Ref.10448
Rare Louis XVI style clock with turning dial with young shepherdess decor, Statuary marble and gilt bronze

This rare Louis XVI style clock was made in the 19th century. The clock itself has a turning dial at the top of a Statuary marble urn. The Roman numerals pass and a gilt bronze snake indicates the hour. The urn is indeed decorated with gilt bronze , in particular very detailed and finely chiselled garlands. The base is also ornamented with acanthus leaves, flowers and pearls forming beautiful scrolls. Last but not least, a young shepherdess in gilt bronze , barefoot, stands next to the urn, evoking the rural imagination of the 18th century. The face, the hairstyle and the clothes of the girl are described with precision and finesse, creating beautiful reliefs.

Ref.16314
Pair of Japanese-blackened wooden frames decorated with embroidered silk

This pair of frames was made out of black wood around 1880-1890. Their wooden frame, decorated according to a Far East style, is made up of openwork friezes. In their upper part, the two frames are decorated with a calligraphic inscription, inspired by the Far East. The two frames are crowned by two winged dragons facing each other. The frames have medallions with a silk embroidered border, recovered with convex glass. Delicately embroidered, the silk is decorated with wild animals among a vegetal environment. These two frames are characteristic of the Far East trend which came to Europe at the end of the 19th century, in particular a trend towards Japanese and Chinese style. Made by a French artist, unfortunately anonymous, they are the privileged evidence of a profound taste for exoticism. The high quality of this pair of frames makes them very original and rare.

Ref.18458
ZSOLNAY Manufacture - "Young woman at the source", vide poche in iridescent ceramic

This Art Nouveau style vide-poche (storage tray) made of iridescent ceramic is from approximately 1900 and signed “Zsolnay Pecs Made in Hungary.” A female figure is leaning down with a jar to collect water. The object's asymmetrical shape, curved outlines, and iridescent ceramic translate the movement, texture, and blueish-green colors of the water. This colorful and original vide-poche belongs to the Art Nouveau movement, an artistic movement from the beginning of the 20th century that wanted to break away from traditional forms and historicist styles from the 19th century. The defenders of the Art Nouveau movement wished to create an art form that included both modernity and a return to nature and its symbols. This vide-poche's modernity is brought by the shine and colors of the iridescent ceramic, and by the object's simple outlines. It also has a very organic, natural side to it, as every aspect helps to recreate the water that the female figure is collecting. As the stamp on the bottom says, this object is from the Zsolnay Factory, a Hungarian ceramics factory founded in 1851 by the merchant Miklos Zsolnay. It first produced simple, useful objects, and in 1865, when Vilmos Zsolnay, Miklos' brother, took over the company, it began creating decorative dishware. It exhibited faience at the World's Fair of 1878 in Paris and obtained a Grand Prize. From the 1890's, the factory also produced architectural ceramics.

Ref.11090
Allegory of a river in the form of a child, Statuary marble sculpture, base made of Vert de mer

Sculpture in the round made out of Carrara Statuary marble resting on a base in Sea green marble. It is a work of the late 19th century depicting a child crowned with leaves of aquatic plants, pouring the contents of an urn. Repeating the traditional iconographic codes of the river, a human representation usually crowned with reeds pouring water, the artist wanted to represent a source by the choice of a young child. The choice of a symbol of youth refers to the origin of "a watercourse". It will eventually turn into a river. As the child ages to become these imposing bearded men, allegory traditionally represented on fountains for example. Note the technical virtuosity of the artist who sublimates the expression of water by the fingers of the child passing through.

