French Wall Decorations

Vintage Lithograph Johnny Friedlaender: 1912 - 1992 circa 1968 Very nicely framed with gold frame and linen mat. Ready to hang. Frame Size: 21" W x 23 3/4" H Visible Image Size: 14" W x 17" H "Johnny Gotthard Friedlaender (1912-1992), printmaker and painter, was born in Pless, Prussian Silesia (Germany) on June 21, 1912, the son of a pharmacist. He moved to Breslau in 1921 and, in 1928, he enrolled at the Breslau Art Academy where he attended master classes taught by Otto Mueller, a member of Die Brücke. During his academy years Friedlaender worked in lithography and etching. In 1930, he moved to Dresden, where his work was included in group exhibitions at Galerie J. Sandel and, in 1936, he traveled to Czechoslovakia, Switzerland, Austria, France, and Belgium. Friedlaender and his young wife fled the Nazi regime in 1937 settling in Paris as political refugees. In 1938 and 1939, Friedlaender worked at the literary weekly magazine Marianne on Paul Chadourne's recommendation. From 1939 to 1943 he was interned in a series of concentration camps. After the war, the Friedlaenders returned to Paris in 1945, in 1947 he became a member of the Salon de Mai, and in 1950 he became a French citizen. "Friedlaender worked for various journals and focused on etching as his main medium of expression. He became one of the great innovators in color printmaking and a school formed in Paris around his work as a painter and printmaker. From his Paris atelier Friedlaender instructed younger artists who themselves went on to become noteworthy, among them Arthur Luiz Piza, Brigitte Coudrain...

Dans le respect des traditions, cette magnifique tapisserie a été soumise à un nettoyage en profondeur, à la pose d'une doublure en lin cousue à la main, et à une vérification minuti...

Bernard Buffet "Concierge" Fantomas series Lithography Mourlot edition 3000ex Circa 1967 22cmx16cm 150€

Oval Majolica Palissy Fish Platter Vallauris, circa 1950 Fishs, lemon,starfish,shells,seaweeds. From Provence. Length / 11.5 inches on 7.8 inches,...

HERMES 2000 for Sempé- Litography "Premiers Pas dans le Siècle"

"Exquisite French tapestry from the mid-20th century, featuring a beautiful design titled « Automne-Hiver» ( Autumn-winter ) and nice colours, woven at renowned Jules Pansu workshops...

Majolica oyster plate signed Sarreguemines, circa 1930. Yellow mustard color.  

Large French Mid-Century Pink Flower Platter. 11 inches diameter.

19th Century French wall mounted cue rack, circa 1860 A Wall mounted antique cherry wood billiards cue rack with marquetry in pear wood and has...

1970s Copper Panel Large panel in hammered copper mounted on wood. Special commission for a French family for their villa in Saint Tropez. Signed by the ...

Original 1927 French vintage La Vache qui rit (The Laughing Cow) advertising poster featuring the iconic Laughing Cow image. This printing was the 9th Edition of the classic poster. ...

Mid-Century Majolica Palissy Lobster Platter Vallauris. Mussels.shells,seaweeds. Diameter / 9.8 nches.

Featuring beautiful artwork from the French painter Francois Desnoyer, depicting the celebrations on the streets and river celebrating France on what is presumably Bastille Day. The ...

French school "Impressionist landscape" oil and pastel highlights on canvas representing a forest in a full moon night. France, XXth c.

Green Majolica leaves plate, circa 1890.

An exceptional and very rare wall tapestry from the 1960s in amazing condition. This large and stunning wall tapestry in wool has been designed and signed on the back by the French a...

