This section will be available this Autumn.
Sylvia Kovacek – Vienna
Goblet-shaped lidded cup Gilded, cold-painted, diamond-point glass decoration Tyrol, 1570-1591 H 31.5 cm (with lid) Provenance: private collection, United Kingdom Literature: Erich Egg, Die Glashütten zu Hall und Innsbruck im 16. Jahrhundert, Innsbruck 1962, plate XIV, fig. 27-comparable lidded goblet from Ambras Castle at KHM (Museum of Art History) Vienna; Anna Elisabeth Theuerkauff-Liederwald, Venezianisches Glas der Veste Coburg. Sammlung Herzog Alfreds von Sachsen Coburg, Coburg 1994, pp. 240-243-comparable goblet, and p. 271, fig. 256 -comparable shape, decorated in diamond-point, without painting; Brigitte Klesse, Hans Mayr, Veredelte Gläser aus Renaissance und Barock, Ernesto Wolf Collection, Vienna 1990, p. 28, fig. 33, n° 35 in catalogue-comparable, very similar object in blue glass; The Mühleib Collection of European Glass, sale Bonhams, 2 May 2013, London 2013, pp. 20 and 21-similar lidded goblet (without lion's head baluster); Strasser/ Spiegl, Dekoriertes Glas, Munich 1989, pp. 163 and 164-similar lidded goblets; Strasser/Baumgärtner, Light and Colour. Licht und Farbe. Die Sammlung Rudolf von Strasser, KHM, Vienna 2002, fig. n° 8 and fig. n° 9
Galerie Raf Van Severen
pierre alechinsky
Pierre Alechinsky (Brussels, 1927) Les Pleins et les Déliés, 1962 Oil on canvas 100 x 80 cm Signed and dated Provenance: Kunsthandel M.L. de Boer, Amsterdam, n° 8048; private collection, The Netherlands 'Les pleins et les déliés' is an abstract expressionist painting by the Belgian painter Pierre Alechinsky (1927). Alechinsky was one of the prominent members of the avant-garde group Cobra (1948-1951). Characteristic for the art movement of that time, Alechinsky applied a chaotic and dynamic use of colors, with red the main color in this painting. He got to that result by using wild brushstrokes. This painting is considered an early work in the oeuvre of Alechinsky and can be situated during the top period with the likes of Karel Appel. Paintings like 'Barbaars Naakt' (SMAK, Ghent) by Karel Appel used a similar color palette with again violent paint strokes. As a result, the figures in their paintings are barely obeservable. But that was basically what they were trying to achieve. Together, the members of Cobra all tried to bring over the same message in their paintings. They wanted to disrupt an existing order and harmony. As this is an early work, the painting is still oil on canvas. Not much later in his career, Alechinsky made the full-time switch to mixed media on paper laid down on canvas. In the latter technique, the viewer can recognize elements of calligraphy. That became a passion for Alechnisky, after he visited Japan in 1955. In these paintings, he started expressing his love for calligraphy, by using it on the canvas itself, more specifically the typical ink. Even in this painting, we can already notice a reference to calligraphy or handwriting. Just not yet on the canvas, but in the title. 'Les pleins et les déliés' is a concept used in calligraphy where 'Les Pleins' refers to the thick strokes or the full, bold lines made when writing. 'Les Déliés' refers to the thin strokes or the delicate, lighter lines. It is easier to comprehend by imagining a brush stroke. If it’s done vertically you get a thicker brush stroke, if done horizontally, it’s possible to get a finer stroke.
