PARIS.- The Furniture & Works of Art sale will take place on July 22nd at 7 pm and 23rd at 2 pm. The sale will include 280 lots of classical silver, furniture and works of art dating from the Renaissance up to the 19th century.
Royal provenance
Highlight of the sale are the seats belonging to the comte d’Artois, youngest brother of Louis XVI in Bagatelle (estimate €300.000-500.000). Well documented in the 18th century archives they were lost until the end of the 20th century.
They were ordered to furnish the famous bed chamber designed as a military tent and are a rare example of the great creative achievements and refinements of the neoclassicism movement in the end of the 1770’s. Decorated with lictors’ fasces entwined with laurel branches, they were executed by Georges Jacob (master in 1765) and the sculptor Jean-Baptiste Rode (master in 1766) as the archives clearly mention. Daring, they illustrate the extravagant character and modern taste of the commanditaire, who had a close relationship with his stepsister, the queen Marie Antoinette emulating each other in their pursuit of pleasure and luxury. Bagatelle also called “la folie d’Artois” was then built in a few weeks as a mere challenge.
Presumably considered as cutting edge in 1778, these fancy seats are still belonging to the Louis XVI aesthetics with a turquerie and delicate turn and announce the martial style of the years to come.
The Goncourt brother’s armchairs and the ostentatious Second Empire
The writers Edmond (1822-1896) and Jules Goncourt (1830-1870) famous for their art and literary chronicle actively participated in the 18th century revival in the second half of the 19th century. A suite of Louis XV giltwood armchairs by Jean Baptiste I or II Tilliard that used to belong to them are offered with an estimate of €80.000-120.000.
In the wake of this trend famous cabinet makers of that time will reproduce or lavishly interpret the 18th decorative arts as an example several works in Boulle marquetry such as a pair of pedestals by Jean-Louis-Benjamin Gros (estimate €20.000-30.000), a barometer (estimate 8.000-12.000 €) or a Clock (estimate €10.000-15.000) after André Charles Boulle by Henry Dasson or an opulent gilt bronze mounted tulipwood and ebony cartel (estimate €15.000-20.000).
Moreover several collections will come up for sale such as a group of gold boxes notably by Joseph Etienne Blerzy (master in 1768) or clocks dating from the 16th to the early 19th century.
