes of green, amber and cream color that fall towards the lower body revealing the buff ware. 

Provenance: IIn Hong Kong prior to 1996.
Sotheby's New York, 22 September 2005, lot 10.
Peter Scheinman (1932-2017) Collection, New York.

NoteCompare the sancai-glazed pottery tripod jar with very similar molded floral appliques, but of smaller size (13.3 cm. high), from the Dexinshuwu Collection, included in The Special Exhibition of Tang Tri-Colour, National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1995, p. 139, and subsequently sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 4 October 2016, lot 3.

A sancai-glazed applique-decorated tripod jar, Tang dynasty (618-907)

sancai-glazed applique-decorated tripod jar, Tang dynasty (618-907), from the Dexinshuwu Collection, 5 1/4 in. (13.3 cm) high. Sold for HKD 275,000 at Christie’s Hong Kong, 4 October 2016, lot 3. © Christie's Images Ltd 2016

(Cf. my post: A sancai-glazed applique-decorated tripod jar, Tang dynasty (618-907)

Christie's. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, 14 - 15 September 2017, New York 

Cindy Chao The Art Jewel Présente ses nouvelles créations Haute Joaillerie

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CINDY CHAO The Art Jewel a dévoilé au Ritz durant la semaine de la Haute Couture en Juillet dernier ses nouvelles créations, douze magnifiques pièces de Haute Joaillerie révélant la perspective unique de l’artiste Cindy Chao sur le monde.

Les pièces phares de la collection sont les chefs-d’œuvre Black Label 2017, la gamme la plus prestigieuse et la plus exclusive de la Maison, pour laquelle Cindy Chao cherche uniquement les pierres précieuses les plus rares. Pour atteindre la perfection, chaque pièce est élaborée autour d’un processus de création méticuleux qui peut prendre jusqu’à deux ans.

Cette année, durant l’exposition, Cindy Chao a présenté une magnifique bague de la collection Ribbon composée d’un diamant rouge de 1.50 carat. Il existe moins de 30 diamants rouges certifiés dans le monde, ce qui rend cette pièce encore plus exceptionnelle. 

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Cindy Chao. Bague composée d’un diamant rouge de 1.50 carat de la collection Ribbon.

Cindy Chao a également apporté une nouvelle interprétation à ses motifs emblématiques de la collection Four Seasons. La nouvelle paire de broches Winter Leaves témoigne de la volonté de l’artiste de faire une percée technique en employant des métaux sophistiqués comme le titane.

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Cindy Chao. Broches Winter Leaves de la collection Four Seasons.

La paire de boucles d’oreilles Conch Pearl Rose de la collection Rose présente la vision de Cindy Chao du Jardin Rose (Giardino delle Rose) à Florence. Cette paire est composée de deux perles de conque de 30.01 carats au total et de plus de dix nuances de diamants jaunes sur les pétales.

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Cindy Chao. Boucles d’oreilles Conch Pearl Rose de la collection Rose.

Aussi, la nouvelle collection s’enrichit de pièces White Label. Cette année, Cindy Chao a créé une toute nouvelle collection de libellules, sous le nom Dragonfly, une collection pour laquelle l’artiste a consacré six ans d’élaboration afin d’atteindre la perfection recherchée. La phase initiale de la sculpture réalisée à la cire a été faite une douzaine de fois, car Cindy Chao s’est efforcée de capturer toute l’essence de l’insecte. 

La broche libellule Conch Pearl Dragonfly a une apparence très naturelle. Energique et vigoureuse, elle incarne l’esprit pionnier de Cindy Chao qui se retrouve depuis toujours dans ses créations. 

La broche libellule Emerald Dragonfly lutte pour se frayer un chemin dans la tempête, ses ailes recourbées restent élégantes. Sa bravoure rappelle la persévérance de l’artiste confrontée aux défis techniques.

Les deux libellules, avec leur silhouette asymétrique, sont une ode à la vie qui rappelle que, comme dans la nature, aucune symétrie n’existe.

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Cindy Chao. Broche libellule Conch Pearl Dragonfly et broche libellule Emerald Dragonfly de la collection White Label.

Tout aussi attrayante, l’élégante et raffinée tiare Leaves Tiara de la collection Four Seasons White Label met en scène une nouvelle réalisation autour des feuilles. Les nouvelles boucles d’oreilles Maple, plus grandes et encore plus légères, témoignent de l’avancement continu de Cindy Chao dans ses créations. 

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Cindy Chao. Leaves Tiara de la collection Four Seasons White Label.

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Cindy Chao. Boucles d’oreilles Maple.