Galerie Dina Vierny
Serge Poliakoff (Moscow 1900-1969 Paris) Composition abstraite, 1956 Oil on burlap 81 x 130 cm Signed lower left 'Serge Poliakoff' Provenance: Dr. Franz Meyer collection, Zürich; sale Perrin-Royère-Lajeunesse, Versailles, 10 December 1989, lot 113; private collection, Switzerland; sale Christie's, London, 29 June 2000, lot 343; private collection; Galerie Applicat-Prazan, Paris; private collection (acquired from the above in 2003); Galerie Dina Vierny, Paris Literature: J. Grenier, 'Poliakoff', in L'Oeil, March 1958, n° 39, ill. p. 31; G. Bernier, Modern Art Yesterday and Tomorrow, 1960, ill. p. 121; La Gazette de l'Hôtel Drouot, 30 September 1994, ill. p. XXIII; La Gazette de l'Hôtel Drouot, n° 41, 24 November 1994, ill. p. 291; A. Poliakoff, Serge Poliakoff: Catalogue raisonné, vol. II, 1955-1958, 2010, n° 56-38, ill. p. 128 Exhibitions: Paris, Galerie Bing, Serge Poliakoff, 1956; Künzelsau, Museum Würth, Serge Poliakoff, 1997-1998; Wien, Kunstlerhaus, Serge Poliakoff, 1998
J. Baptista
'Minas Novas' necklace Silver and quartz Portugal, 18th century Weight 100.5 gr. 9.5 x 33.5 cm Articulated links studded with 'Minas Novas' (colourless quartz) with a large bow in the centre, applications of stylised botanical elements and a removable dove Literature: similar pieces illustrated in Orey, Leonor d'-Cinco Séculos de Joalharia-Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga, Instituto Português de Museus/Zwemmer, Lisbon/London, 1995, pp. 92-94
J. Baptista
Silver salver Portugal, late 16th century Weight 1050 gr. Ø 33 cm Literature: Reynaldo Dos Santos; Irene Quilho. Ourivesaria portuguesa nas colecções particulares. Lisbon: 1974. pp. 139-140; Gonçalo Vasconcelos e Sousa, Pratas Portuguesas em Colecções Particulares: séc. XV ao séc. XX. Oporto: 1998. pp. 54-55 This concave silver salver is a remarkable example of Portuguese silverwork from the late 16th century, often serving a utilitarian function in the households of prominent families of the time. Pieces like this, richly decorated with geometric elements, volutes, and shell motifs, demonstrate the artistic sophistication and craftsmanship of Portuguese artisans during that period. The base of the piece is divided into eight dotted trapezoidal frames adorned with floral elements, while the engraved central medallion features a stylized open flower, highlighting the intricate ornamentation. The historical and artistic value of this salver is further attested by its presence in the collections of prestigious museums such as the Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga in Lisbon (Legado de Barros e Sá), the Lázaro Galdiano Foundation in Madrid (inventory n° 2484, room 11), and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (accession n° 13.23.1), as well as in the private collection of Dr. Miguel Pereira de Abreu in Oporto. These pieces not only represent the excellence of Portuguese silverwork but also illustrate the cultural and social roles that utilitarian objects played in the households of important families during this period.
Objects With Narratives
maison jonckers
Maison Jonckers (Belgium, founded in 2015) Hypsometrique Bronze, 2015 H 28.5 x W 121 x D 78.5 cm Edition of 8. Signed, dated and numbered Provenance: Ateliers Zaventem Beyond any graphic, scientific or mathematical data, towards a line of arrhythmic curves symbolising a surface in relief, the engraving of this table is inspired by the art of cartography, created almost 8000 years ago. Cartography is an essential tool for mankind, helping to inform and specify our journeys, carrying us gradually further and further towards the unknown, towards the discovery of new worlds