Ref.10515
After Jean-Auguste BARRE (1811-1896) - Set clock with Marie de Bourgogne going falcon hunting

This important silvered bronze, gilded bronze and white Statuary marble clock set was probably made around 1840-1844. The central group is depicting Mary of Burgundy on a falcon hunt, silvered bronze group after the model by Jean-Auguste Barre, placed on a pedestal. The only daughter of Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, wife of Maximilian, Archduke of Austria and future Emperor, Mary of Burgundy was born in 1457. She became Duchess of Burgundy at the age of twenty, after the death of his father during the siege of Nancy. She is here represented practicing her favorite hobby, the hawk hunt. The moment chosen by the sculptor is crucial: Mary seems carefree while she will deadly fall in only a few minutes. She does not notice the nervousness of the rearing horse, which is barely restrained by the page. A lively movement animates the sculpted group, counterbalanced by the apparent serenity of the duchess. The fatal outcome is even more tragic: she falls from her horse in the Wijnendaal forest and dies a few days later, at the age of 25. Her destiny fascinates the romantic generation of which Jean-Auguste Barre belongs, in addition to awakening the taste for medieval subjects which is perfectly illustrated in this Troubadour style group. Indeed, the sculptor accurately represents the costumes: Mary wears a sumptuous damask dress and a surcot bordered with ermine and wears a typical small cap of linen under his crown with fleur-de-lys ; the page wears a doublet with broad armholes, breeches, poulaines and a feathered hat. The horse’s harness is meticulously depicted, inlaid with pearls and cabochons. The saddle carpet bears the wedding coat of arms of Burgundy and Habsburg. The Louvre Museum and the Art Institute of Chicago preserve in their collections a bronze group of the same model. After a first apprenticeship as a medalist with his father, Jean-Auguste Barre improved his training with David d'Angers and Achille Devéria. He had a long and successful career, receiving important commissions for the state or the imperial family. Favorite portraitist of Napoleon III, Jean-Auguste Barre executed no less than 26 busts of the Emperor and several others of Empress Eugenie. He also made the funerary monument of Queen Hortense de Beauharnais for the church of Rueil-Malmaison in 1858. For the city of Paris, he sculpts a group of four children in bronze symbolizing the seasons (for the Circus fountain at the Champs- Élysées, 1840), La Prudence (for the Saint-Michel fountain, 1860), Saint Luc (for the Saint-Vincent-de-Paul church), and the monumental bronze statue of Pierre-Antoine Berryer for the city of Marseille. He exhibited at the Salon from 1831 to 1886, winning a second class medal in 1834, a first class medal in 1840 and was appointed knight of the Legion of Honour in 1852. He was also one of the sculptors behind the creation of small female portrait statuettes in the 1830s, giving birth to sculpted groups of small dimensions characteristic of Louis-Philippe's reign and of romantic sculpture. The group of Mary of Burgundy is then a perfect example of the small romantic sculpture of the mid-nineteenth century. The small sizes are now more adapted to the bourgeois interiors and each model knows many casts, allowing a more constant income to the sculptors. Mary of Burgundy appears on the catalogs of the Susse foundry from 1844. The clock set we present here is also composed of two halberdiers in armor and helmets, as perfect example of the Troubadour style.

Ref.12033
Théodore DECK (1823-1891) - Round ceramic dish with oriental decoration of a vase of flowers and foliage on yellow background

Theodore DECK (1823-1891), large round slightly hollow glazed earthenware dish with oriental decoration of a vase of flowers and foliage on a yellow background. Signed on the reverse.

Ref.11998
Silver plated metal plate with japanese decoration of a carp and insects

Japanese-style silver-plated metal plate, on three ball feet, with a central decoration of a carp, insects, a crab and a frog on the marli.