Jacob Heise (verified 1654-1667 in Königsberg), Stem cup, Königsberg, ca 1660

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Jacob Heise (verified 1654-1667 in Königsberg), Stem cup, Königsberg, ca 1660. Amber, Height 7.7 cm, width 10.5 cm. © Art Chamber Georg Laue

Published in: Laue, G .: Tresor. Treasures for European Kunstkammer, Munich 2017, pp. 156-157, pp. 234-235, Cat. No. 44; Werner, M./Laue, G .: Bernstein - Sigmar Polke - Amber, New York 2006, p. 76, p. 104; Laue, G .: Bernstein. Treasures of European Art Chambers. Amber. Treasuries for European Kunstkammer, Munich 2006, pp. 200-201, cat. no. 1; Seipel, W. (ed.): Amber for throne and altar. The gold of the sea in princely art and treasury chambers. Exhibition at the Alte Geistliche Schatzkammer, Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna, Vienna 2005, pp. 60-61, cat. no. 30

Exhibited at: Michael Werner Gallery New York, "Bernstein - Sigmar Polke - Amber", November 7, 2006-January 13, 2007; Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien, Alte Geistliche Schatzkammer, "Amber for throne and altar. The Gold of the Sea in Princely Art and Treasuries ", October 5, 2005- January 29, 2006

Worked from a single piece of transparent amber, the oval bowl of the dish rises above a clear, balaster stem. The everted lip is made of several joined pieces of cloudy amber. An oval medallion of transparent amber is set into the floor of the bowl. It covers a carved ivory relief showing a recumbent nude female figure with a raised wine cup - to Allegory of Abundance. Marine scenes are carved in high relief in the clear amber wall of the bowl. Winged putti on scaly sea monsters populate a turbulent marine landscape. A border of floral and foliate decoration runs all the way around the scenes, which are punctured at intervals by horned mascarons. 

Both the exceptionally high quality of the workmanship distinguishes this small dish and the marine representations point unequivocally to the Königsberg master in amber Jacob Heise. The attribution to him is based on the fact that he is in the possession of the king. Originally conceived as a diplomatic gift of the first order, it was sent in 1662 as a state present by Friedrich Wilhelm, Elector of Brandenburg, to Johann Georg II, Elector of Saxony (inv. No. IV 340). A nautilus vessel in Königsberg Palace has been listed as lost since 1945. The magnificent vessel made by Heise in 1654 in turn shows virtually identical marine scenes with winged putti on sea monsters (Rohde 1937, nos 130 and 131, pl 55). (1937, nos. 137 and 138), which is the first of the most famous and most famous of the world. 

Michel Redlin, Amber court box and board with complete set of amber chessmen, North-east German, Gdańsk, ca 1700

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Michel Redlin (verified from 1688), Amber court box and board with complete set of amber chessmen, North-east German, Gdańsk, ca 1700. Amber, transparent and cloudy, in part carved and engraved, backed with silver foil, wooden carcass, brass fittings, drawer lined with blue silk, underside with Augsburg brocade paper; Chessboard: 37 x 37 x 11 cm; Chessmen: king height 7 cm, pawn height 5.5 cm© Art Chamber Georg Laue

Published in: Laue, G .: Tresor. Treasures for European Kunstkammer, Munich 2017, p. 67, Fig. 43; Laue, G .: The Kunstkammer. Wonders are Collectable. Kunstkammer Edition, vol. 1, Munich 2016, pp. 52-53, p. 116, cat. No. 27, FIG 

This magnificent amber box and board with chessmen is one of the most impressive amber artworks dating from about 1700 in existence. The square carcass of the box, which is covered on all sides with amber panels of varying size and color in brilliantly colored marquetry, stands on four feet in the form of lions couchant. The edges are decorated with the flat-cut pieces of cloudy amber as well as oval and lozenge-shaped transparent amber cabochons, which are backed with gold foil and enlivened with hollow-cut engraving. On the chessboard square fields of dark red, transparent amber alternate with fields of yellowish cloudy amber. The artist also used these two sets of chessmen by color. Usually it is available in red and yellow. Harbor scenes, genre scenes, Emblematic representations and all sorts of animals are as depicted on the dark red cabochons and board fields. Small amber vases of fruit, from the corners of the chessboard, emphasizing the ceremonial appearance of the box. Two drawers at the end of the box. Stock photography Two drawers at the end of the box, one drawer for each color. The drawers pull out to reveal kings, queens, bishops, rooks, knights, and pawns, each piece lying in one of sixteen compartments lined with blue silk. one drawer for each color. The drawers pull out to reveal kings, queens, bishops, rooks, knights, and pawns, each piece lying in one of sixteen compartments lined with blue silk. one drawer for each color. The drawers pull out to reveal kings, queens, bishops, rooks, knights, and pawns, each piece lying in one of sixteen compartments lined with blue silk.

Comparable amber chess sets are very rare and the few that are extant have survived, as might be expected, primarily in public museums of princely origin: in the Green Vault in Dresden from the collection by Friedrich August I of Saxony (1696- 1733); in the State Hermitage in Saint Petersburg from the collection of Catherine II of Russia (at 1762-1796) and at Rosenborg Palace in Copenhagen from the Royal Danish Treasury. The Copenhagen amber chess set is the most important thing in the history of art, decoration and the design of the chessmen.

Attribution of the present amber box and chess pieces to the Gdansk artist in amber Michel Redlin is based on a , The overall appearance of the box is not the same as in the case of a box, but it is also the case in style to the manes of the lion feet. Michel Redlin is an artist in amber working in Gdańsk: at that time Frederick III, Elector of Brandenburg (r. 1688-1713, from 1701 on Friedrich I of Prussia), acquired several amber art works from the artist to send them to the Russian court.

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