Ref.13201
"L'Amour d'Hercule", beautiful Louis XV period cast iron fireback

This antique large fireback was made in the 18th century. In a beautiful Louis XV decoration composed of shells, acanthus leaves and scrolls, a scene is represented depicting Heracles's loves as indicates the inscription, there it is "Heracles and Omphale". After his works and the madness that made him kill his family, Heracles is submitted by the Delphi oracle to a a year of servitude, to pay for his fault. Thus, he is bought by Omphale, queen of Lydia. Heracles is here represented spinning the wool, spindle and distaff in hand, kneeling down in front of Omphale and another woman. A similar model is illustrated in Henri Carpentier's book "Firebacks", while an other one is visible in the Louvre Museum.

Ref.13644
André-Fernand Thesmar, Enameled ceramic gardener

This important gardener bears the monogram of the enameler André-Fernand Thesmar (1843-1912), and was made in the beginning of his enemaler career when he discovers the enamel work and starts his first tries in the 1870's. Andre-Fernand Thesmar first devoted himself to oil painting and was known as a painter of flowers. He was educated in drawing in a factory for printed-fabric in Mulhouse where he had been placed at fourteen years old to learn the trade of a draftsman. His teacher was a painter of flowers: he “drew and dissected the plant with fury, requiring an anatomical analysis of shapes and a meticulous copy of nature.” He left this industrial environment to go to Paris in 1860 and engaged in various activities. It was probably for his talent as a painter that Thesmar was noticed in 1872 by Ferdinand Barbedienne. With Barbedienne, later Thesmar succeeded to the management of the production of enamels. The productions of Thesmar and Barbedienne reflected the interest that they had for the decorative techniques and compositions of Japanese enamel. It was as “co-operator of the Barbedienne company” that Thesmar exhibited at the Exhibition of Decorative Arts in 1874, A cock pheasant from China. At the exposition in 1875, Thesmar exhibited two large enamel compositions on copper. In 1891, Thesmar turned to the decoration of porcelain and introduced himself to Charles Lauth who, since 1879, led the Factory de Sèvres. Its at this time that the collaboration with the Barbedienne company ended. Afterwards, he would be especially known for having invented the “plique à jour” technique, which numerous pieces of are kept in public collections. He creates here a very beautiful gardener with a brown and orange background on which is detaching on slight relief a flower decoration, favorite theme of the artist. He alternates a decor of wide flowers in a light pink shade with strips on a beige background with a motif composed of leaves and flowers scrolls.

Ref.14102
Alphonse Giroux, the Japonism style koi carp bowl

This very beautiful piece designed by Maison Giroux is an “Imari” style porcelain from 1880. It illustrates the very important taste for Japonism in 19th century society. Our cup is garnished with a gilded bronze frame, bearing the signature of Alphonse Giroux. The decoration of the frame, like the exterior of the cup, pays homage to the symbolic figure of the dragon. The colors adopted by Alphonse Giroux are typical of the Imari style: cobalt blue, dark red and saffron. The space is subtly exploited by a naturalistic and animal decor. The bottom of the cup is occupied by two large intertwined koi carp, symbols of strength in Japanese culture. The koi carp is legendary. According to an ancient legend, the bravest who manage to go up the mighty yellow river will transform into dragons with golden scales. This beautiful Parisian-made object dates from the Second Empire, a period of great activity for Maison Alphonse Giroux, a store famous for its luxury cabinetmaking, mounted objects and tablets in Paris.