Ref.15462
Joseph Chéret (1838 - 1894) for the Manufactory of Sèvres "Putto with greek masks" Coin tray made in faience with a blue glaze

This coin tray was made in blue glazed faience in the 19th century by the manufacture of Sèvres, after an artwork of Joseph Gustave Cheret (1838-1894). This sculpture represents a putto with two Greek comedy masks. The first one, sitting at its foot, is a woman's mask of a courtesan called 'pseudokoré'. The putto is holding the other one in his arms, it is the mask of a bearded man called 'pornoboskos'. The putto is partially covered with a drape. At his feet are severals musical instruments : a flute, some bells and a tambourine, with the signature 'Joseph Cheret Saw'. Another mark 'CH FICQUENET. - Sevres' is on the side. Cheret is an important sculptor of the 19th century. He was trained by the famous Carrier-Belleuse. This very gifted student eventually married one of the daughters of his mentor in 1868. From 1863 he regularly presented works in different Fairs and Exhibitions. We owe him the first salamander design, which he realized in collaboration with the Chaboche Company. This object is inspired by sculptures depicting putti or young satyrs having fun with Greek comedy masks. Very popular in the imperial Rome period, these images are experiencing a revival during the Renaissance and then in the 19th century during eclecticism. It is particularly representative of the 19th century taste, especially by its material: a blue glazed faience. At that time, ceramic techniques were very popular. This blue can be compared to 'Deck blue', used by Théodore Deck at the same time.

Ref.12047
Paul DUCUING (1867-1949) - "Casanova" sculpture in gilt bronze

"Casanova" gilt bronze proof signed Paul DUCUING (1867-1949) on the terrace. Mark of the foundryman "F. Barbedienne Fondeur Paris". Vert de Mer marble base.

Ref.12932
Manufacture de Sèvres «Matinado », ceramic sculpture from a model by Félix CHARPENTIER, 1910

Our marble sculpture is a copy of the original model exhibited in the 1909 Salon des Artistes Français by Félix Charpentier (1858-1924), untitled « Matinado », morning in Italian. It was made by the Manufacture de Sèvres in 1910, as indicate the marks on the back. Félix Charpentier was an important sculptor in the last decades of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. After studying in the École des Beaux-Arts of Avignon, then in Paris, he shows in 1879, then regularly each year, his works in the Salon des Artistes français. He knows during all his career, a huge success and wins a silver medal in the International Exhibition of 1889, many medals for his sends to the Salon, very often bought by the State, and receives in April 1892, the Légion d’honneur. The plaster model of our sculpture depicting a stretching naked woman, was presented in the 1907 Salon des Artistes Français. Already considered as true masterpiece, the marble sculpture was ordered by the State to the sculptor in 1908, meaning one year before its official presentation to the Salon in 1909. This same year, the sculpture was attributed to Louvre Museum, then in 1911 to the Luxembourg Museum before being given in the Musée des Beaux-Arts of Arras in 1926. For the plaster, also bought by the State, it was given to the Musée des Beaux-Arts et d’Histoire of Châteaudun. By knowing a true success, many reductions were made by the sculptor who had also a collaboration with the Manufacture de Sèvres to create in ceramic his most important sculptures like our beautiful awakened, which was very likely one of the first made. We can see one of the example on a photograph of the manufactory display in the Exposition Internationale urbaine de Lyon in 1914, and on another picture illustrating the article « La Manufacture de Sèvres à l’Exposition Internationale de Lyon » published in the newspaper Comœdia, on the 24th of january 1914.

Ref.13576
Gallé for l'Escalier de Cristal, Ceramic covered pot adorned with a Foo dog on the lid taking the traditional shape of Chinese perfume burner, circa 1870

This ceramic pot with a lid takes the shape of a traditionnal Chinese perfume burner without having the function as it is not pierced. It was made by Charles Gallé (1818 – 1902) or his son Emile (1846 – 1904) for the maison l'Escalier de Cristal in the second half of the 19th century and more precisely in the 1870's as indicates a torn label under a similar perfume burner on which we can read the names Pannier et Lahoche and the address of the store from 1872. We can think this ceramic imitating a perfume burner Nous pouvons was made by Gallé as a similar model, with an identical shape but a different decor, is indexed in the Emile Gallé collection of the Musée d'Orsay, and bearing his signature. Emile Gallé was making ceramics with his father Charles Gallé for the Saint-Clément earthenware factory from 1864 and was part of the many artists that have made models for the maison l'Escalier de Cristal. Thus, it seems very liekly that his father could have done it too. Our ceramic, by its decor, testifies the taste for the Chinese art and the way they have inspired the creation of European art objects. Indeed, as for many artists, the Chinese esthetic has marked the production of l'Escalier de Cristal. Thus, the Parisian artists have been asked by the store to produce works in the Chinese style by intrepeting the models and adapting them to the European taste. Our perfume burner rests on three feet. The belly is adorned with a frieze, as the birth of the neck on which we can see a Ruyi frieze. The neck is adorned with a Ba gua trigram - fundamental philosophical concept of the Old China - and flanked with two curved handles. The lid takes the shaped of Foo dog.

