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PAIR OF SOLOMONIC COLOMNS. GUILDED WOOD. SPAIN, CIRCA SECOND HALF 17TH...
Pair of Solomonic columns. Carved and gilded wood. Spain, towards the second half of the 17th century. Pair of columns made of carved and gilded wood composed of a simple base with smooth mouldings, a Solomonic shaft decorated with branches with vine leaves and bunches of grapes, and a composite capital. The Solomonic column was an element used in the history of Christian art from time to time, although it was a common architectural motif during the Baroque period and, above all, since Bernini used it in the canopy of St. Peter's in the Vatican (finished in 1633), from when it became popular throughout Europe. It soon reached Spain: there are examples in Andalusia from around 1639; in Madrid they can be seen from 1636 (it seems that it was used for the first time in the Church of Buen Suceso); and it spread rapidly throughout peninsular and colonial territories. Although there are examples decorated with flowers (normally in altarpieces of female cloistered convents) or with birds, the most common typology is the one that uses vine leaves and bunches of grapes as a decorative element along the Solomonic shaft, thus alluding to the Sacrament of the Eucharist. Compare, for example, the pair preserved in the Sorolla Museum in Madrid, dating from the 18th century; works by José Benito de Churriguera and his family (Churrigueresque); etc.ANTIQUES
· Size: 36x36x234 cms
Ref.: ZF0934 -
PLATTER. SILVER. SPAIN, ZARAGOZA, CIRCA 1700.
Fountain. Silver in its color. Zaragoza, Spain, circa 1700. With contrast and engraving marks. A circular silver platter or dish, in its own color, with a raised rim decorated with a composition of plant elements and shields or flat mirrors between two lines of plain moldings. The seat, raised on two levels, features another plant decoration, with a smooth, domed center. A completely plain field surrounds the seat. The back contains the markings on the piece. One is an engraved one on the seat, toward the center. The other is on the edge or rim, along with the only contrasting one found. This one has been linked to Zaragoza, placing the piece in that city. Compare this piece, noting its differences, with the Tudela fountain from the second quarter of the 17th century, made by Noval and housed in the Lázaro Galdiano Foundation Museum in Madrid (Spain). Or the enameled fountain in the National Archaeological Museum, made by Rodrigo de Arenillas or Abaunza in Burgos. It is known that until the ordinances of 1742, it was not mandatory for the silversmith's mark to appear on the pieces he made in Zaragoza. After this date, pieces with only the town mark continued to be abundant. At the end of the 17th century, chiseled work became very rare, with embossed work with leaf motifs being the norm. Around 1720, the decoration became thicker and more exuberant, and around 1725, with the same ornamental motifs, the decorative style varied (contrasts were sought between profusely decorated areas and others that were completely smooth and polished). The earliest example of Rococo silverwork in Zaragoza has been dated to 1742 (the statue of Saint Barbara in the Church of Saint Paul). Weight: 2.4 kg.ANTIQUES
· Size: 55,5x55,5x 4 cms.
Ref.: ZF1304 -
FRAME. WOOD, METAL. LATE 17TH CENTURY-EARLY 18TH CENTURY.
Frame. Carved wood. Late 17th century-early 18th century. Rectangular frame that presents a “base structure” of straight lines, combining moldings of different widths and finishes (on the inside, a gold band with fine plant details towards the corners; next, a thin red one, and another wider green one, these last two imitating marble; on the outside, another fine gold molding), enhanced with a series of carvings of plant elements in the corners (symmetrical composition), two ovoid elements on the longer sides and a very elaborate cresting with plant elements, rocailles, volutes, flowers and imitation fabrics (which are joined with those ovoid elements mentioned). The combination of red, green and gold is common in certain types of frames (compare, for example, the terracotta from Salamanca made around the middle of the 16th century by Juan de Juni, which is preserved in the Victoria and Albert Museum). A series of carvings with a lot of movement and depth have been added to it, showing the influence of the Baroque (it recalls in certain details works such as the frame of the Immaculate Conception by Alonso Cano in the Cathedral of Malaga).ANTIQUES
· Size: 138x28x196 cms, Int. 86x128 cms.
