Sotheby's sale of Old master sculpture and works of art held in London on July 9, 2009 yielded 2 087 850 pounds sterling (buyer's premium included)
Best results: FRANCESCO
FANELLI (1577-AFTER 1641)
ANGLO-ITALIAN, 17TH CENTURY
TURK ON HORSEBACK BEING ATTACKED BY A LION
Estimate: 20,000—30,000 GBP Lot Sold. Hammer Price with Buyer's Premium: 61,250 GBP
overall: 21.5 by 19cm., 8½ by 7½in.bronze, on a gilt bronze plinth; a
small white label inscribed B381 on the underside
George Vertue's account of the
collection of Lord Oxford has firmly established that this model of the Turk
was conceived by Francesco Fanelli. Vertue notes the typical black lacquer
finish which also adorns the present bronze. In an earlier account of the
sculptor's qualities, Joachim von Sandrart lauds Fanelli's ability to produce
models and casts that do not require reworking. It is in particularly fine
casts such as this bronze Turk that Fanelli's individual talent is best
illustrated: even on this minimal scale the horseman's hunt is captured at its
most dramatic moment, with all elements clearly revolving around the lion's
crushing bite. FRENCH,
EARLY 18TH CENTURY AFTER A MODEL BY ANTOINE COYSEVOX
(1640-1720)
VÉNUS ACCROUPIE (CROUCHING VENUS) Estimate: 10,000—15,000 GBP Lot Sold. Hammer Price with Buyer's Premium: 34,850 GBP
30.5 by 24cm., 12 by 9½in.
bronze
Few bronze reductions of Coysevox' Crouching
Venus approach the original marble as closely as the present bronze.
Particularly the elaborate twisting and curling of the hair as it falls into
Venus' right hand is seldom so well developed as here. Another striking
difference with other small bronze versions is the indication of the tiled
terrasse as deployed in the Louvre marble (no. MR 1826). These features of
Coysevox' model were also translated into a full-size bronze by the Vinache
foundry for the Château de Marly in 1688-9. A similarly well-cast reduction,
acquired in Paris by Baron Raymond Leplat in 1716, is in the Dresdener
Skulpturensammlung (no. H4 155/40). - ITALIAN, EARLY 18TH CENTURY
HERCULES AT THE CROSSROADS Estimate: 20,000—30,000 GBP Lot Sold. Hammer Price with Buyer's Premium: 145,250 GBP
67 by 133cm., 26 5/8 by 52¼in.
white
marble
This spectacular, large marble
relief shows the allegorical narration of Hercules at the crossroads.
The central group of Hercules with the personifications of Virtue and Vice is
based upon Annibale Carracci's (1560-1609) painting of the same subject,
formerly in the Farnese collection in Rome and now in the Museo Nazionale di
Capodimonte, Naples. But the sculptor transformed and enriched his source,
adding the group of the putti to the right, together with a number of further
attributes.For its style, the relief was probably conceived by a sculptor from the circle
of Theodon. Large-scale marble reliefs which competed with paintings became
very popular in early 18th-century Rome. Most of these were however done for
churches. This is a very rare example of an allegorical, classical subject,
which must have been made for a Roman palazzo. FRENCH,
LATE 16TH CENTURY/ 17TH CENTURY
HEAD OF A WOMAN
Estimate: 30,000—50,000 GBP Lot Sold. Hammer Price with Buyer's Premium: 85,250 GBP
bronze: 36.5cm.,14¼in.; socle: 11cm., 4¼in.
bronze, on a mottled red and black
marble socle
The present head of a woman
demonstrates a facture and cast associated with or influenced by bronzes
executed in France at the foundries of the Château de Fontainebleau. More
specifically, six bronzes produced under Francesco Primaticcio for Francois I
and inspired by Roman prototypes. The Fontainebleau bronzes were cast by Pierre
Beauchesne and Benoit Le Boucher. Primaticcio's Belvedere Venus is a
compelling stylistic comparision to the head of a woman with idealized facial
features and similarly stylized parted wavy hair. The Janus bust formerly in the Yves Saint Laurent collection also shares these
features with both the present head, the Belvedere Venus and a head of
Cybele from the collection of the sculptor Francois Girardon (Cabinet
des Medailles, Paris and illustrated in Souchal). Comparisions can also be made
with a head of Niobe (MR 1701) and another of Sappho (MR3353) both in the
Louvre, Paris and another Head of Niobe with Heim Gallery, London, in
1966 and catalogued as L'Antico.
Primaticcio was an Italian painter, sculptor and architect born in Bologna who,
together with Rosso Fiorentino, became one of the most influential Italian
artists in France in the 16th century and a great exponent of the Fontainebleau
school. Other sculptors of the school included Nicolò dell'Abate, Jacopo
Vignola, Sebastiano Serlio and Benvento Cellini.