Ref.12449
Eugène Piat (attr. to), Gilt-bronze wall light

This sumptuous gilt bronze wall lantern is attributed to Eugène Piat (1827-1903). The design, with its historicist references, complex and inventive, is typical of the ornemaniste. The acanthus leaves unfurl into a winged chimera forming both the lantern and a basket housing a modernised lighting system. If there is one artist who grasped the full significance of industry applied to the arts, it is assuredly Eugène Piat. A leading figure in the nineteenth-century rapprochement between industry and the arts, Piat was among the co-founders in 1864 of the Union Centrale des Beaux-arts appliqués à l'Industrie, the forerunner of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. Our wall lantern is representative of his work in that the artist applies the technical possibilities offered by industry to the bronze d'art. Piat collaborated with numerous trading houses, among them De Marnyhac, Lemerle-Charpentier, Maison Marchand and Mottheau, whose preferred clientele was the urban bourgeoisie. In 1889, the Jury of the Universal Exhibition observed: « Manufacturers owe him their greatest successes. » The choice of gilt bronze and the prominence of ornamentation reflect the relative need felt by the nineteenth-century urban bourgeoisie to manifest its opulence. The historicist and eclectic aesthetic then in vogue particularly appealed to this rising bourgeoisie, eager to signal its command of historical references, which it wished to be at least equal to that of the nobility. Although the founder of our model is unknown today, the quality of the casting is excellent and allows for an attribution to the Maison Barbedienne. By skilfully employing vegetal elements in his composition, Eugène Piat confers upon this wall lantern an effect of continuous metamorphosis. One of the chimera's legs rests on a lion-headed mascaron while the other is extended toward the basket; the lower part of its body transforms into foliage brushing against the winged bust, while from the unfurling volute forming the neck emerges a grotesque mask from which the imposing basket is suspended. The design, of great virtuosity, skilfully blends volutes and rinceaux with the wings that form the main support of the sconce. This work presents an association of styles characteristic of the ornemaniste's historicist production: a trefoil motif at the base of the basket (Gothic inspiration), a lion-muzzle mascaron (Renaissance), palmettes along the rim of the basket (Greek Antiquity), and the sinuous form of the chimera's body (evoking the Chinese dragons fashionable in France from the eighteenth century). His numerous collaborations contributed to his international recognition. The 1889 Universal Exhibition was a resounding success for Piat, the only artist in Group III (furniture and accessories) to win a Grand Prix. The jury was effusive in its praise: « Mr Piat deserves it in every respect; for nearly forty years, he has been at the forefront of those industrial artists who ensure the pre-eminence of our art industries. Mr Piat is the creator of the most remarkable works to have appeared at the international exhibitions [...]. » At the end of his career, he donated his archives and his most important works to the Musée Saint-Loup in Troyes, thereby contributing to the creation of one of the first museums dedicated to the decorative arts in France.

Ref.11231
Émile Louis PICAULT (sculptor), Alphonse Mathieu Paris (clock maker), "Dawn and Twilight", Monumental exhibition clock in the taste of the Païva hotel decor in Paris