Ref.: ZF0582 -
WARDROBE. 18TH CENTURY
Wardrobe from the first half of the 18th century. Oak and walnut woods. Wardrobe made of oak and walnut, decorated with profuse carving and moulding. With an architectural structure inspired by contemporary Baroque architecture, it is organised into two rows and three registers, and is finished at the top by a projecting cornice with a central sinuous pediment. The entire structure appears rigorously organised by regular straight lines, which emphasise the differentiation of each of the different parts of the structure, following a clearly classical criterion, typical of the Baroque even in its most ornamental aspects, according to which the decoration must always adapt to the structure, without ever going beyond it, so that the main lines of the latter are perfectly legible, as well as the relationship of proportion and balance of the parts between themselves and with respect to the whole. Following this idea, we see the front divided into two sections and three registers, and the latter are continued on the sides, with moulded recesses in this case, without the carving visible on the front, although highlighted by the work of volumes and light contrasts, typically baroque, achieved through the simple use of mouldings and steps. In the lower register we see two doors, each with its lock with a shield cut out with a double fleur-de-lis. Its design is organised around a central mixtilinear recess, typically baroque, carved on the inside with a rocaille crest that already tells us about the knowledge of the rococo, although in the furniture, both at a structural and ornamental level, the baroque language still dominates. The perimeter of recesses and projections of this central recess is repeated, with increasingly complex lines, drawn on the basis of mouldings very raised with respect to the background, which provide the contrast and chiaroscuro typical of baroque furniture. Furthermore, the central area is highlighted by very bulging carvings based on vegetal scrolls, scallops and rocaille crests. The middle register, still belonging to the lower body at a visual level, houses two drawers of the same size and design, which combine diamond-pointed recesses with gilded fittings decorated by chiseling. Finally, the upper body also has two doors, like the lower one with its locks, and in fact follows an ornamental scheme similar to that of the lower doors, although more developed and with a vertical design. Here we also see rocailles and vegetalized braces, combined with a profuse molding of dynamic lines, typically baroque. As a finishing touch, under the cornice and in the central area, there appears a stepped motif that is organized around the lines of two sinuous pediments, combined with floral and classical carved motifs.ANTIQUES
· Size: 155x76x267 cms.
FURNITURERef.: Z0740 -
SAINT HUBERT OR SAINT EUSTACE. GOLDEN AND POLYCHROMED WOOD. SPANISH S...
Possibly Saint Hubert or Saint Eustace. Carved, polychrome and gilded wood. Spanish school, 16th century. Polychrome and gilded wooden carving, simply polished on the back, showing a richly dressed young rider, wearing a flat hat, and with a falcon on his right arm, his hand covered with a glove. Iconographically, it could be a civil sculpture of a nobleman on a hunt, given that he does not wear a halo and there are no other elements that identify him. However, it could also be a saint. In this case, it could be Saint Eustace of Rome, a Roman general martyred in the Italian capital during the persecutions of Emperor Hadrian in 118 AD and who was converted when, out hunting, he saw a deer with a crucifix between its antlers, illuminated by a strong light and heard a voice warning him. This vision also appears in the lives of St. Felix of Valois (saintified in 1666), who had it while he was walking, and St. Hubert of Liège (a Merovingian nobleman who took up hunting after his wife died, and had the aforementioned vision while hunting on Good Friday, with a voice that told him "Hubert, if you do not return to the Lord and lead a holy life, you will go to hell" and sent him to find the bishop of Maastricht, Lambert, where he converted, renouncing his position and giving his wealth to the poor). St. Hubert died in Tervuren, Brabant, and his remains ended up in the Abbey of Andain, in the current town of St. Hubert, his remains being lost in the 16th century (until then the abbey was a very important pilgrimage centre). The importance of this saint was increased thanks to some Military Orders that took his name in the 15th century; in addition, Philip IV of Spain had him as a protector. Normally, these saints (Saint Eustace and Saint Hubert) are shown accompanied by a deer with a cross or a crucified Christ between its antlers, as this was the most important moment of their lives. However, when there was more space or development at various times in history, it was not unusual to see them with a horse: the portal of the chapel of Saint Hubert in Amboise (chapel built between 1491 and 1496), with the saint next to a horse and kneeling before the deer; two works preserved in the Metropolitan Museum of New York: a French relief from the beginning of the 16th century with the saint mounted on horseback (inventory 25.120.284) and a half prayer bead from the beginning of the 16th century, from the Netherlands, with the saint also mounted. Representations of Saint Eustace are less numerous, in principle. Stylistically, the work does not show much Hispano-Flemish influence (although the saint was very popular in northern Europe). Also, compare the attire: the hat is similar to the one worn by the portrait of John Calvin in the engraving attributed to Hans Holbein the Younger (ca. 1497-1543).ANTIQUES
· Size: 64x20x77 cms
Ref.: ZF0950 -
PAIR OF MIRRORS. WOOD. SPANISH SCHOOL, 17TH CENTURY.
