Enfilade

Left: Jean-Baptiste Greuze, A Girl Weeping over Her Dead Bird, detail, 1757, oil on oval canvas, 71 × 60 cm (estimate: $600,000–800,000; sold for $2,470,000). Center: Benoist Gerard, Louis XV Meissen and French porcelain-mounted ormolu and tole peinte mantel clock, 1740, porcelain, ormolu, 54 × 38 × 17 cm (estimate: $50,000–80,000; sold for $75,600). Right: Élisabeth-Louise Vigée Le Brun, Portrait of the Artist’s Daughter, Jeanne-Julie-Louise Le Brun, Playing a Guitar, detail, oil on canvas, 100 × 83 cm (estimate: $300,000–500,000; sold for $441,000).

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From the press release, detailing sale highlights, via Art Daily:

A Park Avenue Collection, Sale #23048
Christie’s New York, 17 April 2024

Christie’s made strong results for a single-owner sale that featured a rich array of 18th-century French furniture, Old Master paintings and drawings, and Chinese works of art. A Park Avenue Collection totaled $8,890,582, which was 130 percent above the low estimate, with 79 percent of lots sold. There were outstanding results across categories. The top lot of the sale was an Old Master painting, Jean-Baptiste Greuze’s Girl Weeping over Her Dead Bird (Une jeune fille qui pleure la mort de son oiseau), which made $2,470,000, setting a new world record for the artist and more than doubling the prior record set in 2013. The top furniture lot was a pair of late Louis XVI ormolu-mounted ebony, ebonized, and boulle marquetry meubles d’appui, which brought $176,400. A Chinese famille verte porcelain rouleau vase of the Kangxi Period (1662–1722) topped the Chinese offerings at $151,200. A drawing by Michelangelo, which received worldwide attention, made $201,600, more than 33 times its low estimate of $6,000.

Deputy Chairman for English Furniture and Works of Art, William Strafford, said, “The outstanding results of today’s sale pay tribute to this collector’s connoisseurship and passionate pursuit of rare treasures in so many fields during over 40 years of collecting.”

Specialist for Old Masters, Joshua Glazer, said, “The superb group of French 18th-century paintings in the collection were universally admired, and we were thrilled to have set a new world auction record for the magnificent Greuze, Girl Weeping over Her Dead Bird.”

More information is available from this preview article from Christie’s»

Alexandre-François Desportes, Still Life of the Remnants of a Meal with a Lunging Cat, detail, ca. 1720s, oil on canvas, unframed: 74 × 92 cm (Lot 26, estimate: $200,000–300,000).

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This Wednesday at Sotheby’s (with viewing still available Monday and Tuesday) . . .

A Scholar Collects
Sotheby’s, New York, 31 January 2024, 10am, (Sale N11437)

Sotheby’s is honored to present A Scholar Collects, a sale [of 41 lots] comprised of paintings, drawings, and sculpture from the collection of the preeminent scholar Joseph Baillio. A visionary art historian who specializes in the art of eighteenth-century France, Baillio is most well-known for his expertise in the pioneering woman artist Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun. His landmark exhibitions on her life and career—first in 1982 in Fort Worth and then in 2016 in New York, Paris, and Montreal—were triumphant in catapulting her to the forefront of scholarship and furthered her indelible mark on the history of art.

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From Neil Jeffares’s accompanying essay on Baillio:

Neil Jeffares, “Joseph Baillio: An Appreciation.”

For most of us the name Joseph Baillio is synonymous with Mme Vigée Le Brun, the artist to whom he has devoted so much of his career and whose reputation now stands at a peak unimaginable before the famous exhibition he organized in the Kimbell Art Museum in 1982. You will of course have a clearer recollection of the vast and astonishing monographic show Joseph presented in the Grand Palais in Paris in 2015 (before moving to New York and Toronto). And we all await the magnum opus, the catalogue raisonné (already signaled in the 1982 catalogue), as the apotheosis of this labor.

