Louis Jean Jacques Durameau

Figures Seated around a Table

ca. 1765

Provenance: Elsie de Woolfe, Lady Mendl, Paris; by whom given in 1950 to: Arlene Dahl, New York (until 2021) Inventive, whimsical, and fantastic; delightful, imaginative, and maca...

Inscribed, lower center: Dame Créole du Pérou, vêtue selon l’usage de Lima. Signed, and dated, lower left: James Roberts, Painter to His Royal Highness the Duke of Clarence, del.n 17...

Provenance: Private Collection, UK After initial training under Justus Suttermans and Vincenzo Dandini, in 1673 Anton Domenico Gabbiani em...

Provenance: Unidentified collector’s mark “D.G.R,” lower right (Lugt 757b) Wilhelm Suida (1877–1959), New York; by descent to: Robert L. and Bertina Suida Manning, New York, until 1996 Private Collection, USA This impressive drawing of the Assumption of the Virgin is the work of the Genoese artist Giovanni Battista Paggi. The son of a nobleman, Paggi received a humanist education and was a self-taught artist. According to Paggi’s first biographer, Raffaele Soprani, it was only after encountering Luca...

Inscribed: 3. una Madonna che va in Egitto, verso, and Madonna che va in Egitto, recto Provenance: Private Collection, UK, since 1999 This expressive and boldly executed drawing is the work of Luca...

Inscribed “55” and “218” in the lower right Watermark: Heawood 1351 Laid down on historic Cassiano Del Pozzo mount (Mount Type A, 531 x 402 mm) Provenance: Commissioned by Cassia...

Jean-Baptiste Greuze (French, 1725 – 1805) Portrait of a man Sanguine on paper 16 x 12 in. (40.8 x 30.7cm.) This has been expertised by the Cabinet de Bayser, Paris Behind glass in ...

Portrait of Princess de Joinville riding a Bay Horse Henri d’Aincy, Le Comte Monpezat (French 1817-1859) Painted circa 1837-9 oil on canvas 113 x 92 inches (including frame) 92 x 70 ...

