Elise Abrams Antiques Wall Decorations

A mid 17th century large scale oil on canvas depicting a Leopardess, a Lioness and a Wolf toying with a Dead Hare in an Arcadian landscape; in the style of the Dutch Golden Age ‘Animaliers’ and the circle of Frans Snijders. Large canvases of hunting scenes, often featuring exotic animals such as leopards and lions, were initially popularised by the celebrated painter and diplomat Sir Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640), and rapidly became a fixture of seventeenth-century patrician residences across Europe. They were heirs to the Renaissance tradition of tapestries representing hunts, which had long been a form of princely decoration, but had typically required much greater expenditures of time and money. A monumental Wolf and Fox Hunt painted by Rubens in about 1616 – now in New York’s Metropolitan Museum – is considered one of the master’s earliest forays into this genre (fig. 1), alongside a set of four large hunting scenes originally executed for Elector Maximilian of Bavaria (c. 1616), featuring a Hippopotamus and Crocodile Hunt (Alte Pinakothek, Munich); a Wild Boar Hunt (Musée des Beaux-Arts, Marseilles); a Tiger Hunt (Musée des Beaux-Arts, Rennes); and a Lion Hunt destroyed by fire in Bordeaux in 1870. This type of composition – with its energetic treatment of the subject, its references to exotic and powerful beasts and its vibrant atmosphere – immediately appealed to patrons and was enthusiastically embraced by artists both within and outside Rubens’ immediate circle. Among the former were fellow Flemish painters Frans Snyders (1579-1657) and his brother-in-law Paul de Vos (c. 1591-1678), each of whom collaborated with Rubens on important commissions, while also pursuing the genre of hunting scenes as part of their respective studio practices. Indeed, both are now predominantly remembered for their dynamic representations of hunts, which – differently to Rubens’ – chiefly focus on the animals, without the presence of human figures. This characteristic is shared by the present composition, which highlights the interaction between the beasts themselves, their feral nature and proximity enhancing the scene’s dramatic undercurrent. The wolf on the left, baring its teeth to defend its prey, is carefully observed, including its blood-shot eyes, salivating mouth, and thick fur, which all find parallels in compositions by Rubens and his circle (fig. 2). Similarly, the lioness emerging from behind a tree trunk in the background is a citation from a famous composition by Rubens and Jan Brueghel the Elder...

Pair of Italian plaster plaques of Roman emperors. Round, gilt frames. Late 19th century.

A circular KPM style porcelain plaque depicting a Maiden as a young Bacchante, set in a finely carved Florentine giltwood frame. German, circa 1910. Founded in Berlin in 1750 ...

A scarce Burmantofts Faience Bacchanalian tile of rectangular form modelled in relief with figures attending to a resting man set within a raised stepped edge and decorated in green ...

Vintage Pichhavai painting on fabric of Krishna playing is flute with Radha and female Gopis gathered by his side. The colors, details and facial ex...

Rare small Palissy platter with a fish, lizard, butterfly, ivy leaves attributed to Thomas Sergent.

A circa 1880 masterpiece of a young couple feeding doves. This is a superb example of a 19th century unmarked Sèvres hand painted porcelain plaque. Signed by the artist R. Deniau. Th...

These are four attractive individual Delft ceramic wall tiles, dating to the second half of the 19th century. All tiles are nominally 5 inches square and 5/16 to 3/8 inches thick....

Jack Daniels old number 7 whiskey tin advertising bar sign / 1950s midcentury. Perfect to decorate a Man Cave Bar. We have specialized in the sale of Art...

Set of three 19th century Spanish hand painted glazed ceramic patterned tiles Dimensions exclude frame.      

A very large and magnificent antique painted porcelain plaque depicting an orientalist beauty dressed in silk, jewelry, pearls, and 24-karat raised gold and enamel, signed Vienna. Th...

This 19th-century Indian miniature painting is composed in the Mughal style and depicts a meeting of the Hindu god Krishna and his shakti Radha, also known as the Supreme Goddess. To...