This section will be available this Autumn.
Epoque Fine Jewels
rené lalique
René Lalique (Ay 1860-1945 Paris) Art Nouveau thistle necklace Paris, circa 1905 Gold, diamond, enamel and glass Signed: Lalique The piece is housed in its original case, marked ‘Lalique, Place Vendôme 24, Paris’ Provenance: private collection, France An impressive Art Nouveau gold, diamond, enamel and glass thistle flower necklace by René Lalique, consisting of six pentagonal plaques made from moulded amber-coloured glass, each adorned with two intertwined thistle flowers facing outward, topped by three yellow enamel rods. Flanking the plaques are long curved thorns, set with diamonds and accented with yellow and brown enamel. Between the thorns are small thistle flower motifs in moulded orange glass, enhanced with diamonds. This exceptional Art Nouveau choker necklace by René Lalique (circa 1905, Paris) exemplifies his revolutionary use of glass in fine jewelry. The piece features six molded amber glass plaques decorated with intertwined thistle flowers, enhanced by diamonds and yellow and brown enamel on gold. The thistle flower motif, emblem of Lorraine and the Dukes of Lorraine, symbolizes courage and protection, reflecting the regional heritage of Nancy, where the original owner was a notable social figure likely to have commissioned it directly from Lalique. Created during the period when Lalique moved his shop to 24 Place Vendôme, the necklace illustrates his transition from Art Nouveau to early Art Deco, blending naturalistic design with modern aesthetics. Its autumnal hues, sunlit enamel details, and radiant diamonds evoke both poetic beauty and symbolic depth. Lalique drew inspiration from wild flora rather than cultivated blooms, favoring authenticity and imperfection as expressions of nature’s truth. This necklace, long preserved in a French private collection and once known only through drawings (including one published by Sigrid Barten), is a rare surviving example of Lalique’s innovation. It demonstrates his mastery in merging craftsmanship, symbolism, and modernity, affirming his reputation as the “inventor of modern jewelry.”
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
Objects With Narratives
ben storms
Ben Storms (Ghent, 1983) Ex Hale coffee table, 2024 Miel onyx H 32 x W 180 x D 90 cm Provenance: the artist's studio Ex Hale is a marble table that mimics the shape of a monumental cushion, resulting from a transformation of materials. Two metal sheets are blown up with the same technique that Ben Storms first used for his In Vein and In Hale tables. The resulting cushion shape is then scanned in 3D, after which a CNC machine mills the same shape from a block of marble. Ex Hale plays with our common notions of materiality: the hard stone looks soft instead, an impression that is further enhanced by the delicate surface treatment.
Claes Gallery
Dan 'deangle' Mask Ivory Coast, Dan people Presumed early 20th century Wood and pigment H 25 cm Provenance: Hubert Goldet (1945–2000), Paris, until 1972; Lucien Van de Velde (1933-), Antwerp, from 1972 to 1975; René (1901-1998) & Odette (1925–2012) Delenne, Brussels Literature: Arts d’Afrique Noire 34, 1988, p. 49; Utotombo, Kunst uit Zwart-Afrika in Belgisch privé-bezit, de Heusch, Brussels, 1988, p. 148, fig. 59; A ‘Harley Mask’ at the Cleveland Museum of Art: More on Masks among the Mano and Dan Peoples, Petridis, African Arts, Vol. 45, n° 1, 2012, p. 31, fig. 8; Trésors de Côte d’Ivoire, Neyt, Fonds Mercator, Brussels, 2014, p. 44-45, fig. 18 (indication: H. 26 cm); The Language of Beauty in African Art, Petridis, The Art Institute of Chicago, 2022, p. 207, fig. 164 Exhibitions: Utotombo. Kunst uit Zwart-Afrika in Belgisch privé-bezit, Palais des Beaux Arts, Brussels, 25 March-5 June 1988; The Language of Beauty in African Art, The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, 20 January 2022-27 March 2023 Originating from the northwest of Côte d’Ivoire, near the borders of Liberia and Guinea, the Dan are an agricultural people who primarily cultivate rice and cassava. Their way of life, complemented by hunting, fishing, and gathering, is rooted in a patrilineal society without a central authority, structured around clans led by chiefs chosen for their prestige, bravery, or agricultural success. Relations between clans, often marked by rivalries, gave rise to a rigorous social organization: young warriors ensured the group’s defense, while chiefs reinforced their influence through feasts and gifts. Local power rested on a balance between the chief, the council of elders, and the male associations, which upheld discipline, guided the initiation of young men, and preserved community cohesion. The Dan distinguish between two worlds: that of the village - a humanized and social space - and that of the forest, the realm of spirits and natural forces. It is within this duality that their art takes root, renowned for its independence and for the diversity of its styles from one village to another. In their pursuit of formal perfection, Dan artists express through their works an ideal of beauty that is both spiritual and harmonious. A symbol of this aesthetic quest, the Dan 'deangle' mask is characterized by its regular oval shape, polished surface, narrow eyes, short nose, and full, slightly parted lips. The raised scarifications emphasize the geometry and graphic strength of the composition. Of an elegance imbued with softness and femininity, it embodies the Dan ideal of beauty. Used within the Leopard secret society (go), associated with the pacifying spirit zlan, this mask served as an intermediary between young initiates and the village community. First exhibited and published for the general public in 1988, this exceptional work was most recently presented (in 2022) at the Chicago Museum. The mask’s deep gaze, highlighted by a fine band across the eyes, captures the viewer’s attention. Its patina, with warm brown reflections, and its concave form lend it a presence that is both powerful and serene.