A lovely vintage painting of a ballet dancer, made by the French artist Pierre Grisot. Oil painting on hardboard, framed in a classic frame. Dimensions frame: 47 x 42 cm Dimensions painting: 25 x 20 cm Free shipping Pierre Gristot. France, 1911-1995 Grisot was born in Paris, he was a French post-Impressionist artist who was a member of the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris. Grisot painted in a light-hearted style that was all his own. Whether he was painting fashionable ladies of the day, nudes or flowers, his work was always full of colour and life and was very different from the styles of his contemporary painters. His paintings now serve as vintage reminders of the style of the mid 20th Century. One of the most enduring features of Grisot's work was his brilliant use of color and his evocative renditions of the female visage. Grisot was born in 1911 in Paris. Grisot worked as an engineer but gave up this career and moved to Paris, where he studied painting for a year at the Ecole des Arts Décoratifs. After this he studied at the prestigious Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris, where he obtained his diploma as a drawing teacher. Grisot taught drawing and painting for many years, but he also gave up this work to be able to paint freely. The first exhibition of Grisot's paintings took place in Paris in 1942. In 1951 he received a prize for engraving and in 1952 the French government awarded him a scholarship for a stay of several months in Tunisia. At that time the museum of Besançon acquired two of his works. Grisot took part in many exhibitions of paintings in Paris, especially in the Salons des Independants and with the group of "The Paris School", where he exhibited together with artists such as Vlaminck, Raoul Dufy and Villon. He produced an engaging oeuvre that depicts a colorful and light-hearted world of young dancing girls, nude models, coquettes and ladies of leisure...

Medium round pine shelves by David Renault. Dimensions: D 160 cm. Materials: pine wood. Available in other wood shades and sizes. Shelves made of solid pine from eco-responsibl...

Air France commissioned French artist Bernard Villemot to design this dazzling poster to promote tourism to Paris in 1967. Primarily printed in blue and green, the painterly design f...

Resin Relief "La Danse" by Maurice Picot Bring the timeless elegance and artistic flair of the renowned French revue theater Folies Bergère into your home with this exquisite reprod...

Fifties Aubusson large woven wool tapestry depicting fighting cockerels In the style of Jean Lurcat Circa 1950s Height 83cm. Width 145cm. Depth 2cm Aubusson tapestries were manuf...

This large mid-19th century French Napoleon III period hand painted metal tole tray features a central marine scene with sailors stranded on a rock and...

A sun-drenched provençal landscape is brought vividly to life in this large 20th century post- impressionist style oil-on-canvas. Undulating hills in the distance provide an evocativ...

An exquisite example of 18th-century French craftsmanship, this Louis XVI period giltwood barometer is a refined decorative piece. Carved from wood and finished in its original gold ...

19th century diana the huntress bronze bas relief wall plaque. Diana with raised bow and hunting dog near her side. We have specialized in the sale of...

Pair Original Hand Colored Engravings, Georges-Louis Leclerec, Comte de Buffon, Paris 1749. These two original engravings from Histoire Naturell, Generale et Particuliere, avec la...

French Majolica oyster plate with seaweeds signed Salins (East of France) circa 1890.  

Very beautiful 20th century Aubusson tapestry with a design of tapestries from 18th or 18th centuries, with the nature and with trees with bird and the river, a country house behind,...

Original French impressionist oil on board painting depicting the waterways of what may Port Grimaud, near St. Tropez, France. Signed, but artist name is illegible and unknown. Di...

Pair of reverse glass paintings in gouache depicting two landscapes. One of them features a castle and a bath scene, the other one animals and various chara...

Original vintage exhibition poster for One Hundred Works / Cent Oeuvres Gauguin held at the Galerie Charpentier gallery 76 Faubourg Saint Honore Paris VIIIe featuring an 1892 paintin...

A French oil on canvas still-life painting from the 19th century, depicting fruits and set in giltwood frame. Created in France during the 19th century, this oil painting depicts a c...

Stunning first-year-of-release French film poster for Steve McQueen's racing classic Le Mans featuring a great design by Rene Ferracci. This original vintage move poster has been pr...

A stone's throw from the Eiffel Tower We are a family business specializing in the purchase, sale and expertise of old, modern and contemporary tapestries, rugs, kilims and textiles....

A large scale early 19th Century French Aubusson Verdure tapestry, portraying a lush idyllic landscape with two large mature trees to each side framing the view with their wonderful ...

Fantastic first-year-of-release French Moyenne film poster for Star Wars featuring Tom Jung's classic design. In wonderful Near Mint/Mint linen-backed condition. This original vinta...