Ref.13200
Auguste-Louis Marquis (bronze maker) for the Maison GIROUX, Pair of torchères with 9 lights in gilded, silvered and burnished bronze, circa 1855

This splendid pair of candelabrum was made by Auguste-Louis Marquis (bronze maker) for the Maison Giroux circa 1855 in gilded, silvered and burnished bronze, the set on a cylindrical stand made of blackened wood resting on a square base. Reflection of the eclecticism from the second half of the 19th century, our pair of candelarbum illustrates the exuberance of the Napoleon III style and the classicism of the Louis XVI style. The bronze maker has represented here the theme of the silent children, through winged putti with one finger put on their mouth, in burnished bronze. From their free hands, they hold a gilt bronze quiver where is resting a roses bouquet below large lily flowers being shaped to be light arms and of which the flowers are lightened up with a beautiful silver work. The putti are lightly dressed with a drapery hold by a strap roses garland and are bearing a crown of this same flower in their hair. About the cylindrical stand made of blackened wood, it is very typical of the Louis XVI style with its gilded bronze decoration of flowers garlands and laurel leaves flowers on which they stand. We find on a sketching book indexing the works made by the maison Giroux, conserved in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs of Paris, a drawing depicting one of our candelabra, allowing us to confirm that they were sold by the maison created by Alphonse Giroux in the late 1790’s. This store which was originally selling all kind of supplies and small objects such as paints, varnishes, albums, writing-papers, fans, toys, boxes and souvenirs, but also lithographs, drawings and watercolors, considerably developed in the first decades of the 19th century. First, because they count among the clients, important persons such as the Duchesse de Berry, Louis XVIII or even Charles X, then by the drive given by Alphonse Giroux’s sons who joined the firm in 1833. Thus, Alphonse-Gustave Giroux, the eldest son, had the idea to sell small furniture. Even though he was an artist himself, he worked like furniture dealers of the 18th century, with artists who did not have the right to put their signature and exerted a hold over the design of the creation that he chose. He also decided to move the store in the new Opera district on the corner of the 43 boulevard des Capucines and the 24 rue Neuve des Capucines in 1855. On this same year, the company which had already won medals for the quality of its production during previous events, sells during the World Fair, to the Impress Eugénie, a bonheur du jour, conserved today in the château de Compiègne. In 1867, the store direction is given to Ferdinand Duvinage, Harinkouck and Brune. Little things are known about Harinkouck and Brune who seem to have been associated for a short period of time as Duvinage remains the only one in 1874. A similar pair, a little bit smaller, with only 7 light arms, and made entirely of gilded bronze is illustrated on Marie-France Dupuy-Bellet’s book: Les bronzes du mobilier national 1800-1870, on the page 303. The handwritten documentation of the Mobilier national allows to name their author: Auguste-Louis Marquis, who delivered them to the Garde-Meuble in April 1855 for the Palais Royal. They are next send, 22 years later to the Palais de l’Élysée where their presence is mentioned in the Ladies Salon in 1894. The maison Chaumont and Marquis, founded in 1731, made and sold bronze, chandeliers, clocks, candelabrum, etc. They participated during the World Fairs of 1862 and 1867. Thus, as written above, it seems that Alphonse Giroux asked Auguste Marquis to make a model of candelabrum from his original one, while imposing his modifications that we can notice by comparing the formal differences between the two pair of candelabrum. This manner to ask other artists to create models is really usual for the important companies selling art in the late 19th century. We can also mentionned l'Escalier de Cristal which worked with Gabriel Viardot, Emile Gallé and others, or Edouard Lièvre who worked for the maison Barbedienne. Bibliography : Marie-France Dupuy-Bellet, L’heure, le feu, la lumière, Les bronzes du mobilier National 1800-1870, Editions Faton, 2005

Ref.5458
Louis XV style mantel in Arabescato marble

Ref.5796
Napoleon III style mantel with black Marquina marble modillions