Alan Halliday

Alan Halliday: "The Villa Oasis".

The Villa Oasis is the property in Marrakech that was owned by the late couturier Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Bergé. It is attached to the Jardin Majorelle (developed...

Hand-coloured mezzotint engravings from: ""Phytanthoza Iconographia"", c1739, presented in hand-made parcel-gilt, ebonised and decalcomania frames. Johann Weinmann (1683-1741), a G...

Erté (Romain de Tirtoff) 1892-1990 Russian-French Fleurs du Mal(The Flowers of Evil) Signed "Erté" (lower right) Inscribed 114.6 (en verso) Gouache on paper Captivating and vibrant, this colorful gouache entitledFleurs du Mal showcases Erté's masterful creativity and keen eye. Inspired by Les Fleurs du mal, the famed volume of poems by French writer Charles Baudelaire, this ensemble marries light purple and green floral motifs with the suggestive form of red lips poised for a smooch. This daring yet feminine appearance encapsulates the Art Deco allure for which the artist's creations are cherished. The sophisticated arrangement emanates the fundamental richness and theatricality that can only be accomplished by Erté, often hailed as the "Father of Art Deco." First published in 1857, Baudelaire's Les Fleurs du mal was controversial for its suggestive content and themes of decadence and eroticism. The volume provided a wealth of inspiration for Erté and he drew from several themes to create original fashion sketches...

'Chinatown, San Francisco', gouache on fine art paper, by Edward Wilson Currier (1903). Spofford Alley in San Francisco's Chinatown is best known for an address (number 36) where Dr. Sun Yat-Sen plotted the overthrow of China's last dynasty. During Prohibition, it was the site of turf battles over local bootlegging and protection rackets. Today it is lined with seniors' community centres. However, the quiet alley livens up in the evenings when a Chinese orchestra strikes up a tune, mah-jongg games begin with a cascade of clicking tiles, and barbers and florists use the pretence of sweeping their doorsteps to gossip. In this artist's depiction, a man smokes a long-stemmed Chinese pipe under the awning and colourful lanterns hanging from the wooden supports while a child looks on. The artwork is interesting from several standpoints including architectural, cultural and historical. Shortly after this work was painted, the neighbourhood was completely destroyed in the 1906 earthquake that levelled most of the city. From 1910 to 1940, Chinese immigrants were detained at the Angel Island...