But there is so much more to Joseph than just one artist—or even the circle of talent that grew around her . . .

As much as reevaluating and contextualizing familiar masterpieces, Joseph’s work has been the painstaking combination of archival and visual clues to give back the identity of pictures that have been hidden or lost. And he has done that countless times . . .

The full essay is available here»

Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun, Portrait of the Duchesse de Guiche, née Louise Françoise Gabrielle Aglaé de Polignac, 1784, pastel on two joined sheets of paper laid on canvas, 80 × 64 cm (Lot 19, estimate: $500,000–700,000).

Anne Vallayer-Coster, A Bust of Minerva, with Armour, Muskets, a Drum, a Standard, the Baton of Command of a Maréchal de France, a Laurel Wreath, and the Orders of Saint-Louis and of the Saint-Esprit, All on a Stone Ledge, exhibited at the Salon of 1777, oil on canvas. Robilant + Voena presented the work in September 2012 at the Paris Biennale des Antiquaires, as noted by The New York Times; and it was part of the Master Paintings and Sculpture Day Sale at Sotheby’s New York in February 2018 (Lot 292), where it was estimated to sell for $150,000–200,000.

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As noted at La Tribune de l’art and Art History News (the November issue of The Burlington includes a full-page advertisement). . .

Anne Vallayer-Coster: A Woman Artist under the Patronage of Marie-Antoinette
Galerie Éric Coatalem, Paris, 3 November — 16 December 2023

If Anne Vallayer-Coster was the subject of a retrospective in France, it was in Marseille, in 2003. But Paris has never had the chance to see a large number of her paintings brought together in the same place. It is now done, and we owe it to the dealer Éric Coatalem, who is exhibiting around twenty works by this remarkable artist until December 16 in his gallery in Faubourg-Saint-Honoré.

I’m more interested in the history of such collections than the autographs themselves, though of course the latter varies from document to document. The former includes the story of early modern sociability, seventeenth-century antiquarianism, canon formation in the eighteenth century, the rise of celebrity cultures, and connoisseurship. The Robert D. Farber University Archives and Special Collections at Brandeis University possesses a significant autograph collection spanning 350 years. –CH

From Katherine Morley’s descriptive essay for the Brandeis collection, via the library’s website:

There was a major boom in autograph collecting in both Europe and America at the turn of the 19th century; this had the most impact on modern autograph collecting. One catalyst was likely the popularity of ‘Grangerizing’, which was the insertion of autographs and other illustrative material into printed books; another was the development of the art of handwriting analysis, which sought to uncover a person’s true self as it was expressed through his or her handwriting . . .

From the RR Auction press release, via Art Daily:

Ship’s passport in French, English, and Dutch, 26 July 1795, signed by George Washington, authorizing the passage of “Peter Cockran master or commander of the schooner called the Industry of the burthen of Ninety five & 48/95 tons or thereabouts, lying at present in the port of Washington bound for Falmouth and laden with Tar, Pitch, and Beeswax.”

Boston’s RR Auction announces its October Fine Autographs and Artifacts Sale, featuring over 900 extraordinary lots. The highlight of this exceptional event is an unparalleled collection: a complete set of autographs from all 40 signers of the American Constitution, including prominent founding fathers such as George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Alexander Hamilton (Lot 116, low estimate of $100,000).

This remarkable gathering of signatures represents a seminal document in American history that continues to be a touchstone for discussions on governance, rights, and bureaucracy. The Constitution of the United States has been the lifeblood of the American government, shaping the nation’s foundation, and serving as a global model for democratic governance. The collection includes manuscript material from all 40 signers, encompassing a variety of formats, from letters to documents and even paper currency. A standout piece is a three-language ship’s passport signed by President George Washington. Furthermore, this collection includes an additional autograph letter signed by the Secretary to the Constitutional Convention, William Jackson, who witnessed the Constitution’s final edits. This comprehensive collection totals 40 manuscript items, making it a first-class assembly of historical significance.

