This section will be available this Autumn.
unforget Decorative Arts
line vautrin
Line Vautrin (Paris, 1913-1997) Crète de coq mirror, circa 1965 Talosel inlaid with mirror fragments H 50 x W 41.5 cm Diameter at sight of the central witch: 10 cm This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by the Line Vautrin Committee “Crète de Coq”, mirror in black Talosel inlaid with mirror fragments, by Line Vautrin. This convex “witch mirror” features a radiant decoration of incised Talosel inlaid with polychrome mirror tesserae in shades of red, gold, copper, and silver. The spiral composition evokes the bristling energy and dynamic movement of a cockscomb, its form at once organic and architectural. A rare and technically demanding creation, Crète de Coq exemplifies Vautrin’s experimental mastery of Talosel - a material she both discovered and transformed into a medium of pure artistic expression. In this piece, she chose a warm palette of reds, oranges, golden ambers, and bronzed tones, creating a striking contrast with the deep black of the Talosel structure. The frame itself unfolds in six spiraling curves, each extending into a series of radiant, gently curved points that seem to shimmer and vibrate with light. Singular within her oeuvre, this asymmetrical spiral composition differs from Vautrin’s more familiar series, revealing her ability to reinvent form and rhythm through subtle variations. Crète de Coq is not merely a mirror, but a luminous, poetic sculpture - an enchanting testament to Line Vautrin’s imagination and her genius for turning humble materials into magical, living art.
Art et Patrimoine - Laurence Lenne
Potpourri vase in polychrome porcelain Tournai porcelain, second period, 1763-1775 H 36.5 cm Rare potpourri vase in soft-paste, polychrome Tournai porcelain. At its base, it depicts a gallant offering grapes to his lady Provenance: former du Bois de Roest collection Literature: a similar piece is published in Lucien Delplace, Considérations sur les porcelaines de Tournai, p. 25, plate 3; and in Soil de Moriamé & Delplace, La Manufacture Impériale et Royale de Porcelaine de Tournay, 1937, p. 341, n° 645, plate 79
Galerie AB - Agnès Aittouarès
jean-paul riopelle
Jean-Paul Riopelle (Montréal 1923-2002 Saint-Antoine-de-l'Isle-aux-Grues) Composition, 1964 Gouache on paper 46 x 67 cm Signed and dated lower right Provenance: French-Canadian private collection; private collection, Paris Literature: Pierre Schneider, Riopelle. Signes mêlés, Maeght éditeur, Paris, 1972, no. 124, p. 119; Catalogue of the exhibition 'Les Très riches heures de Jean Paul Riopelle', Musée Le Chafaud, Percée, 2000, reproduced on p. 23; Yseult Riopelle, Jean-Paul Riopelle. Catalogue raisonné, volume 3, Hibou Éditeurs, Montreal, 2004, p. 302, reproduced in colour under reference 1964.010P.1964 Exhibitions: Riopelle. Mixed Signs, Maeght Gallery, 1972; The Very Rich Hours of Jean Paul Riopelle, Le Chafaud Museum, Percée, 2000
Galerie Lowet de Wotrenge
frans pourbus the elder (bruges 1545/46 - 1581 antwerp)
Frans Pourbus the Elder (Bruges 1545-1581 Antwerp) Portrait of Peeter van Panhuys, alderman and treasurer of Antwerp, 1562 Oil on oak panel 105 x 75 cm Dated upper left 'A°. 1562' and inscribed below the date ‘Aetat: 34’ Provenance: private collection, Belgium Literature: R. Willmott, Antwerp and the Golden Age: Culture, Conflict and Commerce, Unicorn, 2025 (ill.) In an era when wealth and power increasingly resided not in hereditary titles but in commerce and banking, Frans I Pourbus captured the self-assured gaze of the new elite. This striking portrait depicts Peeter van Panhuys - merchant, banker's agent, and future treasurer of Antwerp - at a pivotal moment in his rise through one of Europe's most dynamic commercial centers. The work's contemporary resonance is unmistakable. Van Panhuys embodies the entrepreneurial spirit that still defines global finance, yet his story also reflects our modern anxieties: barely two decades after this portrait was painted, religious conflict forced him to flee Antwerp as a refugee, abandoning everything he had built. His biography encapsulates the precariousness of prosperity in times of social upheaval - a theme that speaks powerfully to today's world of political instability and forced migration. Pourbus renders his subject with remarkable psychological acuity. The prominent gold chain and exquisitely detailed black doublet announce van Panhuys' status, while the crisp white ruff - painted with virtuosic precision - frames a face of penetrating intelligence. In his left hand, he holds a pair of gloves, a refined accessory that signals his gentlemanly aspirations and membership in Antwerp's sophisticated mercantile elite. Recently rediscovered from a Belgian private collection, the sitter's identity is confirmed through his appearance in Maerten de Vos's monumental family portrait at the Mauritshuis, where van Panhuys stands among the interconnected dynasties that dominated Antwerp's Golden Age. This painting invites us to reconsider the origins of our modern world - built not by kings and generals, but by ambitious merchants whose portraits demanded the same dignity once reserved for nobility.