Galerie Jean-François Cazeau
kees van dongen
Kees Van Dongen (Rotterdam 1877-1968 Monaco) La Chemise or Femme penchée sur un coussin jaune Oil on canvas 48.5 x 55 cm Signed lower right This work will be included in the forthcoming catalogue raisonné of Kees Van Dongen compiled by the Wildenstein Plattner Institute Provenance: studio of the artist, Paris; private collection, France (Marquise de X); Palais Galliera, 18 May 1964, Paris; Jacques Pignet, Neuilly-sur-Seine, France; Galerie Koller, Zurich, November 1981; Paul Petridès, Paris, France Ader-Picard-Tajan, 25 June 1987, Paris; acquired by the current owner at the above sale Exhibitions: Paris, Galerie de Paris, La Cage aux Fauves, Salon d'Automne, 1905; Paris, Musée National d'Art Moderne, Van Dongen, 13 October-26 November 1967, n° 68; Rotterdam, Museum Boymans van Beuningen, Van Dongen, 8 December 1967-28 January, n° 20; Monaco, Nouveau Musée de Monaco, Kees Van Dongen, 25 June-7 September 2008, n° 139
TASCHEN
ralph gibson
Ralph Gibson (Los Angeles, 1939) Ralph Gibson. Photographs 1960-2024 The most comprehensive collection of this highly acclaimed and prolific American photographer's work offers the fruit of more than six decades of image-making. Available in two limited art editions of 100 copies, each accompanied by a gelatin silver print numbered and signed by Gibson.
Stone Gallery
Woolly rhinoceros skull Approx. 50.000 years old 100 x 100 x 35 cm Origin: Siberia This woolly rhinoceros skull is approximately 50,000 years old, belonging to one of the most impressive mammals in the recent history of Northern Europe and Northern Asia. There were even people who lived alongside these giants between around 30,000 and 15,000 years ago! Stone gallery has previously conducted expeditions in various countries but recently acquired this skull through a swap with a local museum. Roy says, 'It is the best-preserved and most complete skull I’ve ever seen. Even the teeth are all original.' Researchers and students from Maastricht University have digitised mammoth and rhinoceros fossils from the Ice Age, including this skull. With this technique, it’s possible to bring these extinct species back to life in motion and conduct new studies. 'We’re investigating how strong the bone structure is. For this, we use Finite Element Analyses, a method commonly applied in the construction of buildings and bridges. The study explores the forces exerted on the bones, such as during chewing. This helps us predict how and what the animal ate, as well as how well it was adapted to its enormous size.' - Paleontologist Dr. Jesse Hennekam, Assistant Professor, Maastricht University -
Galerie Flak
Hemba ancestor figure Singiti (commemorative portrait of a chief) Democratic Republic of Congo-Upper Congo River 19th century or early 20th century Carved wood H 86.5 cm Provenance: Mia van Bussel collection, Amsterdam; Kevin Conru collection, Brussels; Adrian Schlag collection, Brussels; Guilhem Montagut collection, Barcelona Literature: Lexikon der Afrikanischen Kunst, Karl-Ferdinand Schaedler, Munich, 1994, p. 242
Hoffmans Antiques
Chandelier in the 'Retour d’Égypte' style Paris, early 19th century Attributed to Benjamin Ladouèpe-Dufougerias and the 'Manufacture de Cristaux de Montcenis' Ormoulu, patinated and fire-gilt bronze for twelve candles H 130 cm - Ø circa 80 cm Provenance: private European collection This magnificent chandelier exemplifies the short-lived yet influential 'Retour d’Égypte' style, which emerged in the wake of Napoleon’s Egyptian campaign (1798–1801). At its centre stands an amphora-shaped patinated urn, crowned with a flaming finial and surmounted by a pinecone. From the urn’s body spring twelve elegantly curved candle arms arranged in two tiers, richly ornamented with foliage motifs and set between four stylised Egyptian masks. The chandelier is suspended by four chains leading to an imposing corona adorned with leonine masks and voluted floral decoration. The style was largely shaped by the architects Charles Percier and Pierre François Léonard Fontaine, whose neoclassical designs laid the foundation for this decorative vocabulary. It endured only briefly before giving way to the Empire style with the establishment of Napoleon and the First French Empire. Provenance and Comparanda: A closely related chandelier for twelve lights, attributed to the Manufacture de Cristaux de la Reine, is preserved in the collections at Versailles, formerly installed in Marie-Antoinette’s inner cabinet at the Petit Trianon.