Tapestry from the Royal Manufacture of Aubusson, Louis XVI period , made in 1738 at the Gobelins One panel from a series of Gobelins tapestries depicting the History of Esther, illustrating Esther seated and attended by handmaidens, one washing her feet in golden basin, another fastening a bracelet, another offering a mirror, all observed by Mordecai, woven in the workshop of Michele Audran after a design by J. F. de Troy. The Toilet of Esther c.1778-85.Royal Collection Trust-Queens Audience Chamber Windsor Castle The Sketches for the Esther Cycle by Jean-François de Troy (1736) “and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mor’decai, ..., took for his own daughter.” (Est. 2:7) A supple and undulating genius, both a flattering portraitist and a prolix history painter, as well as a brilliant genre painter, in a gallant or worldly vein, Jean-François de Troy (Paris, 1679 – Rome, 1752), solicited, although he had passed the threshold of old age, a new royal commission up to his ambitions. To obtain it, he submitted – successfully - for the approval of the Bâtiments du roi (administration), seven modelli painted in 1736 with his usual alacrity. Inspired by one of the most novelistic texts of the Old Testament, the Book of Esther, these sketches in a rapid and virtuoso manner were transformed by the artist, between 1737 and 1740 into large cartoons intended to serve as models for the weavers of the Gobelins factory. Showing undeniable ease and skill in the composition in perfect harmony with the sensitivities of the times, the tapestry set met with great success. The Story of Esther perfectly corresponded to the plan of the Bâtiments du roi to renew the repertoire of tapestry models used for the weavers of the royal factories while it also conformed to the tastes of Louis XV’s subjects for a fantastical Orient, the set for a dramatic tale in which splendour, love and death were combined. Indeed, no tapestry set was woven in France during the 18th century as often as that of Esther. The series of modelli painted by de Troy during the year 1736 looks to the history of French painting and decoration under Louis XV as much as it does the history of the Gobelins. It probably counts among the most important rococo pictorial groups to have remained in private hands. First the Biblical source illustrated by De Troy which constitutes the base of one of the richest iconographical traditions of Western art will be considered. Then the circumstances and specific character of French civilisation during the reigns of Louis XIV and Louis XV which contributed to making the theme of Esther a relevant subject, both attractive to contemporaries and remarkably in line with the sensitivities of the time will be elucidated. An examination of the exceptional series of sketches united here, the cartoons and the tapestries that they anticipate as well as a study of their reception will close this essay. The Book of Esther: A scriptural source at the source of rich iconography. The origin of the Esther tapestry set by Jean-François de Troy – origin and creation of a masterpiece According to the evidence of one of the artist’s early biographers, the chevalier de Valory, author of a posthumous elegy of the master, read at the Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture on 6 February 1762, it was apparently due to early16 rivalry with François Lemoyne (1688-1737), his younger colleague who had precisely just been appointed First Painter to the King in 1736, that had encouraged François de Troy to seek a commission allowing him to show off his ease and his promptitude at the expense of a rival who was notoriously laborious: “M. De Troy, retaining some resentment of the kind of disadvantage which he believed to have suffered compared with his emulator looked to regain some territory by making use of the facility his rival did not possess. Lemoyne was excessively long in the creation of his works,and M. De Troy of a rare celerity: consequently, with this particular talent, the latter offered to the court to make paintings appropriate to be executed at the Gobelins Factory; and it is to this circumstance that we owe the beautiful series of the Story of Esther, which would be sufficient alone to give him a great reputation.”17 Beyond the suspicion inspired by the topos, which still constitutes, more or less, a tale of rivalries between artists in ancient literature, there is probably some truth in what Valory reports although A.-J. Dezalier d’Argenville (who indicates rather spitefully that de Troy did not hesitate to “cut prices” to impose himself, benefitting from the productivity assured by the unlikely rapidity of his brush)18 proves to be more evasive: “As he looked to busy himself, he had offered to make the paintings that serve as models for the King’s tapestries cheaply: which did not please his colleagues. He was given a choice of two tapestry series to be made and he took the Story of Esther and that of Jason”.19 Whether or not the choice was actually left to de Troy (which would appear rather casual on the royal administration’s part all the same), it seems likely that the artist, whose contemporaries extol his “fire”, as the faculty of invention was then called, must have ardently aspired to the possibility of using on a very large scale the “creative genius” with which Dezallier d’Argenville credits him. The decoration of the private apartments, the fashion for which Louis XV had promoted at Versailles and Fontainebleau, offered little opportunity to excel in this area. Other than painting for altarpieces, only tapestries could allow comparison with Lemoyne who had been granted – unfortunately for him – a major decoration: the enormous ceiling of the Hercules Room at Versailles. Favoured by the recent improvement in France’s financial situation, the revival of patronage offered de Troy a commission fitting for him, in a field in which, however, he had hardly any experience. Anxious to renew the repertoire of models available to the Gobelins