Floris van Wanroij Fine Art
jan josefsz. van goyen
Jan Josefsz. van Goyen (Leiden 1596-1656 The Hague) Winter landscape with skaters, elegant figures and kolf players on the ice in a village Oil on panel 13.6 x 26.8 cm Signed and indistinctly dated lower left ‘I.V. GOYEN. 162.‘ Provenance: anonymous sale, Drouot, Paris, 21 March 1874, lot 23 (Frs. 510), erroneously as a pendant to the consecutive lot; collection Comte de Camondo, Galerie Georges Petit, Paris, 1 February 1893, Lot 6 (Frs. 1.700), were acquired by W. Gretor; anonymous sale, Drouot, Paris, 18 February 1895, Lot 13 (Frs. 750), were acquired by Lange; collection G. Forbes, London (according to Dayot and Hofstede de Groot); sale Jules Cronier, Galerie Georges Petit, Paris, 11 March 1908, Lot 88 (Frs. 1,200); with Kleinberger, Paris; collection Eugène Max, Paris, from 1911 to 1927; Grange, Paris; private collection, Paris, from 1965; anonymous sale, Sotheby’s, London, 1 March 1992, lot 36 (£ 101,200); John Mitchell, London, from 1993; anonymous sale, Christie’s, Amsterdam, 20 November 2012, lot nr. 68 (211.000 Euro); Johnny van Haeften Ltd., London, from 2014 (ref. VP4577), acquired from the previous owner; private collection, The Netherlands Literature: Dayot, A. (1911), Grands & petits maîtres hollandais, exhibition publication, Paris, n° 42; Martin, W. (1918), Alt-Holländische Bilder, Berlin, p. 51, fig. 25; Hofstede de Groot, C. (1927), A catalogue raisonné of the works of the most eminent Dutch painters of the seventeenth century, London, Vol. VIII, p. 294, n° 1170; Beck, H.-U. (1972), Jan van Goyen 1597-1656, Amsterdam, Vol. II, p. 46, n° 88 (illustrated, erroneously as a pendant to n° 244) Exhibitions: Paris, Salle du Jeu de Paume, Grands & petits maîtres hollandais, 28 April-10 July 1911, n° 40 bis; TEFAF Maastricht, 2014
Galerie Alexis Pentcheff
Regency period frame France, 18th century Carved oak, gilded with gold leaf 112.5 x 146 cm (sight size) Provenance: Montanari collection Sand-textured background decorated with acanthus scrolls, small flowers, drops, shells, and padded cartouches. Openwork acanthus leaves overflowing with playful movement in the corners.
Maison D'Art
François Perrier (Pontarlier, circa 1594-1649) The flight into Egypt, the Holy Family prepares to embark, circa 1640 Oil on canvas 100 x 90 cm Literature: M. A. Novelli, in T. Zennaro, ed., La Pittura Eloquente (exh. cat., Monte-Carlo, Maison d’Art), 2010, pp. 33-35, n° 5; A. Brogi, François Perrier e i ‘bolognesi’, Studi di Storia dell’Arte, 29, 2018, pp. 147-166: pp. 151-153 and colour plate XVI Exhibition: Maison d’Art, Monte-Carlo, June 16th-July 16th, 2010, n° 5
Carlucci Gallery
Roman Cabinat, circa 1780 Ebony veneered, marble and various polychrome stones H 208 x W 105 x D 62 cm Provenance: private collection Cabinet veneered in ebony, marble, and polychrome stones, with an architectural design. The upper section features a tympanum surmounted by Hercules holding the globe in flowering alabaster. A pierced balustrade is crowned with figures of a winged lion bearing a heraldic shield. The façade is articulated with a central door and two lateral doors, each concealing interior disappearing drawers. Materials include jasper, lapis lazuli, breccia, alabaster, and antique green marble.