The sale also features these important manuscripts by renowned figures:
• Mark Twain: An attractive vintage photographic print of ‘Samuel Langhorne Clemens’ in a handsome half-length pose, ca. 1904, signed neatly by Mark Twain. This piece sheds light on Twain’s relationship with his secretary, Isabel Lyon, and the subsequent fallout, offering unique insights into the legendary author’s life.
• Dylan Thomas: A handwritten manuscript for a note published in his Collected Poems 1934–1952, where Thomas reflects on the purpose of his poetry, emphasizing his love for humanity and praise for God.
• Henry Miller: A unique archive of four published manuscripts, each signed by Henry Miller, which delve into character studies of individuals from his personal life. These manuscripts provide a fascinating glimpse into Miller’s influential circle.
• Charles Lindbergh: A handwritten draft of a New York Times article penned by Charles Lindbergh in 1929, discussing the advances in aviation and the limitless possibilities of powered flight.

Additional auction highlights include significant letters by Sigmund Freud, Alexander Graham Bell, Oliver Cromwell, and Harry Houdini. The collection also features signatures of iconic figures like the Beatles, Geronimo, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Online bidding for the sale will conclude on 11 October 2023.

Jacques Barthélémy Delamarre, Portrait of a Small Poodle, Said to be ‘Pompon,’ a Beloved Dog of Marie Antoinette, oil on canvas, 34 × 41 cm
(Sotheby’s)

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For anyone who missed this story from a few months back . . . As reported by HyperAllergic:

Elaine Velie, “Portrait of Marie Antoinette’s Dog Skyrockets at Auction,” HyperAllergic (26 May 2023). Jacques Barthélémy Delamarre’s 18th-century canine portrait, said to depict the French queen’s beloved ‘Pompon’, sold for a whopping $280K.

A delightful little dog portrait made a royal showing at Sotheby’s this morning (26 May 2023), where it sold for $279,400 including fees—nearly 56 times its high estimate of $5,000. Jacques Barthélémy Delamarre’s late 18th-century oil painting is thought to be a depiction of Marie Antoinette’s ‘Pompon’, one of the French queen’s many canine companions. Mystery shrouds the subject of the portrait, but little is known about the artist, too. . .

The full article is available here»

The London Art Week Galleries Map, drawn by Adam Gant; the map with a key to exhibitors is available here.

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From the art fair’s website:

London Art Week, Summer 2023
30 June — 7 July 2023

The UK’s leading fine arts selling event is held both in galleries around central London and as exhibitions online. This summer it features 53 participants, all internationally-acknowledged specialists in their chosen fields. Expert dealers offer museum-quality examples of decorative arts, paintings, sculpture, and works on paper of all periods from antiquity to contemporary, as well as—for the first time this year—rare books, maps, and manuscripts. The week coincides with the summer series of Old Master and Classic auctions held by Christie’s, Bonhams, and Sotheby’s. LAW provides a happy art-filled opportunity to explore the city’s major gallery areas such as St. James’s, Mayfair, and South Kensington, whilst browsing, admiring, and learning about works from antiquity to the present day. All works on show are for sale. Soak up the unique flavour of each locality and individual gallery, whilst enjoying unparalelled access to works of museum calibre as well as entry-level examples and rediscovered masters.

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A selection of gallery offerings:

Sarah Stone, Yellow-Headed Amazon Parrot (Amazona ochrocephala oratrix) with Hybrid Cockatoo, 1801, 45 × 37 cm.

Sarah Stone’s Unseen World: A Rare Collection of 18th-Century Ornithological Watercolours
Finch & Co

The exhibition presents 23 watercolours by the trailblazing 18th-century artist Sarah Stone, accompanied by a new book on the artist. Written by Errol Fuller and Craig Finch, the publication will be the first major work on Stone since Christine Jackson’s 1999 book Sarah Stone: Natural Curiosities from the New Worlds. Although long highly acclaimed for their historical and artistic importance, Sarah Stone’s paintings in private hands are rare, and this important collection has only recently come to light. Stone might be compared to her contemporary Mary Anning, the woman from Lyme Regis who kick-started the science of palaeontology. Like the activities of Anning, Sarah Stone’s work proved to be of enormous historical and scientific value.