factory, the Duc d’Antin, surintendant des Bâtiments du roi from 1708 to 1736 followed by his successor, Philibert Orry comte de Vignory, gave him the task of producing seven large cartoons inspired by the Book of Esther corresponding to the brilliant sketches or modelli which de Troy had produced in one go, or almost (very few preparatory drawings can in fact be linked to the Esther cycle and all seem to be at the execution stage of the cartoons).20 Subjected to the approval of the Administration des Bâtiments according to the procedure in use for projects being planned for the Gobelins, sketches made rapidly during 1736 were approved and the project launched immediately. Thereupon came the news of François Lemoyne’s death, who, ground down by work and a victim of his private torment, committed suicide on 4 June 1737. Against all expectations, de Troy did not replace his rival in the position of First Painter (which remained vacant until the appointment of Charles Coypel in January 1747), which would perhaps have made him too obviously the beneficiary of the drama. The awarding of the position of Director of the French Academy in Rome came to console him while he had already produced (or he was in the process of finishing), in Paris, three of the seven cartoons of the cycle (The Fainting of Esther finished in 1737 and the Toilet and Coronation of Esther, both finished in 1738). De Troy, we can see, did not follow the order of the narrative but began with the subjects which apparently offered the least difficulty because he had already depicted them, or because they fall into a strong pictorial tradition (such is the case especially for the Fainting of Esther). He had hardly settled at the Palazzo Mancini in August 1738, when his first task which awaited the new director of the French Academy naturally consisted of honouring the royal commission and finishing without delay the final cartoons of the Story of Esther after the sketches he must have taken with him. As prompt as ever, de Troy discharged himself of the execution of the four remaining cartoons in only two years, by beginning with the largest format which allowed him to strike the imagination and to impose himself as soon as he arrived on the Roman stage: the Triumph of Mor’decai which was finished in 1739 (like Esther’s Banquet). The following year, the Mor’decai's Disdain and The Sentencing of Haman were brought to an end in the same Neo-Venetian style, obviously tributary to Veronese with its choice of “open” monumental architecture which is characteristic of the entire cycle.21 The series, it should be noted, was almost augmented with some additional scenes in the mid 1740s. Indeed, the first tapestry set finished at the Gobelins in 1744 proved to be unsuitable for the arrangement of the Dauphine’s apartments at Versailles for which it had been intended to decorate the walls the following year (cf infra). Informed of this, de Troy, considering that the story of Esther offered “several good subjects,” immediately offered to illustrate one or new subject among those “which could appear to be the most interesting”. The directeur des Bâtiments Orry, who managed the State’s accounts, obviously judged it less costly to have one of the tapestries widened to fill in the end of the Dauphine’s bedroom,22 which has probably deprived us of very original compositions, because de Troy had already illustrated the most famous themes, those that benefitted from a strongly established iconographical tradition and from which it was not easy to deviate The Tapestry Set of the Story of Esther Placed on the tapestry looms of the Gobelins at the end of the 1730s in Michel Audran’s workshop, the cycle created by de Troy aroused true infatuation. The few hundred tapestries made between 1738 and 1797 – all in high-warp tapestry and woven in wool and silk except for four in low-warp made in Neilson’s workshop – show the impressive success of a tapestry set that was without any doubt the most frequently woven of the 18th century in France. 29 Only three cartoons had been delivered by de Troy in 1738 when the first tapestry set was begun by Audran under the expert eye of Jean-Baptiste Oudry to whom the Directeur général des bâtiments, Philibert Orry had assigned the (weekly) supervision of the weaving. During the summer of 1738, the piece of the Fainting of Esther, which Oudry judged to be admirable, was finished. During the winter of 1742, Oudry informed Orry that about two ells of the Triumph of Mor’decai had been made “with no faults”,that the Coronation of Esther was finished and that the Esther at her Toilet “a very gracious tapestry” was “a little over half” finished. Exhibited at Versailles in 1743, these two last pieces were admired by Louis XV and the Court. On 3 December 1744, the set of seven tapestries was finally delivered to the Garde Meuble. It was intended, the honour was not slight, to decorate the apartments of the Infanta Maria Teresa Rafaela of Spain whose marriage to the young Dauphin Louis-Ferdinand had been fixed for the following year (it took place on 23 February 1745). Apparently it was thought that the theme of Esther the biblical heroine and wife of a foreign sovereign was appropriate for the apartments of the Spanish Dauphine. As early as the month of March, the architect Ange-Jacques Gabriel informed de Troy that her grand cabinet was decorated with the “Esther tapestry set” specifying however that “for lack of two small or one large piece, we have not been able to decorate the end of the room”. This difficulty led immediately to the Banquet episode being woven a second time in two parts (they were delivered to the Garde-Meuble on 30 December 1746) to garnish the panels on each side of the bed of the Dauphine who would hardly enjoy them (she died on 22 July 1746 and the decoration was installed for the new Dauphine Maria Josepha of Saxony). The appearance of the set’s remarkable border, which imitated a richly sculpted wooden frame, should be mentioned. Conceived in 1738 by the