This spectacular onyx marble and gilded bronze clock is an extremely rare model, with a monumental dimension. The all sides decoration shows that it was designed to be placed in front of a mirror, the observer of this sumptuous antique clock being free to observe it entirely. Two gilded bronze women, languid figures lying on a Grecian couch, are placed back to back, on either side of a large central kerosene lamp. On the left side, eyes closed and head tilted, the woman accompanied by an owl symbolizes the allegory of Twilight. On the right, the head tilted forward but the eyes open, ready to wake up and accompanied by an eagle, she symbolizes Aurora. Also made out of gilded bronze, the central kerosene lamp shows a low-relief decoration pursuing the allegory of night and day : on the front, a woman and putti are inscribed in a crescent moon ; on the back, a male figure is haloed by sun rays. The bronzes are signed four times "E. Picault" for Émile-Louis Picault, French sculptor born in Paris in 1833. While he exhibited for the first time at the Salon of French artists in 1863, he was called, in the early 1860s, on one of the most important sites of the Second Empire, the construction of the Hotel Païva, at 25 avenue of the Champs-Élysées in Paris. The Countess of Païva, a famous parisian courtesan and semi-socialite, commissioned the architect Pierre Manguin in 1856 for the construction of her private mansion. The cost of construction, 10 million gold francs, as well as its duration, 10 years, hit the headlines and animated the social salons. For this prestigious mansion, Émile Picault made the gilt bronze medallions adorning the ground floor and upstairs bedrooms’ doors. He also produced the bronzes for the imposing Louis XIII dresser "very large, made in old walnut with marquetry of the same wood, marble inlays and Legrain sculptures, bronze medallion and statuettes, works by Picault and signed by him" ( in Municipal Commission of Old Paris, "Report of a visit made at the hotel Païva", session of Thursday May 30, 1901, p. 69.) In this regard, it is quite interesting to notice, on our clock, two back-to-back women profiles presenting both features of youth and old age, allegories of time passing, with style and models very similar to the medallions made for the Hotel Païva. Furthermore, the onyx marble used to realize this clock shows remarkable similarities with the onyx of the Countess of Païva's famous grand staircase or bathroom. There are several types of marble called "Onyx" but the best known and most used is that one which comes from Algeria. Algerian Onyx has been mined in Ain-Snara, in the Oran region, since the 19th century. Exploited from Antiquity, the onyx quarries in Algeria were rediscovered in 1849. From this date, the onyx will be used in Europe for the production of works of art, clocks or sculptures. Due to the high price of onyx, it was rather used for small objects and more rarely for furniture, as it is at the Hotel Païva. If it is not possible to affirm that this clock was made for this sumptuous hotel, the fact remains that its monumental dimensions, its decoration and the materials used seem to indicate a particular order worthy of this luxurious private mansion of the Avenue des Champs-Elysees. Certainly, a clock of this quality and size can only be an exceptional work of art intended for a sumptuous home or to be exhibited at a major international exhibition. Sculptor Émile Louis Picault exhibited at the Salon of French Artists from 1863 to 1914, presenting medallions and sculpted groups. At the Salon of 1867, he exhibited The punishment of Tantalus, a bronze group. In 1880, he presented another bronze group called Perseus delivering Andromeda. He was rewarded an Honorable Mention in 1883 by exhibiting a statue of Valentinian I, Christian emperor. His sculpted work was very successful, notably thanks to the edition of bronze statuettes by the Susse foundry, the Colin and Houdebine foundries and the Société des Bronzes de Paris.

Ref.13630
Maison GIROUX and Ferdinand DUVINAGE - Exceptional and rare cup with waders with iridescent glass and electroplated decor, circa 1870-1880

This cup made in the 1870-1880’s by the maison Giroux, as indicates the signature on the mount, is a piece extremely rare because of the material used. Indeed, few models with iridescent glass are known today. The Japanese inspiration of the decor and the model of our cup indicate that it is a creation of Ferdinand Duvinage who takes the direction of the maison Giroux between 1867 and 1876, then taken by his widow when he dies. This store which was originally selling all kind of supplies and small objects such as paints, varnishes, albums, writing-papers, fans, toys, boxes and souvenirs, but also lithographs, drawings and watercolors, considerably developed in the first decades of the 19th century. First, because they count among the clients, important persons such as the Duchesse de Berry, Louis XVIII or even Charles X, then by the drive given by Alphonse Giroux’s sons who joined the firm in 1833. Thus, Alphonse-Gustave Giroux, the eldest son, had the idea to sell small furniture. Even though he was an artist himself, he worked like furniture dealers of the 18th century, with artists who did not have the right to put their signature and exerted a hold over the design of the creation that he chose. He also decided to move the store in the new Opera district on the corner of the 43 boulevard des Capucines and the 24 rue Neuve des Capucines in 1855. On this same year, the company which had already won medals for the quality of its production during previous events, sells during the World Fair, to the Impress Eugénie, a bonheur du jour, conserved today in the château de Compiègne. In 1867, the store direction is given to Ferdinand Duvinage, Harinkouck and Brune. Little things are known about Harinkouck and Brune who seem to have been associated for a short period of time as Duvinage remains the only one in 1874. Ferdinand Duvinage (1813-1876) who seems to be cousin with Alphonse-Gustave Giroux, joins the company during a few years before taking its direction, without changing the name. He files in 1874, 1876 and 1877 patents for a marquetry technique of mosaic with metallic partitioning for furniture and art objects. His method is really original because it involves the combined union of ivory as a base, wood for the designs or ornaments, and copper or other metal to partitioning the ivory fragments. The firm continues to participate to World Fairs where they win many medals, even though they are not that much mentioned by the critics, we know that the productions with the Japanese vocabulary created under the direction of Duvinage were also very appreciated and were a real commercial success. As said above, our cup takes the form of a very known Duvinage model, of which the decor was made with the cloisonne ivory marquetry, invented in 1874. Here, the silvered mount, taking the shape o three waders, supports the iridescent glass cup covered with a decor made according to the electroplated method, famous thanks to Christofle. The motif of which the vivid colors are suggested by many shades created by the proceed and the painting, is composed of a wader in a very luxurious natural decor where are coexisting insects, lizard and different Japanese plants. The scene is made particularly naturalist thanks to the precision given to the many details, which are not only on the visible side of the cup but also under it. Indeed, when we turn over the cup, we can admire the splendid mount taking the shape of blooming cherry tree branches, of which the colors are again given by the electroplated proceed, joining the feet by a medallion on the center where we can read the signature.

