Ref.11948
Beautiful Louis XVI style paneled room with its stone fireplace and a marine scene, oil on canvas

This paneled room is composed of a stone fireplace, a large glass door with four leaves, a single door (both with their frame) and a large oil on canvas depicting a marine scene signed "Olivier".

Ref.12793
Gabriel VIARDOT - Beautiful square stand with a coiling dragon

This beautiful stand was made of tainted sycamore circa 1880-1890 by the famous french furniture maker of the late 19th century, Gabriel Viardot (1830-1904) as indicates the signature. It is composed of a square shelf with a sculpted decor of abstract geometrical motifs typical of the Asian art. The openwork base receives a beautiful coiled dragon in gilt bronze with a remarkable carving. The square bottom with steps rests on four feet. Gabriel Viardot became famous from the 1870 with his production of furniture inspired by the Asiatic ones, of which he makes his specialty. He takes his inspiration from the 1867 Worlds's Fair where Japan participates for the first time. His very characteristic furniture production was sometimes inlaid with Tonkin mother-of-pearl, but always made with tinted sycamore wood.

Ref.13383
Émile GALLÉ for L'ESCALIER DE CRISTAL, Small Tubular Japanese-Style Vase in Amber Glass

This vase was created by Émile Gallé for the Escalier de Cristal at the end of the 19th century. A pioneering figure of Art Nouveau, Émile Gallé was particularly influenced by Far Eastern arts. He collaborated numerous times with the prestigious Escalier de Cristal. Founded around 1808 by the widow Désarnaud, the Escalier de Cristal was taken over by the brothers Georges and Henri Pannier at the end of the 19th century. They adapted to the vogue of Japonism while maintaining the high quality that made the store's reputation. The amber glass of this vase is acid-engraved either in reserve or in relief, depending on the motifs, on a grooved background. Its decor is influenced by Japanese art: a flowering branch stands out against a mountainous background, with a large sun seeming to disappear behind a bouquet of trees. The neck of the vase is adorned with interlocking semi-circles arranged in scales. The vase is signed with the artist's initials separated by a Cross of Lorraine. Of all the artists who worked for the institution, only Émile Gallé was allowed to put his signature on the works he provided. The signature of the Escalier de Cristal is found on the base of the vase.

Ref.14790
BOCH Brothers (ceramic), Th. FUMIETE (?), Portrait of a Japanese Lady in Earthenware, 1890

This portrait of a Japanese lady dated 1890 bears the signature, possibly apocryphal, of a certain Th. Fumiete, whom our research has not been able to trace. He worked for Boch frères, whose mark is visible on the reverse of the tiles. The Boch family began producing ceramics in 1748. However, the “Boch Frères” company was only founded in 1844, after many moves, by Eugène and Victor Boch and their brother-in-law Jean-Baptiste Nothomb. Between then and 1881, Victor Boch was at the helm, with engineer Charles Tock taking over until 1904. The assembled ceramic tiles form a large decorative panel. The woman, with her long black hair held back by several sticks behind her head, looks ahead, her head slightly tilted to the side. She is dressed in a kimono with a rich and colorful floral design over a tunic that closes tightly at the neck. She places her right hand on the wide belt (“obi”) that wraps around her. The decorative background is sprinkled with Japanese maple leaves. A primary decorative border adorned with stylized plant motifs (some resembling papyrus leaves) highlights the central figure. The entire piece is set in a wooden frame carved in bas-relief with similarly stylized plant motifs forming scrolls. The enthusiasm that arose in the second half of the 19th century, notably following Japan’s reopening to international trade and its participation in the 1867 Universal Exposition, became known as “Japonism”. This sparked a revolution in Western art, strongly inspiring many artists across all fields. This piece demonstrates the strong influence of Japanese art on Western creations at the end of the 19th century, both in subject and execution (the deliberate absence of depth and the use of flat colors are characteristic of Japanese prints). This work, beyond its intrinsic aesthetic qualities, is emblematic of this movement and reflects the enthusiasm aroused by Japanese works, objects, and even lifestyle among Westerners at the end of the 19th century. The ceramic is original. The design on three tiles has undergone a previous high-quality restoration. The signature has also been restored, suggesting it may be inaccurate.

Ref.14747
Gilt bronze guéridon with painted porcelain plaque, after Adrian VAN DER WERFF, “The Dismissal of Hagar”

This circular display pedestal table in gilded bronze rests on an elaborately designed base. Large acanthus leaves rest on a tripod base and adorn a twisted fluted shaft. The top is decorated with eclectic motifs typical of the historicist style. The tabletop features a large German painted porcelain plaque based on the work of Dutch painter Adriaen van der Werff (1659–1722), The Banishment of Hagar (Genesis, 21:9), which is kept at the Dresden Museum. The image is distinguished by the delicacy of the expressions and the soft modeling of the skin tones, typical of late 19th-century German productions. On the reverse of the plaque, the inscription Verstoßung der Hagar identifies the scene, and a blue fasce coat of arms is probably linked to a private manufacturer in Dresden or Berlin, active around 1870-1900. The painted porcelain panel is set in a richly decorated frame presenting a light relief, combining finely chiseled gilded bronze and porcelain marquetry. The decorative elements include acanthus leaves, foliage, cornucopias, vases, and charming imaginary landscapes in gilded bronze within white porcelain cartouches.

Ref.14224
Maison Mottheau et Fils, Japonist gilt-bronze chandelier

Founded in 1864 by Maison Mottheau et Fils, when Ernest Mottheau was only 23 years old, the firm became one of the great Parisian names in the design and manufacture of chandeliers and candelabra. Ernest Mottheau frequently collaborated with sculptors in the creation of certain works. The firm took part in the Universal Exhibitions of 1867, 1878, 1889 (gold medal), and 1900. The 1900 Universal Exhibition crowned a lifetime of work, as Ernest Mottheau was awarded a Grand Prix for La Nature, a torchère in onyx and gilt bronze created in collaboration with the ornamental sculptor Eugène Piat, making full use of the possibilities offered by the then-new electrical technology. Designed around 1900, this Japonist chandelier with dragons in gilt bronze by Maison Mottheau is fitted with seven lights. It features three dragons descending onto an openworked hexagonal band. The winged creatures are finely chased, their jaws open in a powerful expression. Pierced Japonist motifs, evoking architectural elements, alternate with the dragons along the band. Flowering plum branches emerge from within these openwork motifs, while flower-shaped glass shades cover the bulbs. The lower section holds an engraved glass bowl and terminates in a fleuron motif.