Cavalier Terracotta Turquoise Glaze - Chinese Enamels - Period: 19th Century

A very fine piece of natural stone, Sodalite, made in China. Finely chiselled, this large statue depicts a scene of life in which several ancient symbols stand side by side, such as the Phoenix, swallows, a horse, earthly abundance with its luxuriant vegetation, fruit, but also food from the ocean and its generous fish, a man, a woman and a child. First discovered in Greenland in 1806, Sodalite was analysed by a Scottish chemist 5 years later (1811), Mr Thomas Thomson. Several long years went by without it achieving any real success. It was not until 1891 that the stone was recognised as an ornamental stone.    It was during a diplomatic trip to Canada in 1901 that Mary de Teck (wife of King George V) discovered Sodalite and fell under the spell of this natural stone.  The princess ordered a large quantity of Sodalite to decorate her London flats. Sodalite quickly became fashionable.   Period: Late 19th century - Napoleon III Dimensions: Total height with base: 92cm x Width: 31.5cm x Depth: 27cm Dimensions of wooden base: Height: 7cm x Length: 25cm x Width: 23cm But what do these symbols mean? The phoenix, a mythological bird, symbolises purification and rebirth, as it is said to rise from its own ashes.   This magnificent bird is also synonymous with good fortune, opportunity and luck in Asian cultures. In feng shui, the phoenix is also one of the four celestial animals (sometimes also known as the red bird or red raven). The red phoenix...

Glazed and enamelled terracotta sculpture in bluish gray white color. It is a very beautiful revisit representing one of the Horses of Marly retained by his groom. Originally, this Carrara marble sculpture, made between 1740 and 1745, adorned the drinking troughs...

Pyrogen representing a figure in bronze. His face is jovial and he holds a tankard in his left hand. He is screwed on a griotte marble base. The scraper is between the shoes. Period: 19th century  Dimensions : Height : 12cm - Diameter of the base : 8cm Pyrogenes are match holders, very common before the generalization of lighters, very useful because they can be portable. In the absence of electricity, they were necessary as well to light a stove as a paraffin lamp...

Superb gilded bronze group resting on a very pretty morello cherry marble, representing Sarpedon, Lycian hero who took part in the Trojan War against the Achaeans, bending his bow wi...

Magnificent and large sculpture in patinated terracotta, entitled “Deux amours disputant un cœur” after Étienne Maurice Falconet (1716-1791), resting on a terrace decorated with a frieze of pearls and wrapped reeds, the second half of the 19th century, and is distributed in bronze, marble, alabaster, terracotta. Two winged loves are depicted in a fight to retrieve a heart figured on the base. Period: End of 19th Century Circa: 1898 - 1900 Dimensions: height: 50cm - width of the base: 28cm Signed: "Falconet" on the terrace. Marked hollow: GC Below Artist, man of letters and esthetician, the career of sculptor Etienne Maurice Falconet (1716 - 1791) is particularly exemplary. Overcoming the handicap of his birth, this brilliant autodidact with an extraordinary personality has rubbed shoulders with the greatest. Protected by Mme de Pompadour, a friend of Diderot and the Encyclopedists, he has established himself by his talent and his culture. The work carried out at Saint Roch church and his position as director of sculpture work at the Manufacture de Sèvres are in a way the prelude to his work in Saint Petersburg. The imposing Bronze Horseman...

Magnificent Chinese perfume burner in porcelain stoneware with turquoise glaze. Very fine work from the Qing Dynasty, in the Ming style, with its shape...

A pair of parrots in China symbolizes affection, fidelity, and deep, enduring love. The parrot is also a powerful symbol of opportunity and the bearer of good news, drawing in positi...

A wonderful pair of Chinese export turquoise glazed porcelain models of hawks, Qing Dynasty, late 19th century, China. The fierce birds of prey are well modeled and portrayed perch...

Two 19th century Chinese terracotta plaques. A pair of 19th century, Chinese Terracotta bricks depicting a horse and a rabbit. A wonderfully detaile...

Mid-19th century pair of French painted and glazed terracotta lions grasping oval Fleur De Lis shields while resting on shaped plinths. Circa 1840. Sculptures of lions were often ...

A fine quality pair of 19th Century French patinated bronze statues of two Cavaliers. Each dressed in classical hats and cloaks, signed ; Salmson. Jean Jules Salmson...

Step into the enchanting world of the "Winter Terracotta Figurine," a captivating piece from the early 19th century that beautifully embodies the essence of the season. Originally pa...