- WORKSHOP OF PIETER SCHEEMAKERS
THE YOUNGER (1691-1781) AND LAURENT DELVAUX (1696-1778) FLEMISH, 18TH CENTURY
DIANA SLEEPING
Estimate: 10,000—15,000 GBP Lot Sold. Hammer Price with Buyer's Premium: 46,850 GBP
23 by 77 by 37cm., 9 1/8 by 30¼ by 14½in.
white marble ITALIAN,
FLORENCE, CIRCA 1800 AFTER A MODEL BY GIAMBOLOGNA
(1529-1608)
HERCULES AND THE CENTAUR
Estimate: 10,000—15,000 GBP Lot Sold. Hammer Price with Buyer's Premium: 61,250 GBP bronze: 44cm., 17¼in.
bronze, sold without the base
NETHERLANDISH
OR GERMAN AFTER A MODEL BY ADRIAEN DE VRIES (C.
1556-1626)
BATHER
8,000—12,000 GBP Lot Sold. Hammer Price with Buyer's Premium: 32,450 GBP
overall: 46cm., 18 1/8 in.
bronze, on a stone base
FRENCH,
LIMOGES, CIRCA 1220-1240
BOOKCOVER
Estimate: 50,000—70,000 GBP Lot Sold. Hammer Price with Buyer's Premium: 118,850 GBP
22 by 11cm., 8 5/8 by 4¼in.
champlevé
enamelled copper
Thirteenth century Limoges enamel
bookcovers of the crucifixion were simplified to relate the story clearly and
powerfully. The present plaque, like a similar bookcover sold in the Dormeuil
collection, Sotheby's, Paris, 2007, no 18, succeeds with marked elegance. The
composition is centered by a figure of the crowned Christ as an applique on the
cross and flanked in the lower two thirds of the panel by the Virgin on his
right and Saint John the Evangelist on his left. The colourful, stylised
terrain upon which they stand represents the Calvary. Floating in the top third
of the panel are two angels divided by the hand of God. Few extant book covers
illustrating the crucifixion display the figure of Christ as an applique.
Notable are those formerly in the Thomas Flannery Collection, sold Sotheby's
London 1 December 1983, lot 36 and that formerly in the Giannalisa Feltrinelli
collection, Geneva.
FRENCH,
LIMOGES, EARLY 13TH CENTURY
CHÂSSE
Estimate: 50,000—70,000 GBP Lot Sold. Hammer Price with Buyer's Premium: 56,450 GBP
14.5 by 14.5 by 5.5cm., 5 5/8 by 5 5/8 by 2¼in.
champlevé enamelled and
partially-gilt copper; wood and iron interior
The present small reliquary casket
displays features which are typical of Limoges production between 1200 and
1225: lapis blue ground enclosing applied gilt half-length figures of angels
with engraved wings. A narrative element has been replaced in favour of a
decorative motif of six angels on the front, two saints on the sides and a
decorative geometric design on the reverse. As such, it is impossible to
identify the saint whose relics the châsse would have originally contained. The
design on the front of the châsse can be compared with the casket with saints
formerly in the Keir collection (see Gauthier no. 17). The decorative motif on
the reverse, however, is akin to the reverse of the St. Valerie casket formerly
in the Dormeuil collection and sold at Sotheby's Paris, 12 November 2007, lot 12.
FRENCH,
LIMOGES, CIRCA 1200-1220
BOOKCOVER
Estimate: 60,000—80,000 GBP Lot Sold. Hammer Price with Buyer's Premium: 73,250 GBP
23.5 by 11cm., 9¼ by 4¼in
champlevé
enamelled copper PROVENANCE
Galerie
Bresset, Paris, 1969
Limoges
enamel bookcovers were fashioned to protect bound biblical texts while equaling
in splendour the illuminations of the sacred words contained within. Bookcovers
were produced in Limoges from the workshops' inception in the 12th century. The
earliest known mention of a Limoges champlevé enamel is, in fact, a reference
to a book cover in a letter of 1169 from a priest at Saint-Satur in England to
the prior at the Abbey of St. Victor in Paris, in which the priest mentions a
Limoges binding they viewed together (Abbé Arbellott).
The subject matter of Limoges bookcovers is limited to two themes: the
Crucifixion and Christ in Majesty. From surviving bindings it is known that the
Crucifixion is most often featured on the front cover, with the Christ in
Majesty on the reverse. For an example, see the pendants now divided between
the Victoria & Albert Museum, London (inv. no. 651-1898) and the Staatliche
Museen in Berlin (acq. no 1917.85).
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