It is fascinating to note that the first historical owner of the original painting was none other than Lucien Bonaparte, the Emperor’s brother and a great patron of the arts, which testifies to the immense prestige of this work from its creation.
This magnificent portrait of a lady of quality dates from the 18th century. A young woman is dressed in a sumptuous azure gown enhanced by a wide gold cloak, while sporting a Fontange hairstyle, very fashionable at court.
Folding armchair with a faux bamboo wooden frame, set on an X-shaped base. The seat and backrest are in stretched black leather, held in place by side straps.
20th century
The piece is a delightful example of the taste for Orientalism and fine furniture during the Second Empire.
France
19th Century
A similar piece is featured as a major reference in Marshall P. Katz’s book, “Portuguese Palissy Ware: A Survey of Ceramics from Caldas da Rainha 1853-1920,” on pages 44 and 57.
Portugal
Circa 1880
A pair of porcelain parrot lamps by Wong Lee. These depict parrots in light colours, perched on a tree trunk and holding a gilded bronze scroll in their beaks. The lamps are mounted on gilded bronze bases. The lamps are fitted with new lined silk lampshades in a powder pink colour, adorned with Declercq trimmings.
Set of four elegant Medici vases
19th century
This large, fully sculpted earthenware fish tureen is a remarkable collector’s item produced by the Antonibon factory in Nove, Italy, between 1722 and 1825. The piece features a realistically sculpted body, with a lid adorned with a delicate handle in the shape of a lemon and its foliage. The ensemble rests on an oval dish with a scalloped, gilded rim featuring a naturalistic decoration of bouquets of wild flowers.
A model identical to this piece is listed in the collections of the Ariana Museum in Geneva under inventory number AR 02940
Italy, XIX century
The young girl poses with solemn grace in a twilight landscape, dressed in rich, draped fabrics in shades of umber and golden silk. She delicately holds small flowers in her right hand, while a bouquet of flowers is gathered from the folds of her dress. A charming detail is her antique sandals tied around her bare feet, reinforcing the allegorical character. This representation is firmly rooted in the rich tradition of allegorical portraiture, where the deity embodies the renewal, beauty, and vitality of youth. The young girl is thus a personification of this springtime of life, making her a living symbol of innocence and the promise of the future.
England
Gerard Lanscroon
Dated 1687