Pair of mirrors. Carved and polychrome wood. Spanish School, 17th century. Pair of wall mirrors, each with a rectangular frame and a prominent frame made of carved, polychrome, and gilded wood. These elements are arranged symmetrically, divided into two areas: a thin band with leaves on the inside and a wider one on the outside, with scrolls, acanthus leaves, volutes on the outside, protrusions on the sides, a finial at the bottom, and a helmet-shaped crown, more heraldic than royal due to its details. This one has also been decorated with lines of pearls and an elaborate composition based on simplified plant motifs on a dark background, recalling the bluing common on this type of piece when they were made of metal and royal. One of the helmets faces right, the other left. This crest features a neck guard and a single-piece neck guard, a lowered visor ending in a point, a nape of the neck (which would have been used to accommodate a crest or crest), and, despite not having a wreath, its features are what separate it from royal closed helmets, helms, bascinet, and snouts. Compare, for example, with the Italian cuirassier helmet from around 1615–1620 held by the Metropolitan Museum in New York (inventory 2011.80). As for the mirror, it follows a common design for this type of work in the Spanish school during the Baroque period. Considering the differences (size, etc.), it can be compared with the early 18th-century mirror from the Guevara Palace in Lorca (Murcia, Spain). Also worth noting, due to the similar distribution of the decorative elements on the frames, is the 17th-century mirror with an eagle's head frame in the Prado Museum in Madrid (catalog number O000473), a smaller and simpler pair in the Cervantes Birthplace Museum (Alcalá de Henares, Madrid), etc.ANTIQUES
· Size: 96x17x138 int 30x42 cms
Ref.: ZF1394 -
LOUIS XVI STYLE GILT BRONZE AND MARQUETRY CENTER TABLE. FRANCE, 19TH C...
Louis XVI style table. France, 19th century. Parquet top. Mahogany, rosewood, gilt bronze. The legs, which retain their respective rollers, present a circular columnar shape, starting from a dado and ending in vase-like shapes highlighted with garlands, fine moldings, plant elements, and capitals similar to those of the classical Ionic order. The truncated cone-shaped profile of the legs closely follows the French Louis XVI models known as "pied à l'antique." From the dados of each two legs emerges a semicircular jamb, the two joined in the center by another dado, topped by a vase with profiles inspired by classical art. The waist of the table features semicircular shapes on the shorter sides and a rectangular projection on the longer ones; it is flanked by two gilt-bronze moldings and features a decoration of gilt-bronze plant elements on a green background, as well as dados reminiscent of classical triglyphs in the corners of the rectangular areas. The upper tabletop, which follows these same lines, displays a marquetry decoration drawing six-pointed stars thanks to a composition of geometric inlaid cubes. A drawer is hidden in one of the rectangular sides of the table. Neoclassical furniture, in France, appeared during the reign of Louis XV, from approximately the 1750s. It retains certain details of the French Transition style (approximately 1750–1774), such as its inspiration in Greco-Latin antiquity, the popularization of geometric marquetry, and the use of some curves. The Louis XVI style features classicizing scrolls, straight lines, classical architectural elements, clean, symmetrical forms, and a lack of movement. It was very common in the 19th century to use styles from before that century as inspiration for a range of creations. The table, which stands out both for the quality of its design and the materials used, can be compared to examples of such renowned cabinetmakers and firms as Holland and Sons, whose creations inspired numerous works, or those of Adam Weisweiler (France, c. 1750–after 1810), for example.ANTIQUES
· Size: 118x70x76 cms
FURNITURERef.: ZA6718 -
BACCARAT SIGNED CHANDELIER. GLASS AND GILT BRONZE. FRANCE, 19TH CENTUR...