ornamentalist Pierre Josse-Perrot and used in the later weavings until 1768, it tended to reinforce the resolutely painterly appearance of the tapestry set which, in this regard, pushed the art of tapestry as far as its ultimate mimetic possibilities. With the exception of Mor’decai's Disdain which had been removed earlier, the “editio princeps” of the story of Esther (from then on in nine pieces) remained at Versailles until the Revolution. Of the eight surviving tapestries, four are at the chateau of Compiègne and four belong today to the Mobilier National. No less than seven tapestry sets reputed to be complete (one of them in fact only had six tapestries) would be produced officially at the Gobelins up to 1772. Literature: 1- The Œuvres mêlées of an emulator of Racine, the Abbé Augustin NADAL thus include an Esther. Divertissement spiritual which is exactly contemporary with Jean François de Troy’s cycle since it was performed in 1735 and published in Paris three years later. 2-Le Siècle de Louis XIV, 1751, 1785 ed., p. 96-97 for French ed. 3- Lemoyne and de Troy had been obliged to share the First Prize in the competition organised in 1727 between the most prominent history painters of the Académie Royale. 4- Mémoires…, pub. L. DUSSIEUX et al., 1854, II, p.265. 5-The fact that de Troy, at the risk of falling out with his colleagues, did not hesitate to make use of prices in order to convince the new directeur des Bâtiments Philibert Orry, is confirmed by Mariette who adds tersely “it caused much shouting” (pub. 1851-1860, II, p. 103). 6- Abrégé de la vie des plus fameux peintres…, ed. 1762, IV, p. 368-369 20 Early comments on the painter are inclined to present him as a kind of “pure painter”, doing without the medium of drawing, a few intermediary studies between the Esther sketches and the large cartoons at the Louvre nevertheless show that de Troy used red chalk (see in the catalogue, the notice for the Meal of Esther and Ahasuerus under the entry drawing) to change one or other figure. 7-C. GASTINEL-COURAL (cat. exp. PARIS, 1985, p. 9-13) as well as the article by J. VITTET, exh. cat. LA ROCHE-GUYON, 2001, p. 51-55. 8-The Hermitage in St. Petersburg conserves five tapestries of these two royal gifts whose provenance still awaits elucidation (as far as we are aware). In 1766, the Grand Marshal of Russia, Count Razumovski (or Razamowski), acquired the Fainting and the Banquet extracted from the sixth weaving (J. VITTET, 2001, p. 53). 9- Lettres écrites de Suisse, d’Italie…,quoted by J. VITTET, op. cit., p. 54. 10-The tapestry set remained in the hands of a branch of the Hapsburg-Lorraine family until 1933 (ibid. P. 54). 11-Quoted by Chr. LERIBAULT, 2002, p. 97, note 269. 12-Y. CANTAREL-BESSON, 1992, p. 241. Catalogue The Esther at her Toilet Oil on canvas, 57 x 51 cm Provenance: Painted in 1736 at the same time as the six other modelli of the Story of Esther intended to be presented, for approval, to the direction des Bâtiments du Roi; perhaps identifiable among a lot of sketches by Jean-François de Troy in the post mortem inventory of the amateur, historian and critic Claude-Henri Watelet (1718-1786) drawn up on 13 January 1786 and following days (A.N. T 978, n° 30) then in the sale of the property of the deceased, Paris, 12 June 1786, n° 33; Paris, François Marcille Collection (who owned a series of six sketches from which the Triumph of Mor’decai was missing, see infra); Paris, Marcille Sale, Hôtel Drouot, 12-13 January 1857, n° 36; Asnières, Mme de Chavanne de Palmassy ( ?) collection; Paris, Galerie Cailleux; Paris, Humbert de Wendel collection (acquired from the Galerie Cailleux in 1928); by inheritance in the same family; Paris, Sotheby’s, 23 June 2011, n° 61. In order not to add unnecessarily to the technical commentary on each work, the catalogue raisonné by Chr. Leribault which contains a substantial bibliography on the series should be referred to. The other bibliographical references only concern the publications and exhibitions to have appeared and been presented more recently. Bibliography and Exhibitions: Chr. LERIBAULT, 2002, n° P. 247 (repr.); E. LIMARDO DATURI, 2004, p. 28; Exh. cat. NANTES, 2011, p. 138, n° 34, referred to in note 1; Sotheby’s catalogue, Tableaux anciens et du XIXe siècle, 23 June 2011, n° 61 (repr.). Related Works: Tapestry cartoon: The cartoon (oil on canvas, 329 x 320 cm), the third made by the artist in Paris after the sketches had been approved by the direction des Bâtiments, is in the Louvre (Inv. 8315). It previously bore the painter’s signature and the date 1738 (inscriptions which are found on the tapestries). The royal administration paid 1600 livres for it on 21 June 1738 and it was exhibited at the Salon in the year of its creation. Summary Biography 1679 (27 January): Baptism in Paris (Parish of St. Nicolas du Chardonnet) of Jean-François de Troy, son of the painter François de Troy and Jeanne Cotelle, sister of the painter Jean II Cotelle. 1696-1698: Studies (apparently rather turbulent) at the Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture. 1698-1708: First trip to Italy. Is obliged to leave Rome in January 1711 after a tempestuous affair (a duel?), de Troy extends the traditional Roman experience as a pensionnaire at the Académie de France by also visiting Tuscany where he stays for a long time, Venice (his art in face has a strongly Venetian character) and Genoa. 1708: De Troy (whose father had been elected Director of the Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture on 7 July) is agréé and immediately received at the Académie with Apollo and Diana Piercing with their Arrows the Children of Niobe (Montpellier, Musée Fabre) on 28 July. 1710: First royal commission, paid for on 10 May (a sketch representing “the Promotion of the Order of the Holy Spirit” for the tapestry series of the History of the King). 1716: Jean-François de Troy is elected Assistant Professor at the Academy. 1720: He is appointed Professor. 1723: The artist creates the double portrait of Louis XV...