Galeria Bessa Pereira
Abraham Palatnik (Brasil, Natal 1928-2020 Rio de Janeiro) Cupboard, 1950s Iron, wood and painted glass H 90 x W 150 x D 49 cm Origin: Brasil Provenance: private collection, Rio de Janeiro; Galeria Bessa Pereira collection Literature: Vicente, A., & Vasconcellos, M. (Comps.), Móvel moderno brasileiro (1st edition), São Paulo: Olhares, 2017, pp. 244-245; Vasconcellos, M., Móvel brasileiro moderno (1st edition), Rio de Janeiro: Aeroplano, 2012, p. 193
Mearini Fine Art
Romano Alberti (Sansepolcro, 1502-1568) known as Nero Alberti da Sansepolcro o Maestro di Magione Sora Giulia Italy, 16th century Polychrome sculpture of stucco and paper mache constructed around a wooden core H 70 cm Provenance: private collection Literature: Sculture da vestire, Nero Alberti da Sansepolcro e la produzione di manichini lignei in una bottega del cinquecento. Cat. pp 69-70 and pp. 175-176 Exhibition: Museo di Santa Croce, Umbertide (Pg), 2005
Guy Pieters Gallery
yves klein
Yves Klein (Nice 1928-1962 Paris) La Terre Bleue, 1957 IKB Pigment H 41 x Ø 29 cm Provenance: Galerie Bonnier, Geneva; private collection, Sweden Literature: P. Wember, Yves Klein, Cologne, 1969, p. 109, n° RP7 (another example ill.); P. Restany, Yves Klein, New York, 1982, p. 226 (another example ill.); J.P. Ledeur, Yves Klein: Catalogue of Editions and Sculptures Edited, Belgium, 1999, p. 242 (another example ill.); N. Charlet, Yves Klein, Paris, 2000, p. 230 (another example ill.); H. Weitemeier, Yves Klein: International Klein Blue, Cologne, 2001, p. 83 (another example ill.) Exhibitions: Paris, Centre Georges Pompidou Musée National d'Art Moderne, Yves Klein, March-May 1983, p. 109, n° 56 (another example exh.); Nice, Musée d'Art Moderne et d'Art Contemporain and Museo Pecci Prato, Yves Klein: Long Live the Immaterial!, April 2000-January 2001, p. 184 (another example exh. and ill.); Musée des Beaux-Arts d'Angers, Marie Raymond, Yves Klein, November 2004-February 2005, p. 190 (another example exh. and ill.)
Almine Rech
tom wesselmann
Tom Wesselmann (USA, Ohio 1931-2004 New York) 'Smoker Study (For Smoker #11)', 1972 Oil on canvas 29.2 x 29.2 cm 46.4 x 46.4 x 3.8 cm (framed) Examined by the WPI's Wesselmann committee on 13 December 2023, for inclusion in the forthcoming catalogue raisonné Provenance: estate of the artist Courtesy of the Estate of Tom Wesselmann and Almine Rech / Photo: Thomas Barratt Smoker Study (For Smoker #11), 1972 belongs to Tom Wesselmann’s Smoker series, which the artist began in 1967. Born out of a desire to isolate and further investigate the representation of lips and the act of smoking, the Smoker series also found its origin in advertising, and stands as testament to the major role Wesselmann occupied in the birth and development of the Pop aesthetic. Today, Wesselmann’s Smoker paintings are among his most renowned works. The series began with Smoker, 1 (Mouth, 12), 1967, which is now held in the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Wesselmann found photography to be a useful medium to capture his models in poses he would later translate to larger scale works. On one occasion, his friend Peggy Sarno lit a cigarette during a modeling session. Wesselmann took some photographs of her as she inhaled, still posing in a reclined position. This moment inspired the Smoker series, which is characterised by the presence of vivid red lips juxtaposed with curling white smoke. Smoker Study (For Smoker #11) is both bold and intimate, capturing a single moment of pleasure in a complex and ambitious composition indicative of the artist’s experimentation with subject, form, and color. In mid-century America, cigarette advertisements were incredibly elaborate, among the most sophisticated forms of marketing. As well as standing as an example of Wesselmann’s fascination with popular culture and the female body, Smoker Study (For Smoker #11) also demonstrates the artist’s mastery of oil paint, attention to detail, and sophisticated compositional style. In the 1960s, Wesselmann had been developing his Great American Nudes series when he was inspired to focus on specific details of female figures. In an almost fetishistic act, he started isolating elements of the female figure, creating smaller preparatory pieces as well as larger scale works depicting hands, breasts, and lips. Out of this approach his Mouth paintings and Smoker Series, works such as Smoker Study (For Smoker #11) were born. Tom Wesselmann (1931–2004) was one of the leading American Pop artists of the mid-20th Century. Departing from Abstract Expressionism, he explored classical representations of the nude, still life, and landscape, while incorporating everyday objects and advertising ephemera. Wesselmann was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on February 23, 1931. He attended Hiram College in Ohio from 1949 to 1951 before entering the University of Cincinnati. In 1953, his studies were interrupted by a two-year enlistment in the army, during which time he began drawing cartoons. He returned to the university in 1954 and received a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1956. During this time, he decided to pursue a career in cartooning and enrolled at the Art Academy of Cincinnati. After graduation he moved to New York City, where he was accepted into the Cooper Union and where his focus shifted dramatically to fine art.