Baccarat signed chandelier. Glass and gilt bronze. 19th century.ANTIQUES
Gilt bronze and transparent glass chandelier with eight lights. The upper part has a series of curved sticks from which hang some glass beads in various shapes (flower, tear). The central axis of the chandelier (made in metal and covered in glass with abundant curves) has a central piece in bronze and glass beads (very often seen in french chandeliers from around the middle of the 19th century and in Louis XVI style). From all the elements of the piece hang a large number of glass beads of various shapes (circular, flowers, tears, oval, etc.).
The Société Baccarat (which continues to manufacture luxury glassware in this French town) began as a glass workshop founded by Louis-Joseph de Laval-Montmorency, with the permission of Louis XV of France, in 1764. They received the first official order from the Royalty in 1823, giving rise to a huge number of petitions addressed to members of European royal families, nobility, heads of state, etc. Towards 1860, the company began to sign its products with a registered trademark, usually recorded in the base of the article, although it was also common for other broncists to use Baccarat glass for its fame and quality.
Measures: 65x65x120 cms.
· Size: 65x65x120 cms.
Ref.: ZF0004 -
MANTEL CLOCK. BRONZE, MARBLE. JAPY FRÈRES; BOURSIER. PARIS, FRANCE, CI...
Table clock. Marble, bronze. Japy Freres; Boursier. Paris, France, circa 1849-1854. Machinery in perfect condition and working order. Table clock made of patinated and gilt bronze and marble, featuring a base with architectural and plant elements with a clear Classicist influence, and a panoply in the center. The clock face sits in a vase, flanked by two female figures and two children's figures in patinated bronze. The white dial, with Roman numerals for the hours and Arabic numerals every five minutes, bears the name "Boursier Jne / Elve de Lepautte / À Paris." The Paris-style movement has engraved text and numbers, and a stamp bearing the name Japy Frères, along with the years of the Gold Medals the house received (the last in 1849). The female figures also display clear Classicist influences in their aesthetics, clothing, and objects, recalling allegories from classical mythology. Japy Frédéric (1749-1812) founded the first French watchmaking movement factory in Beaucourt in 1777. Production grew considerably until 1806, when the company began to be called Japy Frères (when the founder's three sons inherited the business). This name was later changed to Japy Frères et Cie in 1854. The dates are assumed by the mention of the medal won in 1849 and the previous nomenclature. There is evidence of a Parisian watchmaker named Boursier who had a workshop on the rue des Vieux Augustins between 1840 and 1860. He signed the dial "Boursier élève de Lepaute". Only prominent private collections and institutions such as the Bank of Spain in Madrid or the BBVA preserve watches from both manufacturers, while from that period and with stylistic similarities are preserved in the National Heritage (Spain), the National Museum of Romanticism, etc. Weight: 35 kg.ANTIQUES
· Size: 80x22x57 cms
Ref.: ZF1168 -
FOUR GEORGE III SAUCE BOATS SET. SILVER. HENRY CHAWNER, 1790.
Set of four Jorge III sauce boats. Silver. Henry Chawner (act. 1786-1796), 1790. Each one has an oval base, with fine mouldings that are repeated both on the edge of the sauce boat, visually extended by the curved line of the two handles, and on the top of the lid, in the shape of a vase. They present more decorative elements in the pieces, apart from those already mentioned and a series of elements engraved on the lids (bull heads with necks) and on the front of the sauce boats. In this area there is a motto in Latin ("Fide et amore”, “faithfulness and love”) under a heraldic shield on each one (three bull heads, two above and one below, separated by a goat; two rampant lions flanking a diagonal band on the shield itself). The lines and The elegance of the pieces is typical of the George III style. The heraldry is very reminiscent of that of the Boleyn family, Bullen or Boleyn, descended from Anne Boleyn. The motto would allude to a game commissioned on the occasion of a wedding. In 1790 William Bullen and Mary Collins were married in the Irish branch of the family, although it is not the only event of that year (Henry Bullen and Margaret Tarrent in the diocese of Cloyne…). The hallmarks provide a wealth of information about the pieces. The lion passant places the manufacture in London, while the two initials refer to Henry Chawner; the lowercase letter gives the exact year; the leopard's head certifies the quality of the material. The still-operating silversmith's business, Edward Barnard & Sons Ltd., has a number of predecessors: it was founded by Anthony Nelme around 1680, and, after a succession of master silversmiths, the business was improved by Henry Chawner in 1786, master of the successor of the family that was then running the business (Eduard Barnard I) and who continued with the business. It was active between 1786 and 1796, and the surname of this master remained linked to the firm until the end of the 18th century in several of his relatives. His works are currently preserved in private collections in England and America, mainly, but also in prominent institutions such as George Washington's Mount Vernon Museum (Virginia, United States), which has a Henry Chawner inkwell of George Washington, the Scoteney Castle of Kent, the Victoria & Albert in London, the Portland Art Museum, etc. Weight: 2110 grams.ANTIQUES
· Size: 14x10x23 cms.