Pair Of 19th Century French Majolica Apples & Pears Platters Fives Lille. 8.3 inches diameter.

Original vintage poster for the French Lottery, an iconic poster designed by Raymond Savignac in 1989 "On Holiday’s I am well subscribed" Artist Raymond Savignac Year 1989 Dime...

Unusual French Majolica asparagus plate with 3 spaces unsigned, circa 1890.

Original vintage railway travel poster for Biarritz featuring a scenic view over the coast depicting a couple walking down the path by flowers and trees in the foreground, the rocky ...

Solstice, sculpted wood panel made with Douglas-fir wood is a piece from Etienne Moyat, represented by Galerie Negropontes in Paris, France. Etie...

André Verdet, born August 4, 1913 in Nice and died December 19, 2004 in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, was a French poet, painter, sculptor, and ceramist. Date/Place of Birth: August 4, 1913, ...

A stone's throw from the Eiffel Tower We are a family business specializing in the purchase, sale and expertise of old, modern and contemporary tapestries, rugs, kilims and textiles....

Vintage graphic of a hunting dog in a dark oak frame, printed on Canson France paper, graphic art image of an English Setter with a pheasant, signed and dated in print lower right, M...

The oil painting depicting a nude female in a state of relaxation, her hair styled in the fashion of the Art Deco period, in period molded and ebonized frame with gilt rabbet.

