Antique Silver Brooch or Dress Button, 19th Century

The composition highlights a miniature under glass representing a cherub dressed in antique style, accompanied by a dove, symbol of love and purity.

The finesse of the decor, combined with the softness of the subject, gives this piece a romantic character typical of the 19th century.

 

Scene from the Last Judgement

This large-format painting depicts the Last Judgement. The scene shows an angel holding a trumpet, accompanied by two cherubs, standing on a cloud and holding the eternal Gospel, on which we can read in Latin: ‘Timete Dominum, quia venit hora judicii ejus: et adorate eum, qui fecit caelum, et terram, mare, et fontes aquarum.’ This warning is preceded in the texts by: “Then I saw another angel flying in the zenith. He had an eternal Gospel to proclaim to all the inhabitants of the earth, to every nation, tribe, language and people. He cried out with a loud voice: Fear God and give him glory, for the hour has come when he will judge. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs.” This is a passage from the Apocalypse of St. John 14:7.

In this painting, we can see an iconographic variation that focuses mainly on the tone given to this scene. While most representations of the Apocalypse depict this scene with an intention of gravity and “chaos”, this painting seems, on the contrary, to announce good news, the triumph of good over evil, of God over Satan.

While depictions of the Last Judgement often show a contrast between the peace of heaven and the chaos on earth, this is partly to highlight the ‘heavenly glory’ of the righteous in contrast to the wicked, who will suffer eternal shame and torment. This eschatological thinking was central to society in the 15th and 16th centuries, as the ‘end of the world’ was a source of great concern to the population.
While this iconography is widely developed in many religious buildings, through frescoes and sculpted tympanums, we can also see it incorporated into tapestry and painting.

Pair of parrot wall lamps

Pair of blue and white porcelain parrot wall lights by Wong Lee. These depict blue and white parrots perched on a tree trunk, holding a gilded bronze scroll in their beaks. The whole piece is mounted on gilded bronze bases. The lamps are fitted with new green silk-lined lampshades and Declercq trimmings.

Painting by Mattia Traverso “Diana and Her Retinue”

Mattia Traverso, born in Genoa in 1885 and died in 1956, was a highly talented Italian painter renowned for his exceptional technical mastery and his taste for classical scenes of grand decoration, which allowed him to revive the splendor of past centuries with a modern elegance.

Italy

Signed and dated 1932