MISCELLANEOUS;SILVER WORKSRef.: Z6774 -
”SECRETER “Á ABATTANT”. GILT BRONCE, MARQUETRY, PORCELAIN, CLOTH, MARB...
“Abattant” secretaire. Fine woods, marquetry, interior with drawers in rosewood and textile, gilded bronze and enamelled porcelain; marble top. Signed HYPPOLYTE-EDME PRETOT (Paris, 1812-1855). 19th century. Secretaire with a top in veined light marble and a rectangular base, with a curved base and rounded corners highlighted by a diamond marquetry and some applications in gilded metal reminiscent of classicism. The sides have a diamond-shaped decoration on the wood in the central area, separated by two gilded bronze mouldings that extend along the three fronts; in the upper part, the same compositional scheme is repeated. The front concentrates the decoration: a composition framed by feathering based on flowers and plant elements in a delicate marquetry for each of the drawers, which, on the small door, is highlighted by a bronze moulding and accompanied by an enamelled porcelain plate. This has two cupids on a celestial background, as well as a frame in this same metal. Opening this small door reveals a small desk with a fabric-covered top and four drawers flanking a central space, located under another rectangular space. The corners of the piece also feature classicist dolphins and grotesques of children with the lower half of their bodies transformed into plant elements and scrolls. The piece of furniture bears a signature linked to Hippolyte-Edme Pretot, a Parisian cabinetmaker who established himself in the Rue de l'Abbaye in 1836, moved to the Rue Saint-Germain in 1841 and, from 1846, to the Rue de Harlay. He showed some of his best work at the Exposition Nationale in France in 1849 and was awarded a medal at the Great Exhibition in London in 1851. The present example can be compared with the lines of a Napoleon III cabinet in pietra dura, ebonised wood and gilded bronze, which has been dated to around 1850 and is kept in a private collection. These similarities can be appreciated by comparing the bronze elements of both pieces of furniture. Some works by the master, or attributed to him, can be seen in the Dayton Art Institute (United States), in the Musée des Arts Dècoratifs in Paris, in the Luxembourg Embassy in The Hague, in the collection of the National Heritage of Spain, etc.ANTIQUES
· Size: 80x44x109 cms.
FURNITURERef.: Z6849 -
DEVOTIONAL PENDANT. OIL ON AVENTURINE, ENAMEL, GOLD… SPAIN, 17TH CENTU...
Devotional pendant or reliquary. Oil painting on aventurine, enamel, gold. Spain, 17th century. Devotional medallion or pendant or reliquary made of aventurine or aventurine with an octagonal shape and faceted fronts, enhanced with a series of enamels combining black and gold, which protect two oil paintings of a Catholic Christian religious theme, located one on each side of the piece. Protected, you can see a very particular Madonna and Child inspired by the Icon of the Madonna del Popolo (Rome, Italy), and a simplified Martyrdom of Saint Lawrence (the saint, the grill and an angel with a crown and the palm corresponding to the theme are shown). The edges of the piece have been protected with simple metal elements. The painting of San Lorenzo follows a composition common in the Spanish school, and would recall works such as the painting of the main altar of the Church of San Lorenzo in Huesca, for example, although also others such as the engraving by Marcantonio Raimondi (executed around 1527) in some details. The so-called icon of the Madonna del Popolo was well known because it was considered to have been made by Saint Luke, and was brought to the church of the same name by Gregory IX from the Sancta Sanctorum of the Lateran Palace after a flood caused a terrible plague in the city and through a solemn procession with the image to Santa Maria del Popolo. As for the material of the piece, aventurine or aventurine are known as a certain type of glass and a type of quartz (which can be green or reddish