Copy of a French Impressionist style painting of figures strolling through a park

Majolica sealife platter Vallauris, circa 1950. High relief of 2 fishs, seaweeds, shells, crab, oyster. Nautical style. 10 inches diameter  

Marc Clauzade: Exploring the Soul of Nature Born with a brush in hand in the picturesque town of Arles, France, Marc Clauzade is a painter whose works resonate with the timeless bea...

J.N. Gerard French ceramic wall plate realised in the 1990s. Excellent original conditions, signed under the base Dimensions: 7 x 31 x 31cm.

Fabulous Midcentury South of France Mediterranean Harbour Scene – South Of France Mediterranean Oil Painting This exquisite South of France Mediterranean Oil Painting beautifully captures the essence of a South of France coastal scene, transporting viewers to a serene sun-drenched port where life moves at a relaxed, rhythmic pace. This vintage seaside artwork is a masterful portrayal of the picturesque fishing villages of the French Riviera, featuring azure blue waters, colourful boats, and rustic whitewashed buildings with terracotta rooftops. The artist’s expressive brushstrokes and keen eye for detail bring to life the tranquillity of the Mediterranean, making this piece a perfect addition to any coastal home, vintage art collection, or midcentury-inspired interior. Whether displayed in a Sussex beach house, a contemporary living space, or a collector’s gallery, this artwork captures the warm, nostalgic charm of a bygone era. South Of France Mediterranean Oil Painting – A Timeless Coastal Masterpiece The focal point of this painting is the harbour’s crystal-clear waters, where a fleet of traditional fishing boats floats gently, their vivid reds, blues, and yellows contrasting against the deep turquoise sea. The artist expertly conveys the movement of the water, reflecting the brilliance of the sun and the soft dance of the ripples. Fishing nets, mooring ropes, and maritime gear are scattered along the quayside, suggesting a day’s work is completed, adding an element of authenticity and character to the composition. Beyond the boats, a charming row of Mediterranean buildings lines the harbour, their sun-bleached facades glowing in warm ochres, soft creams, and earthy oranges. These structures, reminiscent of Provençal architecture, exude rustic elegance, with wrought-iron balconies, wooden shutters, and cascading bougainvillaea adding charm. The artist has captured the laid-back atmosphere of a French coastal town, making this painting an inviting French Riviera wall art piece that radiates warmth and nostalgia. Seaside Village Life – A Celebration of Mediterranean Culture On the quayside, villagers and fishermen are depicted through loose yet expressive brushstrokes, illustrating the bustling yet peaceful rhythm of daily Mediterranean life. Whether mending nets, chatting along the harbour, or preparing to set sail, the figures add a dynamic yet harmonious element to the scene, embodying the spirit of French coastal living. The inclusion of palm trees, sun-drenched stone streets, and lush greenery enhances the atmosphere, reinforcing the idyllic charm of this vintage seascape painting...

Lovely colorful French Majolica plate with flowers and acanthus leaves Orchies, circa 1890.

Introducing an exquisite François Gilot original lithograph from the pages of André Verdet's poetic masterpiece, "Pages d'Amour," published by editions Raison d'être in 1951 and prin...

This stunning 19th-century French decorative fan is a testament to exquisite craftsmanship and artistic elegance. The fan leaf is meticulously hand-painted on vellum or silk, featuri...

French film noir thriller directed by René Clément, based on the novel 'The Talented Mr Ripley!'. Stunning artwork by Jean Mascii features on this French Grande poster. A very beauti...

Antique French Tapestry Verdure Bird 110cmx163cm Green 4x6 C.1900 "This is an outstanding antique French tapestry in a fantastic Verdure and Bird Design- This magnificent wool piece...

Fabulous original vintage French alcohol advertising poster for Old Manada Rum. This French poster is from the 1930’s and features a stunning image...

Victor Vasarely (1906-1997). Panderlak,  circa 1983 Measures: 120 x 72 cm Hand signed and numbered on the back, edition of 320. Victor Vasarely, whose original name was Gyözö ...

Large French Majolica Pair of Apples & Pears Platters Orchies Circa 1930. 12.5 inches diameter.

Beautiful Marc Chagall lithographic poster depicting "artist as a phoenix" or "l'artiste phenix". Printed by Mourlot for a Marc Chagall exhibition...