Artimo Fine Arts
Magician question and answer automaton 'album amicorum' book with original leather case and instructions for use Meussel et Fils à Genève, March 1823 Gold, enamel and tortoiseshell H 20 x W 15 cm Unique piece Provenance: J.-G. & J.-C. Meüsel, Geneva, Jewellers at rue des Orfevres, 184 Geneva, dated 1823; Lydia Huber Strutt (1759-1832), Geneva acquired 1823 (?); Bernard Franck (1848-1924), 21 rue du Château d’Eau, Paris, exact date of acquisition unconfirmed, but likely before 1900; Henry & Sidney Hill, Berry-Hill Galleries, New York and London (formerly Frederick Berry & Sons of 25, Piccadilly), at the time specialists in gold boxes and objects, circa 1938; Maurice Sandoz, (1892-1958), Swiss nationality, resided variously in Burier, Switzerland, Rome, New York, Lisbon, Naples. Acquired the Magician, circa 1938; private collection, Europe Literature: A. Chapuis, E. Gelis, Le Monde des Automates, vol. II, Paris 1928, pp. 170-172, figs. 438/439; A. Chapuis, À travers les collections d’horlogerie: gens et choses, Neuchâtel, La Baconnière, 1942, ch. IX; Letter signed by Henry D. Hill of Berry-Hill, New York, 23 December 1947 to Alfred Chapuis confirming that they had purchased a part of the Bernard Franck Collection some years earlier. (Alfred Chapuis Archive held at the Musée d’Horlogerie, Chateau-des-Monts, Le Locle. Inv. G48.); A La Vieille Russie, Inc. A Loan Exhibition of Antique Automatons, 3 November-5 December 1950, Private Printing by Spinner Press, New York. p. 58, cat. n° 151; Maurice Sandoz collection, Watches and Automata, Fondation Maurice & Edouard Sandoz, 2012, vol. III, pp.201-202 Exhibition: A La Vieille Russie, Inc. A Loan Exhibition of Antique Automatons, 3 November-5 December 1950, New York
Lemaire
Tournai porcelain ornithological teapot from the Duc d'Orléans service, circa 1787 This teapot forms part of a service made for Philippe Duc d'Orléans in 1787. The ornithological designs were taken from the comte de Buffon's Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux, published in ten volumes between 1770 and 1786. The painting of the panels for the service is attributed to Jean-Ghislain-Joseph Mayer Soft paste porcelain H 14.3 cm The shape is a Tournai interpretation of the Calabre teapots from Sèvres and was created especially for the service of the Duc d'Orléans. Birds reproduced on the teapot: Coraya de Cayenne (Buffon vol. IV, pp 484-485) and Hirondelle d’Amérique (Buffon vol. VI, pp. 669-670)
Boon Gallery
Jean Dubuffet (Le Havre 1901-1985 Paris) Zône Habitée, 1980 Acrylic on canvas 100 x 81 cm Monogram lower right Literature: M. Loreau, Catalogue des travaux de Jean Dubuffet: Sites aux figurines, partitions, Fascicule XXXIII, Paris, 1982, p. 98, n° 238, ill. Exhibition: Waddington Galleries, Jean Dubuffet, London, 1981
Galerie de la Béraudière
félix labisse
Félix Labisse (Marchiennes 1905-1982 Neuilly-sur-Seine) Histoire naturelle, 1943 Oil on canvas 72.7 x 59.4 cm Provenance: Jacques Arnold Croquez, Paris; Galerie Isy Brachot, Brussels and Paris (acquired from the above); collection Jean-Luc Lagardère, Paris; sale Christie's, London, 6 February 2007, lot 127; private collection Literature: Robert Desnos, Félix Labisse, Paris, 1945, (not paginated); Newsweek, New York, 10 February 1947 (ill.); C'est Paris, June 1950 (ill.); Louis Pauwels, Gurdjieff, Isle of Man, 1963; Patrick Waldberg, Félix Labisse, Brussels, 1970, (ill. p. 129; in its first state); Jean Cassou, Isy Brachot (eds.), Labisse, Catalogue de l'oeuvre peint, 1927-1979, Brussels, 1979, n° 164, ill. p. 92; Véronique Prat, A Félix Labisse, cent mille diables reconnaissants, in Figaro Magazine, 11 September 1982, p. 