Ref.12893
Maison GIROUX and Ferdinand DUVINAGE - Exceptional and rare cup with waders with iridescent glass and electroplated decor, circa 1870-1880

This cup made in the 1870-1880’s by the maison Giroux, as indicates the signature on the mount, is a piece extremely rare because of the material used. Indeed, few models with iridescent glass are known today. The Japanese inspiration of the decor and the model of our cup indicate that it is a creation of Ferdinand Duvinage who takes the direction of the maison Giroux between 1867 and 1876, then taken by his widow when he dies. This store which was originally selling all kind of supplies and small objects such as paints, varnishes, albums, writing-papers, fans, toys, boxes and souvenirs, but also lithographs, drawings and watercolors, considerably developed in the first decades of the 19th century. First, because they count among the clients, important persons such as the Duchesse de Berry, Louis XVIII or even Charles X, then by the drive given by Alphonse Giroux’s sons who joined the firm in 1833. Thus, Alphonse-Gustave Giroux, the eldest son, had the idea to sell small furniture. Even though he was an artist himself, he worked like furniture dealers of the 18th century, with artists who did not have the right to put their signature and exerted a hold over the design of the creation that he chose. He also decided to move the store in the new Opera district on the corner of the 43 boulevard des Capucines and the 24 rue Neuve des Capucines in 1855. On this same year, the company which had already won medals for the quality of its production during previous events, sells during the World Fair, to the Impress Eugénie, a bonheur du jour, conserved today in the château de Compiègne. In 1867, the store direction is given to Ferdinand Duvinage, Harinkouck and Brune. Little things are known about Harinkouck and Brune who seem to have been associated for a short period of time as Duvinage remains the only one in 1874. Ferdinand Duvinage (1813-1876) who seems to be cousin with Alphonse-Gustave Giroux, joins the company during a few years before taking its direction, without changing the name. He files in 1874, 1876 and 1877 patents for a marquetry technique of mosaic with metallic partitioning for furniture and art objects. His method is really original because it involves the combined union of ivory as a base, wood for the designs or ornaments, and copper or other metal to partitioning the ivory fragments. The firm continues to participate to World Fairs where they win many medals, even though they are not that much mentioned by the critics, we know that the productions with the Japanese vocabulary created under the direction of Duvinage were also very appreciated and were a real commercial success.

