Selected Pieces
French Seaside
Royal pounce or powder pots adorned with fleur de lys
Meissen, Germany
Circa 1747
Under-glaze blue crossed swords mark
Hard-paste porcelain
Provenance
Possibly a gift from Augustus III the Strong (1696-1763), Prince Elector of Saxony and king of Poland, to the court of France on the occasion of the marriage of Maria-Josepha of Saxony to the Dauphin in 1747
These pounce pots or powder pots were probably intended as part of a gift to the Queen of France at around the time of the marriage of her son, the Dauphin, to the Princess of Saxony but likely never sent.
Because the French court greatly admired Meissen porcelain, the Saxon court sent sumptuous Saxon porcelains as diplomatic gifts to the king of France and his closest surroundings.
Abundance and Poetry
Painted by: Siro Antonio or his Nephew Siro Domenico
Pavie, Italy
Circa 1700
Tin-glazed earthenware
Once attributed to Angarano, a small town in the Veneto, this very characteristic production of,
most usually, capriccio views decorated in strong colours of blue, green, yellow and manganese has for some time now been proved to belong to Pavia in Lombardy. Siro Antonio Africa (active 1686 until his death in 1737) was a prolific and accomplished painter on maiolica.
The vases depict allegories of Abundance, holding a cornucopia, and Poetry, playing the harp.
Pilgrim's Flask
Marked AK on the base for the "De Grieksche A" workshop under the ownership of Adrianus Kocx (1687-1701)
Delft, The Netherlands
Circa 1690
Tin-glazed earthenware
De Grieksche A (The Greek A) is considered as one of the most famous and prestigious Delftware factories of the Dutch Golden Age. The excavation in the Paleis het Loo have shown that the delicate blue and white objects that were created during his ownership were also highly appreciated by the House of Orange. In 1685, Adrianus Kocx became the owner of the factory. His ownership corresponds to the creation of a wide variety of new shapes. In 1685, he became the official architect of William III, Prince of Orange, who entrusted him with the decoration of his residence, Paleis Het Loo. In order to decorate the palace, Queen Mary, who developed an unequalled passion for Delftware, commissioned many objects from De Grieksche A. According to Van Dam, this type of flask may have been “part of a table service, the round shape borrowed from an originally mid 16th century Italian idea”.
Noli me Tangere
Important charger painted with Noli me tangere
Attributed to the “Conversion of Saul Painter”
URBINO, Italy
Circa 1560-1570
Tin-glazed earthenware
Provenance
Otto Beit, London
The property of the Trustees of Mrs. A.A. Bull’s children’s Settlement, Christie’s London, 2 July 1990, lot n° 238
Daniel Katz, London
The scene depicted on this dish illustrates the episode in the Gospel according to John describing the encounter of the Risen Christ with Mary Magdalene outside his tomb. Dressed as a gardener, wearing a hat and holding a spade or hoe, Christ raises his hand when Magdalene recognizes him, saying, "Noli Me Tangere, nondum enim ad Ascendi Patrem meum" ("Do not touch me, for I am not yet ascended to the Father" ).
The Heliades turning into polar trees
Important plate with the metamorphosis of the Heliades
Francesco Durantino, perhaps in the workshop of Guido da Merlino, Urbino,
Circa 1545
Tin-glazed earthenware
Provenance
German private collection
Iconography rarely found on maiolica, Francesco Durantino's elaborate composition depitcs the Heliade, sisters of Phaethon, metamorphosing into poplar trees. In Greek mythology, the Heliades were the daughters of Helios, the sun god and Clymene the Oceanid.
Grieving for months the deaths of their brother Phaethon, after attempting to drive his father's chariot (the sun) across the sky, the gods took pity on them and decided to turn them into poplar trees: their tears will turn into precious amber.
Here, Francesco Durantino depicts all Phaeton's sister metamorphosing at different stages.
An Imperial porcelain jewel
« COUPE À BOUILLON HÉMISPHÉRIQUE » MOSAÏQUE ET POISSONS
SÈVRES, France
Imperial Manufactory of Porcelain
Hard-paste porcelain
Circa 1813-1814
Diam. cup : 14,5 cm ; diam. dish : 23,5 cm
Marked with red stamp
Incised mark "qz" for the year 1814
Provenance
Almost certainly Jérôme Bonaparte (1784-1860),
King of Westphalia, between 1807 and 1813
Diane Duchess of Württemberg, born Princesse d’Orléans (1940-).
The models of coupe “à bouillon hémisphérique” are amongst iconic Sèvres creations during the Premier Empire. The shape is directly inspired after Etruscan ceramics from Dominique Vivant Denon’s (1747-1825) collection which were purchased by the Sèvres factory then. The present piece in particular is finely painted with shells and mosaics. During the Premier Empire, Sèvres painters mastered the technique of painting in trompe l’oeil. These sumptuous porcelains were often used as diplomatic gifts such as our piece, which was offered to Jérôme Bonaparte, king of Westphalia and brother of Emperor Napoléon I.
Cherished Cherubs
A PAIR OF "VASES CHINOIS" OR "VASES A PIED DE GLOBE" (4E GRANDEUR) PAINTED WITH CHERUBS Jean-Baptiste-Etienne GENEST (figurative painting attributed to)
SÈVRES, France
Royal Manufactory of Porcelain
Circa 1770
Soft-paste porcelain
H. 33,5 cm (13 1⁄4 in.)
Provenance
Sir John Cust, 3rd Baronet (1718–1770), Belton House, Grantham, Lincolnshire, England. By descent, Peregrine Cust, 6th Baron Brownlow (1899–1978), Belton House, Grantham, Lincolnshire, England. Sale, Christie, Manson & Wood, Londres, 14 March 1929, n° 59. Collection of Sir Robert Henry Edward Abdy (11 September 1896-17 November 1976), 5e Baronet. Collection of Madeleine Double (Marseille, 15 September 1869-Paris, 25 January 1970), madame René Félix-Vigier, vicomtesse Vigier. Sale, Palais Galliera, Paris, collection de la vicomtesse Vigier, 2-3 June 1970 Galerie Nicolier, Paris Collection Christner, Dallas Christie’s, New-York, The Christner Collection, 9 juin 1979, n° 225. Christie’s, New-York, 1st November 1993, lot 22 Collection Jean Lupu, Paris.
This striking pair of Sèvres vases is special for many reasons: of a rare form designed by Duplessis the superb painting of the figurative scenes is most likely by Jean-Baptiste-Etienne Genest, one of the best Sèvres painter; it also comes with a great provenance witnessing that these pieces have been cherished by great Sèvres collectors since the 18th century.