The splendour of the tragic sea Francesco Guardi and maritime painting in Venetian art No Venetian painter was a stranger to the sea. After all, Venice was not only one of the most prominent ports of the Mediterranean, but indeed a city literally submerged in the ocean from time to time. Curiously however, the famous Venetian school of painting showed little interest in maritime motifs, favouring scenes from the iconic architecture of the city rather than seascapes. That is why this painting is a particularly interesting window into not only the painter Francesco Guardi himself – but to the significance of the element of water in art history, in absence as well as in the centre of attention. Whether it be calm, sunny days with stunning views of the palaces alongside the canals of Venice or – more rarely – stormy shipwrecking tragedies at sea, water as a unifying element is integral to the works of painter Francesco Guardi (1712–1793). During his lifetime, Venetian art saw many of its greatest triumphs with names like Tiepolo or Canaletto gaining international recognition and firmly establishing Venice as one of the most vibrant artistic communities of Europe. While the city itself already in the 18th century was something of an early tourist spot where aristocrats and high society visited on their grand tour or travels, the artists too contributed to the fame and their work spread the image of Venice as the city of romance and leisure to an international audience, many of whom could never visit in person. Still today, the iconic image of Venice with its whimsical array of palaces, churches and other historic buildings is much influenced by these artists, many of whom have stood the test of time like very well and remain some of the most beloved in all of art history. It was not primarily subtility, intellectual meanings or moral ideals that the Venetian art tried to capture; instead it was the sheer vibrancy of life and the fast-paced city with crumbling palaces and festive people that made this atmosphere so special. Of course, Venice could count painters in most genres among its residents, from portraiture to religious motifs, history painting and much else. Still, it is the Vedutas and views of the city that seems to have etched itself into our memory more than anything else, not least in the tradition of Canaletto who was perhaps the undisputed master of all Venetian painters. Born into his profession, Francesco lived and breathed painting all his life. His father, the painter Domenico Guardi (1678–1716) died when Francesco was just a small child, yet both he and his brothers Niccolò and Gian Antonio continued in their fathers’ footsteps. The Guardi family belonged to the nobility and originated from the mountainous area of Trentino, not far from the Alps. The brothers worked together on more challenging commissions and supported each other in the manner typical of family workshops or networks of artists. Their sister Maria Cecilia married no other than the artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo himself, linking the family to the most renowned Venetian name of the time. During almost a decade, Guardi worked in the studio of Michele Giovanni Marieschi, sometimes simply known as Michiel, a painted similar in both style and motif. Canaletto is, however, the artist Guardi is most often compared to since they shared a mutual fascination for depicting the architecture and cityscape of Venice. During the course of his career, Guardi tried his hand in many different genres. He was as swift in painting landscapes, Vedutas of Venice, sacred motifs, interiors and architectural compositions as he was in a number of other motifs. His style is typical of the Venetian school but also distinct and personal once we look a little closer. There is an absolute certainty in the composition, the choice of which sometimes feels like that of a carefully calculated photograph – yet it is also very painterly, in the best sense of the word: fluid, bold, sensitive and full of character. The brushwork is rapid, intense, seemingly careless and extraordinarily minute at the same time; fresh and planned in a very enjoyable mixture. His interiors often capture the breath-taking spacious glamour of the palaces and all their exquisite decor. He usually constructed the motif through remarkably simple, almost spontaneous yet intuitively precise strokes and shapes. The result was a festive, high-spirited atmospheric quality, far away from the sterile and exact likeness that other painters fell victim to when trying to copy Canaletto. The painting here has nothing of the city of Venice in it. On the contrary, we seem to be transported far away into the solitary ocean, with no architecture, nothing to hold on to – only the roaring sea and the dangerous cliffs upon which the ships are just moments away from being crushed upon. It is a maritime composition evoking both Flemish and Italian precursors, in the proud tradition of maritime painting that for centuries formed a crucial part of our visual culture. This genre of painting is today curiously overlooked, compared to how esteemed and meaningful it was when our relationship to the sea was far more natural than it is today. When both people and goods travelled by water, and many nations and cities – Venice among them – depended entirely on sea fare, the existential connection to the ocean was much more natural and integrated into the imagination. The schools and traditions of maritime art are as manifold as there are countries connected to the sea, and all reflect the need to process the dangers and wonders of the ocean. It could symbolize opportunity, the exciting prospects of a new countries and adventures, prospering trade, beautiful scenery as well as war and tragedy, loss of life, danger and doom. To say that water is ambivalent in nature is an understatement, and these many layers were something that artists explored in the most wondrous ways. Perhaps it takes a bit more time for the modern eye to identify the different nuances and qualities of historic maritime paintings, they may on first impression seem hard to differentiate from each other. But when allowing these motifs to unfold and tell stories of the sea in both fiction and reality – or somewhere in between – we are awarded with an understanding of how the oceans truly built our world. In Guardi’s interpretation, we see an almost theatrically arranged shipwrecking scene. No less than five ships are depicted right in the moment of utter disaster. Caught in a violent storm, the waves have driven them to a shore of sharp cliffs and if not swallowed by the waves, crushing against the cliffs seems to be the only outcome. The large wooden ships are impressively decorated with elaborate sculpture, and in fact relics already during Guardi’s lifetime. They are in fact typical of Dutch and Flemish 17th century ships, giving us a clue to where he got the inspiration from. Guardi must have seen examples of Flemish maritime art, that made him curious about these particular motifs. One is reminded of Flemish painters like Willem van de Velde and Ludolf Backhuysen, and this very painting has indeed been mistakenly attributed to Matthieu van Plattenberg...

Conjuring the brilliance of late 18th-century costume with infusions of 19th-century modernity, James Jacques Joseph Tissot’s Jeune femme à l’éventail illustrates the remarkable technique for which he was renowned. His delicate portraiture, combined with his fascination with conveying texture, demonstrates why he was one of the most revered artists of the Belle Époque. Grouped with Tissot’s “keepsake pictures” of beautiful women in fashionable dress, this work is noteworthy not only for the fresh face of its sitter but also for the appearance of some of Tissot’s most beloved props. The delicate fan and paisley cashmere shawl, a favorite prop of Tissot’s artistic idol Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, made frequent appearances in his paintings, as did the exquisite dress the sitter wears. Its identifiable styling can be seen in several of Tissot’s most notable works of the period, including La chéminée and Un déjeuner à la riviere. The playful feel of this painting is grounded by Tissot’s exceptional attention to detail. A master of conjuring an array of textures, Tissot showcased this ability in this composition by juxtaposing many types of fabrics and patterns within one costume. This intricacy, which he carried even to his depiction of the woman’s manicure and jewelry, set him on par with the best artists of his day and contributed to his commercial success. Born in 1836 in the port town of Nantes, Tissot traveled to Paris at the age of 20 in order to join the studios of Hippolyte Flandrin...

Jacques-Francois Delyen (1684-1761), Court Painter of King Louis XV. A Magnificent Pair of Palatial "French Royal" Allegorical Paintings "Aurora and Diana" "Night and Day" A truly ...