brown, and usually has tiny elements of yellow mica that give it golden reflections). In the first case, it is known that "venturine" or "stellaria" is mentioned in the workshops of Murano for the first time during the first quarter of the 17th century, in reference to a very complicated production paste (it is said that the name comes from this circumstance, that is, that its creation was due to luck or fortune) that imitates the effects of that stone (from India and Russia at that time) thanks to the inclusion of copper particles, and that was used as if it were stone (cut) given the complexity of its use in blowing (practically impossible). And, dealing with this material, it is necessary to mention “The Nativity” by Pietro da Cortona, dated around 1656, which is preserved in the El Prado Museum (Madrid) because it is an oil painting on aventurine. Compare this work with the reliquary medallion with an image of the Virgin painted on aventurine dated between 1600 and 1633 from the Lázaro Galdiano Museum (Madrid); with another devotional medallion in gold and aventurine from the Museo Nacional de Artes Decorativas (Madrid) dated in the 17th-18th centuries; or with the medallion that is also a reliquary that presents an Immaculate Conception painted on aventurine, dated between the 18th and 19th centuries from the Museo Nacional de Artes Decorativas (Madrid); or with the 16th-century Spanish devotional pendant from the Metropolitan Museum of New York with Saint John the Baptist and the Virgin (which combines black and white enamels, in a different way to the present piece); or with the 17th-century triangular-shaped pendant of black and white enamel and gold from the Valencia Institute of Don Juan in Madrid. Weight: 103 grams.ANTIQUES
· Size: 9x0.7x8 cms.
Ref.: ZF0700 -
CLOCK SET. BRONZE, ROUGE GRIOTTE MARBLE, GLASS. FRANCE, 19TH CENTURY, ...
Clock mount and two candlesticks. Bronze, red griotte marble. France, 19th century, following Clodion's models. Set or garnish consisting of a table clock and two candlesticks with two lights each, made of burnished and gilded bronze and rouge griotte marble, as well as other materials. The clock, raised on legs, has a marble base enhanced with gilded bronze elements in a strong classicist style, like the rest of the decoration; the Paris machinery of the clock has been placed inside a rectangular box of bronze and transparent glass, topped by a composition of flowers, leaves and a torch at the top, and the dial (white with Arabic numerals for the hours and every 15 for the minutes, on a garland of flowers) is signed “P. Lombardi / AParis”; next to this gilded structure, there is a child figure in burnished bronze in a dark tone, with wings on its back. The two candlesticks, raised on legs and bases of the same marble enhanced with a chain of gilded bronze pearls, present figures in dark-coloured burnished bronze and two “branches” with grapes ending in containers with garlands for candles. The two candelabras, depicting a satyr and Bacchus or a bacchante, were inspired by pieces created by Claude Michel (1738-Paris, 1814), a French sculptor known as Clodion, who won awards such as the Grand Prix for sculpture from the Academie Royale in 1759, the Prix de Rome in 1762, etc., and was highly appreciated for his work. The satyr in this pair closely follows models by the master (compare Satyr Running with an Owl, made between 1770 and 1780, Cleveland Museum of Art) and there are several examples of candelabras with figures like this pair (with variations in the lights and bases). The Cupid on the table clock is also inspired by Clodion's reliefs and sculptures, but what is striking about this fitting is that it is not at all usual to combine candlesticks with these figures with the clock in the same set. Weight: 16 kg (clock); 6 kg (candlesticks).ANTIQUES
· Size: Reloj 28x24x45 cms. Cand. 18x13x31 cms.
Ref.: ZF0790 -
LOUIS XVI STYLE DRESSER. GUÉRET FRÈRES, PARIS, FRANCE, 19TH CENTURY.