Edouard Simoens Gallery
walter leblanc
Walter Leblanc (Antwerp 1932-1986 Silly) Torsions, 1977-1978 Black and white enamelled steel sculpture 200 x 130 cm Provenance: Walter & Nicole Leblanc Foundation; private collection; André Simoens Collection Literature: Linea Catalogue raisonné, 1997, Ludion, Brussels, CR 1271, p. 282 Exhibitions: Brussels, Tecno, Walter Leblanc Integratie, 1983; Gent, Floraliapaleis, Linea ’83, 1983
Galerie Florence de Voldère
frederik bouttats l'ancien
Frédérik Bouttats the Elder (Antwerp, 1590-1661) Earthly paradise Oil on canvas 55.5 x 83 cm A painter of landscapes, paradises, and animals, he was also an engraver. He joined the Antwerp Guild as early as 1612. He had two pupils, as well as his sons Frédérik the Younger and Jacob. Founder of a famous family of artists, he contributed, along with his followers, to the influence and richness of Flemish painting through brilliant works under the influence of Velvet Brueghel, Jan van Kessel, and Roelandt Savery. To the great delight of naturalists and humanist scholars, the Breughels and their painter friends such as the Bouttats multiplied the themes of the Earthly Paradise, celebrating the beauty and diversity of creation. Like the Bird Traps, these paradises met with great success, and different versions can now be seen in the world’s greatest museums.
d'Arschot & Cie
Perfume bottle and case Germany, circa 1620 Anonymous silversmith Chased, engraved, and partially gilded silver. Case in boiled leather. H 9 cm – Weight: 58 g This elegant perfume bottle stands out for the exceptional preservation of its original boiled leather case, a testament to the care taken in protecting and transporting such precious objects in the 17th century. The bottle features a finely engraved vegetal motif enlivened with small exotic birds, typical of the work of silversmiths from southern Germany during the first third of the century. At a time when the distillation of essences was still in its infancy, such bottles accompanied the daily life of the elite, allowing the frequent application of fleeting perfumes. This model, fitted with a screw cap ensuring perfect sealing, illustrates both the practical function and the symbolic value of perfume as a marker of social distinction.
Francis Janssens van der Maelen
Silver box in jade Paris, Art Deco Sterling silver, jade W 35 cm - 4400 gr (total weight) Bears retailer's stamp, Boin-Taburet and maker's mark, Henry & Fils Boin-Taburet were formed in 1873 and quickly established themselves as one of Paris's most noteworthy makers & retailers, winning a Gold medal at the 1889 Paris Exposition Universelle. Arguably their most distinctive work married silver and silver-gilt with other materials including porcelain, marble, and in the case of this stunning Art Deco tureen, jade. Jade was seemingly a less often used material - the only other piece found with a similarly carved jade element was a box that fetched an incredible amount at auction in 2012.
Harold t’Kint de Roodenbeke
pierre alechinsky
Pierre Alechinsky (Brussels, 1927) Le Nid, 1965 Oil on canvas 130 x 91 cm Signed lower right Signed and titled on reverse Certificate of authenticity by Pierre Alechinsky dated 14 March 1995 Provenance: Lefebre Gallery, New York; private collection, Monaco