87 (ill.) Exhibitions: 2017, Brussels, Galerie de la Béraudière, La figure animalière; 2016, Brussels, Galerie de la Béraudière, Chefs d'œuvre de la galerie et Surréalisme; 2005-2006, Douai, Musée de la Chartreuse, Félix Labisse, 1905-1982, Exhibition rétrospective du centenaire de sa naissance, n° 23, ill. pp. 93 and 139 (this exhibition later travelled to Carcassone, Musée des Beaux-Arts, February-May 2006); 1986, Douai, Musée de la Chartreuse, Hippodrome, Rétrospective Félix Labisse, n° 14, ill. p. 49; 1979, Ostend, Casino Kursaal, Labisse, 50 ans de peinture, n° 51; 1978, Paris, Grand Palais, Salon des artistes français, Magritte, Delvaux, Labisse; 1960, Knokke, Casino, Rétrospective Félix Labisse, n° 9; 1953, Ostend, Kursaal, Art fantastique, n° 59; Brussels, Palais des Beaux-Arts, Félix Labisse, n° 9; Liège, Musée des Beaux-Arts, Félix Labisse, n° 6; 1947, New York, Whitney Museum, Painting in France; 1945, Brussels, Palais des Beaux-Arts, Jeune peinture française, n° 29; 1944, Paris, Galerie René Drouin, Le nu dans la peinture contemporaine
Univers du Bronze
auguste rodin
Auguste Rodin (Paris 1840-1917 Meudon) Petite ombre de la Porte de l'enfer ou 'Petite Ombre n°1' Model of 1885, cast in 1943 Bronze, richly shaded green brown patina H 31.1 x W 13.8 x D 10.9 cm Bronze signed 'Rodin', cast by 'Alexis Rudier Fondeur Paris' (mark), 'A.Rodin' inside relief seal; 13 examples by this founder for Rodin between 1906 and 1911, then 4 by him for the Museum between 1919 and 1945 (completed edition by Georges Rudier between 1958 and 1966 with 7 bronzes) - Comité Rodin advice letter 2022-6677B
Galerie Berès
maurice denis
Maurice Denis (Granville 1870-1943 Paris) Les Fées, circa 1891 Oil on cardboard 23 x 30.3 cm Signed lower left 'MAVD'; titled upper right 'LES FEES' Provenance: Arthur Huc Literature: Le Talisman de Serusier, une prophétie de la couleur, Musée Pont-Aven, 30 June 2018-6 January 2019, p. 98, n° 42 Exhibitions: Au temps des Nabis, Paris, Huguette Berès, 29 May-20 July 1990, n° 46; Maurice Denis, Paris, Huguette Berès, 4 June-22 July 1992, n° 14; Le Talisman de Serusier, une prophétie de la couleur, Musée Pont-Aven, 30 June 2018-6 January 2019, p. 98, n° 42 1891 was a pivotal year in the life of the young French painter Maurice Denis. Painted in 1891, Les fées dates from the key moment when Denis's art was becoming more synthetic. He belonged to the young Nabis group, which was mainly concerned with decorative paintings. This scene, which is the 2nd version of the subject, is considered to be one of the most faithful to the spirit of Pont-Aven. The emerald of the meadow, the black of the forest edge, their counterpoint of ochres and yellows of the path, the black of four silhouettes, are they not echoes of Gauguin saying: ‘of colour alone as the language of the listening eye...’? In this painting, executed in Brittany, Maurice Denis illustrates the tradition according to which ‘The Fairies’ made wishes when a child was born. The scene, set on the edge of the forest, their domain par excellence, shows, on the right, the young mother dressed in red and the nannies dressed in black and white presenting a small child to a group of four fairies dressed in black; two of them are wearing white headdresses. By using pure colours in large flat areas, Maurice Denis put into practice the theories he had made his own, ... the watchword, the common principle is to exalt colour and simplify form. Arthur HUC, a French politician and journalist, was director of La Dépêche du Midi and organised the famous Nabis exhibition in Toulouse in 1894. In 1892, Maurice Denis produced the only advertising poster he ever did for his newspaper.