Louis XVI style dressing table. Woods, etc. Guéret Frères, Paris, France, 19th century. Marks on the back (stamping). Dressing table with a mirror topped with a crest and two gilt-bronze pine cones, flanked by two shelves on each side with railings, featuring a veined marble top (also present on the shelves) and a front with three drawers in the upper band, two doors in the center (shelves inside removable wooden trays toward the front), and four small drawers flanking them at the front, which lock with a key. On the sides of this lower area are two columns with a strong Classicist influence, enhanced with gilt-bronze elements. The piece stands on four legs. The back features prints related to the designer's work. In France, the Louis XVI style is considered a movement within Neoclassicism and spans from around 1760 to around 1789 (although works inspired by it would be created in the 19th century). It was succeeded by the Directoire style. It is characterized by its influences from Ancient Rome and Enlightenment thought. The firm known as Guéret Frères (Denis-Désiré and Onésime) was established in Paris around 1853 and from 1867 was known as Guéret Jeune et Cie., active until the 1880s. They exhibited their work at the International Expositions of 1855 (First Class Medal), 1867 and 1878, specialising in Louis XV and XVI style furniture but also highlighting works inspired by other antique styles. Their works are housed in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco (USA), etc.ANTIQUES
· Size: 140x55,5x219 cms.
Ref.: ZF1261 -
PSIQUÉ DRESSING MIRROR. MAHOGANY, BRONZE. 19TH CENTURY.
Dressing table mirror. Mahogany, gilded bronze, marble. 19th century. Full-length rectangular mirror of the type known as “psyché” (or derived from it) that has a marble base and two circular tables on the sides, these with a white marble top, a vase-shaped foot with disc mouldings and, on the top, imitation textiles with tassels. The mirror has a gold band separating it from the wood, and has been flanked by two columns with a spiral-shaped shaft decorated with plant motifs and classical capitals; the upper part has been enhanced with a moulding and a figurative composition of a winged lady on a chariot holding a torch, accompanied by child figures and a Cornucopia; the lower part has been enhanced with a symmetrical composition based on plant motifs. Stylistically, the Neoclassical influence of the decorative elements and the composition of the piece of furniture can be clearly seen, with the figure inspired by classical mythology on the upper part standing out (it is possible that it is the goddess Aurora or Eos, or Diana-Artemis, Selene, etc.). A close relationship can be found with examples from the French Empire period, both in this decoration and in the lines of the piece. Note, however, that these full-length mirrors were very common in European palaces, but it is not so common for them to be presented with two tables to support clothing items or candelabras, a detail that is enhanced by the present example. The fashion of the full-length mirror was introduced in Spain during the reign of Ferdinand VII. From the swinging psyche mirrors of the early 19th century, the full-length fixed mirrors were later adopted, adding supports (normally for lighting). Compare this with outstanding mirrors such as those preserved in the Museum of Romanticism in Madrid, in the Royal Palace of the same city, or the one preserved in the Cerralbo Museum (inventory VH 0556) from between 1834 and 1866, which has two round side tables.ANTIQUES
· Size: 172x65x292 cms
Ref.: ZE175 -
CHILD JESUS SAVIOUR OF THE WORLD, HISPANO-PHILIPPINE. IVORY. 17TH CENT...
Infant Jesus of the Ball. Ivory. Hispano-Philippine School, 17th century. Infant Jesus made of carved ivory, polychrome in some specific areas and placed on a carved and gilded wooden base. It has very pronounced curves and movement, and a very studied decoration based on plant elements. Iconographically, this figure of the Infant Jesus standing, holding the Orb of Creation in one hand and blessing with the other, is known as the “Boy with the Ball”, and has a strong relationship with that of the Salvator Mundi, known among others for paintings such as that of Leonardo da Vinci but very common already in the late European Middle Ages (the adult Salvator Mundi would appear in northern Europe in the second half of the 14th century). The present piece responds to the popularization of a large number of iconographies of the Infant Jesus that occurred in the Baroque. Nudity is usual in this type of sculptures, as they are works conceived to be dressed and adorned with velvet, silk, embroidery, silver, etc. Aesthetically, it is related to examples from the 17th century Spanish Baroque school. Note the hairstyle, which is slightly reminiscent of the work of Martínez Montañés, to name one. Compare, for example, with the Children preserved in the “Sala Marfiles” of the Museum of Mexican History in Monterrey (Nuevo León, Mexico), or with the 17th century ivory Filipino Infant Jesus from the Museum of America in Madrid, or the 18th century Hispano-Filipino from the Patricia Phelps de Cisneros Collection preserved in the Middlebury College Museum of Art (Vermont, United States). Religious carvings made of ivory were doubly appreciated for the prestige and richness of the material and for their subject matter in an era like the Baroque, which was focused on the defence of Catholicism in some areas and was eager to show power and influence like all others. In this case, it is also necessary to take into account the “exotic” factor, as it is a Hispano-Filipino piece: along with the peninsular influence, it is possible to see the “touch” of the Filipino artists (Chinese settled in the islands, locals, etc.) in these works with somewhat slanted eyes, bulging eyelids, etc. Although they were sometimes made and commissioned for private chapels of the upper classes of the time, it is common for this type of sculpture to have been preserved in religious centres of great importance, where they have been found as donations. It has a CITES certificate. Valid for the European Union.ANTIQUES
· Size: 11x11x29 cms. Altura niño 20 cms.