Ref.12839
Ferdinand Duvinage – Pair of single-flower vases with a ivory marquetry decoration

This beautiful pair of single-flower vases was made by Ferdinand Duvinage between 1874 and 1884. He files in 1874, 1876 and 1877 patents for a marquetry technique of mosaic with metallic partitioning for furniture and art objects. His method is really original because it involves the combined union of ivory as a base, wood for the designs or ornaments, and copper or other metal to partitioning the ivory fragments. The firm continues to participate to World Fairs where they win many medals, even though they are not that much mentioned by the critics, we know that the productions with the Japanese vocabulary created under the direction of Duvinage were also very appreciated and were a real commercial success. He creates here, a beautiful pair of vases in glass with a shaped thin and elegant shape, that evokes a flower’s corolla and adorned on the walls with a enameled reed decoration. The vases rest on a gilt bronze base remarkably and finely chiseled lightened up with a marquetry decoration of ivory taking from the process invented by the artist.

Ref.14083
Imaginary views of Paris in the 16th century: two paintings on porcelain by Alphonse CHAIGNON

Signed and dated 1882, these two circular-shaped porcelain paintings are the work of the painter Alphonse Chaignon. Trained by Jean-Hilaire Belloc, then a student of Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, Chaignon is known for his urban views idealizing the past, in particular medieval and Renaissance Paris. In the work we present on the left, the flamboyant Gothic bell tower of the Saint-Jacques Tower (completed in 1523) is identifiable. We can also see the sign of a tavern, “Au Lion d’Or”, indicating refined cuisine. If the costumes clearly evoke the Renaissance, the city is still immersed in a medieval atmosphere. The half-timbered houses, the Gothic ornaments, the centuries-old activities of women reflect Chaignon's archaeological passion. Certain details, such as the woman carrying a jug, demonstrate the influence of Italian painting on Chaignon. The medieval and Renaissance past fascinates many writers (Victor Hugo), architects (Viollet-Le-Duc) and artists (Jules Adeline, Alphonse Chaignon, Albert Robida) of the 19th century. The 1900 Universal Exhibition celebrated this imagination by offering a reconstruction of Paris in the Middle Ages.

Ref.14668
Portrait of Hans Holbein, a wood marquetry painting attributed to FOURDINOIS

This original wood marquetry painting in relief depicts a portrait of Hans Holbein, a German Renaissance painter and engraver. It is framed in blackened wood with the pure, architectural forms typical of the neo-Renaissance style. The frame bears the identity of the artist, who is portrayed in profile, in keeping with the tradition of medals during the Renaissance. This work is attributed to the Fourdinois firm, run by Alexandre and Henri Fourdinois, famous for its 19th-century decorative arts. The name of this cabinetmaker, which has won numerous awards at the Universal Exhibitions, is associated with the triumphant luxury of the Second Empire. This neo-Renaissance portrait is part of the cult of figures from the past, from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, that characterised 19th-century historicism. It is no coincidence that they paid tribute to Holbein, a painter who also fascinated the writers Jules Verne and Honoré de Balzac. The Fourdinois family had a real passion for the Renaissance. En plein marquetry was invented by Henri Fourdinois and patented in 1864. This technique is based on the inlay of wood in all its thickness, giving the sculptor a surface that can be worked in both hollow and relief.

Ref.13105
Mediterranean landscape, a rare iridescent dish by Delphin MASSIER

Made around 1900, this magnificent ceramic dish with metallic lustre is signed by Delphin Massier. Based in the Côte d'Azur, the Massier brothers ran a famous artistic pottery workshop. At the end of the 19th century, their highly distinguished creations adorned the drawing rooms of the Riviera's rich private mansions. The Massiers also worked for the crowned heads of Europe. The Massiers are considered to be the fathers of Vallauris decorative pottery, which was to become very famous in the 20th century. A large, spectacular dish, it pays tribute to the Mediterranean landscape, full of iridescence thanks to the use of the metallic lustre technique. The framing of the landscape and the tranquillity of the view, combined with the colours, are reminiscent of Japanese inspiration. Using a similar technique, a dish signed by Clément Massier, Delphin's brother, is in the collections of the Musée d'Orsay in Paris.