N. Vrouyr
Kinheim rug Dutch rug produced in the workshops of Kinheim (Beverwijk), circa 1930, after 1926 Handknotted wool 530 x 405 cm Signed at the back 'KON. KINHEIM BEVERWYK' Provenance: Beverwijk, Holland Kinheim rugs, Beverwijk workshops, Holland (1910-1973) According to the trade register, Hendrik Godefridus Polvliet founded the carpet workshop “Kinheim” on September 1, 1910, at Zeestraat 104 in Beverwijk. The company was originally located on Vondellaan in Beverwijk, which at the time was called Spargielaan. His wife, Mrs. C.M. Polvliet–Van Hoogstraaten (1883–1966), had already started the handwoven carpet workshop “Kinheim” there in 1909. At first, carpets were woven by hand on a small scale. The couple became interested in carpet weaving during a stay in Morocco, where they lived for some time due to Mr. Polvliet’s health problems. Because of recurring asthma attacks, he had been advised to stay for extended periods in warm, dry climates. During this time, Mrs. Polvliet taught herself knotting and weaving techniques and drew many patterns. Initially, the carpets were sold to family and friends. Orders soon began to pour in, and thanks to Mrs. Polvliet–Van Hoogstraaten’s skill, the business grew rapidly. After just a year, in 1911, it moved to Zeestraat and employed about twelve girls. A major commission for 15 carpets for the Peace Palace in 1913 required a larger workshop. The couple had a 144-meter-long wooden workshop built behind their house at Zeestraat 104. This made it possible to weave large hand-knotted carpets behind the residence. Within ten years, the company was well known throughout the Netherlands for its quality and artistic originality. Their own designs, inspired by Oriental motifs, quickly found their way into ships, palaces, city halls, and council chambers. On May 19, 1926, the company was granted the title “Royal.” The founder did not live to see this honor, as he had died on June 17, 1923. His widow, Cornelia Maartina Polvliet–Van Hoogstraaten, continued the business under the new name “Royal Handwoven Carpet Workshop Kinheim.” In addition to private commissions, the company produced many carpets for Dutch passenger ships, such as the Johan de Witt (designed by Lion Cachet), the Nieuw Amsterdam, and many others. Municipal and provincial governments also commissioned important works. For instance, Kinheim carpets can be found in the council chamber of Amsterdam and in the council houses of Den Bosch, De Bilt, Enschede, Uithoorn, and Beverwijk, as well as in the provincial government buildings of Maastricht and Haarlem. In the latter, stair runners designed by Jo de Jong are among the works. Carpets were also supplied to offices such as those of the Netherlands Trading Society and the Shipping House. Highlights for the workshop included commissions from the Royal House. Kinheim made a dining room carpet for Soestdijk Palace designed by Mrs. Brom-Fischer and carpeting for the royal yacht Piet Hein. Notably, the Sultan of Deli (in 1938) and the Shah of Persia also placed orders with Kinheim. After an initial period of prosperity, the workshop suffered a setback due to World War I, but it flourished again in the 1920s. At that time, the many commissions provided employment for around 60 women and girls. During the economic crisis of the 1930s, the company survived by focusing on simpler techniques, producing the cheaper “konkit carpet,” woven with coarse knots and undyed materials. During World War II, the business, which had in 1941 passed into the hands of Mr. Keizer from Hilversum, came to a standstill. Work resumed after 1945 under the leadership of Mr. and Mrs. Mastenbroek. Many large commissions were once again completed for government buildings, ships, and businesses. The company then employed between 30 and 40 women on average, sometimes as many as 60. Later, changes in taste and economic conditions, particularly the decline in orders from shipping companies, caused a sharp drop in demand for hand-knotted carpets made with special patterns. These and even plain rugs were increasingly replaced by much cheaper, machine-made carpets. Kinheim completed its final commission in early 1973, and in April of that year, the Beverwijk workshop closed. Well-known designers who worked for Kinheim included Jac. van den Bosch, C.A. Lion Cachet, Theo Nieuwenhuis, and Dirk Verstraten. Kinheim was the only company in the Netherlands where carpets were knotted following the classical Oriental method. Each carpet required a vast number of working hours. The size of the carpet determined how many girls worked on it: a narrow runner or cushion cover was made by one girl, but a large carpet could involve 8 to 10 workers. The women ranged in age from 15 to 60. A carpet with 40 knots per square centimeter and a size of 2 by 3 meters contained about two and a half million knots. A skilled knotter made 5,000 to 8,000 knots a day, meaning that such a carpet required around 350 working days. The early carpets of the Kinheim Carpet Workshop (before 1926) were marked on the back with the words “Kinheim” and “Beverwijk,” along with an image of a swastika. After the company received the “Royal” title in 1926, the swastika mark was replaced by a crown or the abbreviation ‘KON.’.