Auguste Rodin French, 1840-1917 "Main Droite Feminine, doigts semi replies, annulaire leve" Feminine Right Hand, semi-folded fingers, raised ring finger Conceived circa 1890-1900; cast circa 1930-1940 Signed "A Rodin" on the right side of the wrist and with the foundry mark "Alexis Rudier...

Auguste RODIN (1840-1917) Seated Nude, Cambodian Dancer c. 1898 - 1900 Pencil and watercolour 11.5 x 9.3 inches; 25 x 20.5 inches, inc. frame Provenance: Christie's South Kensington: Wednesday, November 28, 2007 "It's very simple. My drawings are the key of my art." Rodin was an extraordinary creative artist and a prolific worker. After attending the “Petite École”, he worked in the studio of the ornamentalist Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse, first in Paris, then in Brussels, where his skill in handling decorative subjects fashionable in the 18th century became apparent. His discovery of Michelangelo, during a visit to Italy in 1875-76, was a decisive moment in his career. Rodin would, in turn, break new ground in sculpture, paving the way for 20th-century art, by introducing methods and techniques that were central to his own artistic aesthetics. In 1906, King Sisowath of Cambodia visited France on an official state visit. It was on this visit that Rodin discovered the dancers of the Cambodian Royal Ballet and was inspired to draw and paint them over 150 times. They made a deep impression on the artist, as he confided to Georges Bourdon, in an article for the newspaper Le Figaro on 1 August 1906: “There is an extraordinary beauty, a perfect beauty, about these slow, monotonous dances, which follow the pulsating rhythm of the music… [The Cambodians] have taught me movements I had never come across anywhere before…” Originally seeing them in Paris he left everything suddenly to follow the dancers of the royal ballet to Marseille, from where they would embark on their return to Cambodia. In just one week, he made about one hundred and fifty drawings, re-transcribing or interpreting the ballet poses, with an obvious fascination for the arms and hands of the dancers. These drawings were later highlighted with watercolour, creating coloured harmonies of a rare refinement. The first performance of the Cambodian Royal Ballet took place in the context of the Colonial Exhibition in Marseille. Sisowath 1st had just been crowned King of Cambodia when he undertook the first trip ever to be made by a Cambodian sovereign to France, which had controlled Cambodia since June 1884. This official visit occurred at the height of French colonial expansion. Previously, the Universal Exhibition of 1900 had attracted 48 million visitors! The organisers realised what a tremendous impact this event made on the public, and it was soon adopted as the main tool for colonial propaganda. At the exhibition in Marseilles, the area devoted to Indochina was the largest of the seven sections. When Auguste Rodin met the troupe of dancers for the first time in July 1906, during their brief visit to Paris for an exceptional performance at the Pré Catalan...

The Education of Achilles by the Centaur Chiron Signed and dated "A.C. Chrétien 1861" (lower right) Oil on canvas A masterpiece of Frenc...

This beautiful painting was created in 1877 by the well-known French painter, Gustave Clarence Rodolphe Boulanger. Boulanger often produced work which combined the classical and Orie...

DESCRIPTION: Perhaps the best Romney in private hands. If Vogue Magazine existed in the late 18th century, this image of Lady Caroline Price would ...

18th Century Roman School A Palazzo with antiques Brown ink and pen, brown ink wash on paper 12.5 x 20 cm Framed : 28,5 x 35.5 This nice drawing represents a genre scene, with a nobleman, priests, a mother and her children...

"My Fair Lady" 1958 West End Theatre Costume Drawing Mid 20th Century Modern Cecil Beaton (1904 – 1980) "My Fair Lady," Pen and ink on pape...

This is a mixed media, watercolor and pen & ink on artist's paper illustration by Steven Stroud. A sketchily composed illustration, it shows a group of men gathered together with dri...

This pen & ink on artist's paper shows a man in a t-shirt and running shorts jogging around an indoor second-level running track. He appears strained and breathless - clearly not enjoying the exertion. This illustration appears as a full page bookplate on page 67 of Good as Gold by Joseph Heller...

This mixed media watercolor, pen & ink on artist's paper shows a woman relaxing on a couch with a book in hand. Her reading has been interrupted by an individual who leans over close...

This is a mixed media, watercolor and pen & ink on artist's paper illustration by Steven Stroud. A sketchily composed illustration, it shows a group gathered around a table having what looks to be a very chaotic meal. This illustration appears as a full page bookplate on page 316 of Good as Gold by Joseph Heller...