Ref.14228
Flowers and golden spangles, an exceptional ceramic vase by Emile GALLÉ

Signed with the name Emile Gallé, our vase is a rare piece. It was made in Nancy in 1884. This work, just before the wave of art nouveau, reveals Gallé's precocious talent. At this time, Gallé studied mineralogy and developed his passion for natural sciences. In order to evoke nature, the artist does not hesitate to use complex techniques. The earthenware has inclusions of metallic particles which give it a precious character. The floral decoration is thus illuminated by gold spangles. From red-brown to golden yellow, the color gradient is particularly warm and elegant. The edge of the vase is decorated with plant decoration. Like many of Gallé's creations, this vase is closer to a work of art than a simple decorative object. A source of emotion, it appeals as much to the eye as to the mind. We know of a vase of a larger size, which was presented at the exhibition of the central union of decorative arts in 1884. Designed by Gallé, a preparatory study for a vase from the same period is kept at the Musée d’Orsay.

Ref.15271
Sarreguemines Pottery Works for Vermont Brothers, Dinnerware set with "Views of Paris", circa 1890

This cream-colored earthenware set decorated with the arms and monuments of Paris was made by the Sarreguemines Pottery Works around 1890 and distributed by the Vermont Brother store in Paris. The stamp on the base of each piece in the set indicates that it was a Parisian company, located near the Opera. It also indicates that this set is made of “ironstone”, a term for fine earthenware mixed with feldspar and kaolin to make it whiter and more durable; thus, it is very close to porcelain. The pieces in the set are marked with numbers and letters to individualize them on the reverse side. The set includes thirteen large dinner plates, fourteen small plates, six soup plates, three serving dishes, and three compotes. In total, the set features sixteen different designs, as some motifs are repeated on different pieces. It includes representations of the Pantheon, the Carrousel Arc de Triomphe, the Church of the Trinity, the Opera, the Madeleine, the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Étoile Arc de Triomphe, the Medici Fountain in the Luxembourg Gardens, Saint Augustin’s Church, Saint Lazare’s Station, the Louvre Palace, Saint Michel’s Fountain, the Palace of Justice, and Saint-Jacques’ Tower. It also depicts the Palace of Industry, which was demolished in 1896 and replaced by the Grand Palais, indicating that the set likely dates from before its demolition. The monuments are painted like watercolors on a blue sky with pastel colors. The top of the pieces is adorned with the coat of arms of the city of Paris standing out on a laurel branch, while the decorations are underlined by a chestnut branch at the bottom, intertwined with scrolls bearing the name of the depicted monument. Two other sets of the same model, sold at Drouot in 2012 and at Thierry de Maigret in 2023, provide additional representations of the monuments initially depicted in this set: the Central Halls (now demolished), the Pont Neuf, Longchamps, Saint Sulpice’s Church, the Buttes Chaumont Park, the Bastille (although already destroyed when the set was made, it remains a strong symbol of Paris), the Luxembourg Palace, the Longchamps Hippodrome, etc. This set gives a beautiful overview of the most beautiful monuments of the capital. These are represented in a state contemporary to its creation, thus evoking the Parisian landscape at the very end of the 19th century while allowing the viewer to recognize buildings that are still famous today.

Ref.15194
Pierre-Adrien DALPAYRAT, Woman with Muff

This glazed stoneware sculpture was executed by Pierre-Adrien Dalpayrat at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. Pierre-Adrien Dalpayrat is an extremely important ceramist, notably due to his mastery of the flamed stoneware technique. He founded his own faience workshop in Bourg-la-Reine and participated in various exhibitions, where his pieces achieved considerable success. The statuette represents a woman walking in the wind; her shoulders covered with a cape, she keeps her hands tucked into a muff for warmth. The suppleness of the modeling of the skirt, as if lifted by a strong wind, demonstrates the artist’s virtuosity. Similarly, the mastery of the glazed stoneware technique is evident in the color and sheen effects of the material. While blue dominates, it is nuanced with deep “oxblood” red, which contributed to the artist’s fame, and green. The work is signed and numbered under the base.