Galerie de la Béraudière
germaine richier
Germaine Richier (Grans 1902-1959 Montpellier) La Sauterelle, moyenne, 1945 Bronze with dark patina H 54 x W 44 x D 65 cm Signed, numbered and stamped on the base: G. Richier, HC3, C. Valsuani cire perdue. Edition HC3 out of 12 (1/8 - 8/8 + HC1-HC2-HC3 + EA) Posthumous cast Provenance: collection Henri Creuzevault, Paris; collection Colette Creuzevault, Paris (by descent); De Baecque & Associés, 19 November 2021, lot 2; private collection, Belgium Literature: Peggy Guggenheim collection, Germaine Richier, exhibition catalogue, Venice, 2007, p. 70; Jean-Louis Prat et Françoise Guiter, Germaine Richier, Rétrospective, Saint-Paul de Vence, Fondation Maeght, 1996, n° 15, pp. 46-47, ill. (another cast); Peter Selz, New Images of Man, New York, 1959, ill. p. 129 (another cast) Exhibitions: 1997, Berlin, Akademie der Künste, Germaine Richier, p. 77, n° 15, p. 85, n° 20, ill. (another cast); 1996, Saint-Paul de Vence, Fondation Maeght, Germaine Richier, Rétrospective, p. 46, n° 15, ill. (another cast); 1976, Japan, Tokyo, Contemporary Sculpture Center and Osaka, Contemporary Sculpture Center, Exposition Richier, n°7; 1955, London, The Hanover Gallery, Germaine Richier, np., n° 10 (another cast) A key figure in the history of modern art, Germaine Richier remains unclassifiable. Trained by Bourdelle to sculpt from live models, her work took on an anthropomorphic character after the war, with the human body remaining at the centre of her preoccupations, but from then on taking on an allegorical and fantastic character, in the image of this Sauterelle, whose tormented material takes on a dramatic character of existentialist essence. Charged with a primitive force that, as André Pieyre de Mandiargues points out, is ‘as much rock or stump as flayed man’, La Sauterelle is undoubtedly one of the artist's masterpieces, a sculpture that has evolved towards an unprecedented baroque and expressive naturalism. The Sauterelles are among Germaine Richier's most emblematic creations, the artist produced three different versions. La Sauterelle, petite (1944), La Sauterelle, moyenne (1945) and La Sauterelle grande (1955-1956) offer astonishing variations on the strangeness of this hybrid being, both woman and animal, and impose a remarkable questioning of form and balance through a play of juxtaposed squares, fostering the ambiguity of a work that is both frozen and in motion, ready to leap.
Galeries AB & BA
joan miró
Joan Miró (Barcelona 1893-1983 Palma de Mallorca) Untitled, 1949 Oil, watercolour, pastel crayon and charcoal on paper 32.5 x 25 cm Signed and dated on reverse, 1949 Provenance: Pierre Matisse Gallery, New York; J. Reiss collection, Wisconsin; private collection, Paris Literature: J. Dupin and A. Lelong-Mainaud, Joan Miró, Catalogue raisonné, Drawings II, Editions Daniel Lelong – Successió Miró, 2010, vol. II, p. 185, n° 1184 Exhibition: Milwaukee Art Center, Wisconsin Collects, 24 September-25 October 1964, p. 15, cat. 132
A&R Fleury
Sam Francis (San Matteo 1923-1994 Santa Monica) The blue between the red and green, 1960 Acrylic and gouache on paper 85.8 x 58.7 cm - framed 102.5 x 76 cm Provenance: private collection, Switzerland; Galerie Kornfeld, Bern, 1990; André Emmerich Gallery, New York; Dina and Raphael Recanati Collection, New York Exhibitions: New York, André Emmerich Gallery, Sam Francis: Paintings on paper 1956-1964, October-November 1990, ill.; Los Angeles, Manny Silverman Gallery, Sam Francis : Selected works, April-May 1999, n°1, ill. Literature: D. Burchett-Lere, ed, Sam Francis Online Catalogue Raisonné Project, n° SF60-1116
Valerio Turchi