European and British Paintings, Watercolours, and Drawings, 1780–1860
James Mackinnon

Works include portrait drawings made in Italy by Jean-Baptiste Wicar, whose remarkable career encompassed fame as a neo-classical painter, collector, and dealer in Italian master paintings and drawings by Michelangelo and Raphael among others. After 1896, Wicar served as Napoleon’s Commissioner for Science and Arts in Italy.

Travel, 1600–1900
Nonesuch Gallery

We are pleased to present this second iteration of our catalogues on the theme of travel, accompanied by an exhibition coinciding with London Art Week. The Nonesuch Gallery was set up by Tom Mendel in 2020 to provide high-quality, fully researched and above all interesting pictures to established collectors, institutional collections, and first-time buyers. The gallery specialises in works on paper from the 16th to 19th centuries; with a focus on landscape and topographical subjects, particularly as related to the Grand Tour.

Giovanni Caselli and Gaetano Fumo, Set of Six Altar Candlesticks 1745–52, soft-paste porcelain, each about 50 cm high, fleur-de-lys marks in blue, £85,000.

A Survey of European Ceramics, 1500–1800
E&H Manners

Established in 1986 when Errol and Henriette left Christie’s after working in the Chinese and European ceramic departments. Henry joined in 2015. We deal in ceramics, glass and enamels of the world from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. We focus on European pottery and porcelain of the 17th and 18th century and East Asian, Middle-Eastern and Mexican colonial period wares and ceramics of the Arts and Crafts and Modern Movement. We take pride in the quality and rarity of the pieces that we offer, many of which are now in the great museums and collections of the world.

The Chinese Export Interior
Thomas Coulborn & Sons (digital participant)

Thomas Coulborn & Sons has a reputation for producing eclectic collections of exceptional furniture and works of art. The stock is centred by superb examples of English furniture and works of art ranging from the Tudor period through to Regency, interwoven with stellar items from the Continent. Jonathan Coulborn has a particular interest in objects which reflect the historic intersection of cultures and design. In recent years we have become one of the world’s leading dealers in Chinese export furniture.

Face to Face: Portraits Spanning Five Centuries
Moretti Fine Art

The Galleria Moretti was founded in 1999 in Florence by Fabrizio Moretti. It opened to the public and private collectors with the inaugural exhibition From Bernardo Daddi to Giorgio Vasari and immediately distinguished itself with its specialization in Italian old masters paintings. Moretti Fine Art opened in London in 2005 and it became a point of reference for collectors who seek a confidential and discreet approach. In 2022, the gallery moved in the new building in Duke Street, St. James’s.

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A sampling of particular works on offer:

Attributed to Jacques Antoine Marie Lemoine, Portrait of the Violinist Jacques Pierre J. Rode, ca. 1810, oil on canvas, 92 × 72 cm.

• Antonio Gionima, Mucius Scaevola before Lars Porsenna, ca. 1720–25, oil on canvas, 156 × 198 cm. Offered by Fondantica di Tiziana Sassoli (digital participant) as part of a selection of Emilian Old Master paintings.

• Thomas Bardwell, Portrait of Henry Herbert, 10th Earl of Pembroke, 1757, oil on canvas, 137 × 168 cm. Offered by Lowell Libson & Jonny Yarker Ltd.

• Paul Sandby, Capriccio Landscape, 1792, pencil and watercolour. Offered by Abbott & Holder, the drawing once belonged to King Willam IV (and then to his illegitimate son, Lord Frederick Fitzclarence).

• Attributed to Jacques Antoine Marie Lemoine, Portrait of the Violinist Jacques Pierre J. Rode, ca. 1810, oil on canvas, 92 × 72 cm. Offered by Maurizio Nobile Fine Art (digital participant).