Diana Venatrix Roman, 2nd century AD Marble H 103 x W 45 x D 26 cm Accompanied by Art Loss Register certificate: S00217922 Provenance: the former collection of an art dealer, USA; Sotheby’s New York, Antiquities and Islamic Art, 1-2 March 1984, lot.73; then former collection of the explorer and adventurer J. Stephen Fosset (1944-2007); acquired in London, 21 October 1986
Victor Werner
luigi carrubba
Luigi Carrubba (Tunisia 1907-? Rome) Diana the Huntress, circa 1937 Bronze with black patina H 108 x L 100 x D 47 cm Signed 'Carrubba Luigi Roma Febbraio XV' Literature: E. Zorzi, Uno sguardo d'insieme alla XXI Biennale d'Arte di Venezia, in 'Le vie d'Italia turismo nazionale, movimento dei forestieri, prodotto italiano', XLIV, 6, 1938, p. 750 Luigi Carrubba, a Tunis-born sculptor who later settled in Rome, rose to prominence in the late 1930s, gaining recognition through major Italian art exhibitions. His works, including bas-reliefs and sculptures, were featured in events such as the Venice Biennale and regional exhibitions, where they were celebrated for their quality and scale. One of his notable sculptures, The Hunt, which may correspond to the work presented here (based on the similarity of subject and date) highlights Carrubba's mastery of dynamic forms and stylised bodies. This work exemplifies his skill in capturing movement and emotion through simple, refined lines. Carrubba continued to display works like Maternità and L’estate at the Venice Biennale, where he earned recognition amongst the emerging talents of the time.
Kunsthaus Kende
Ane Christensen (Copenhagen, 1972) Dented bowl Sterling silver London, 2000 H 10.3 x W circa 35 x D circa 30.1 cm Weight 966.2 gr. The body with a fully frosted surface, divided in the centre. A decorative, modern fruit bowl in sterling silver by one of Britain’s most important modern female designers and silversmiths. The silversmith and designer Ane Christensen, born in 1972 in Copenhagen, studied at the Royal College of Art, London and London Guildhall University, whilst also working as an assistant to Howard Fenn and Alfred Pain. Since 1999, she has worked as a professional artist silversmith in London. The incomparable formal language of her objects quickly brought her international renown as well as numerous exhibition participations and awards. Her artworks can be found in the Victoria & Albert Museum, London, the Koldinghus Museum, Kolding (Denmark) and in the Birmingham Museum Collection.
Douwes Fine Art b.v.
melchior d'hondecoeter
Melchior d'Hondecoeter (Utrecht 1636-1695 Amsterdam) The bird concert, a family of ducks near a pond with a farm in the background, circa 1666 Oil on canvas 102.5 x 87.5 cm Traces of signature at lower right: M. With thanks to Dr Fred Meijer who wrote a certificate for the work on 9 August 2024, confirming the authenticity of the artwork Provenance: sale collection Konstantin Tifoxilos, Vienna, Wawra, 28 November 1904, lot 75, b&w ill. opposite title page; Galerie Arnot, London 1919; Heirs to Minister Dr. H. Sulzer, Winterthur; Gebr. Douwes Fine Art, Amsterdam, n° 8377, 1968 shown at the Delftse Antique Fair; private collection, The Netherlands; thence by descent to the current owners Exhibition: Kunstmuseum Winterthur, Der unbekannte Winterthurer Privatbesitz 1500-1900, September-October 1942 (Kunstverein Winterthur), cat. n° 145
Francis Maere Fine Arts
conrad willems
Conrad Willems (Belgium, 1983) Construction VII, 2022 977 Verde Levanto building blocks Black paper and white paint H 229 x W 148.5 x D 335 cm (sculpture) 3 x (110 x 75 cm) (drawings) The work consists of 977 Verde Levanto building blocks and three framed hand-drawn construction drawings. The blocks have been cut and sanded into 11 different basic shapes, based on wooden toy blocks. These are built into a construction, based on the construction drawings on black paper. The blocks are not affixed in any way, but placed on top of each other in a specific building order.