Ref.: ZF0601 -
MANTLE CLOCK, MERCURY OR HERMES. BRONZE. PARIS, FRANCE, 19TH CENTURY.
Table clock, Mercury/Hermes. Bronze, metal. Paris, France, ca. 1825. In working order. Movement with engraving (signature). Table clock with a bronze case, combining a gilt finish (base, caduceus, rooster) and a dark blue finish. The pedestal has four legs (with a claw finish and decorated with classicist elements) on which there is a smooth rectangular area, which gives way to a smaller one with a garland of architectural palmettes in slight relief; this second area has a relief decoration resembling a panoply (lyre with tortoiseshell, bows, ivy, cane, etc.). Above is the male figure in blued bronze, sitting sideways on a trunk on which is the dial (metal, Roman numerals for the hours) framed with a snake; next to it is a rooster in a gilt finish. This half-naked young man is Hermes or Mercury, a deity from classical mythology related to commerce, communication, etc., and often known for carrying a caduceus (in his hand, made of gilded bronze) and wings on a helmet or hat with a certain shape (note also present on one foot). The rooster was one of the animals that often accompanied Mercury. There are several known cases very similar to that of the present clock: two by Louis-Sanislas Lenoir-Ravrio (one with a blued figure and a marble base in the Musée de l'Horlogerie in Geneva; another with a gilt bronze figure, in the Royal Pavilion in Brighton - England); one dated around 1825 and attributed to this same master (blued figure but the tree trunk of the dial and other details in gilt bronze; pedestal in a similar composition to the present one) in a private collection; another without attribution in the "bureau du directeur" (General inventory of the cultural heritage of the City of Lyon, France) dated with some doubt to the third quarter of the 19th century, which is very similar to this one. The Paris machinery of the clock has two joined initials engraved on one side and a name in capital letters above the text "a Paris" on the other, alluding to the watchmaker responsible for it. Similar model sold at Sothebys auction 06.07.2011 lot 96. Weight: 21 kg.ANTIQUES
· Size: 43x16x62 cms.
Ref.: ZF0949 -
”SAINT DOMINIC DE GUZMÁN AND SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI”. POLYCHROMED TER...
“Meeting of Saint Dominic and Saint Francis.” Polychrome terracotta sculpture. Colonial School, 17th century. A polychrome terracotta figure with gold details depicting two male figures on a simple pedestal. The one on the left is shown wearing a Franciscan habit (with a small red mark on his right hand) and fraternally embraces, on equal terms, the one on the right, wearing a dark cloak (decorated with fine gold lines creating a net) over a white habit decorated with abundant flowers and gold elements, and a star in light relief on his forehead. These are Saint Francis of Assisi, holding the stigmata, and Saint Dominic de Guzmán, both wearing their respective habits. It narrates, with a remarkable economy of elements (which demonstrates the quality of the work), the so-called "Fraternal Encounter of Saint Dominic and Saint Francis," also known as "The Embrace of Peace" or, more colloquially and in some circles, "The Bump." According to tradition, Saint Dominic had a vision in which Mary implored Jesus on behalf of mankind, identifying them both as servants of God. The following day, Saint Dominic met Saint Francis in the church of Rome, recognizing him as his companion and embracing and kissing him. The present piece still shows Baroque influence, but some details already show a certain neoclassical influence, while maintaining the distinctive features of its school. Compare, for example, with the "Embrace" from the Monastery of Santo Tomás de Ávila by Luis Salvador Carmona, dated to the 18th century. It is also worth highlighting the quality of the modeling and polychromy of the piece, with a remarkable state of preservation considering its age and the delicacy of the material used.ANTIQUES
· Size: 14x16x26 cms.
Ref.: ZF1398 -
COUNTRYMAN. OIL ON CANVAS. VELA ZANETTI, JOSÉ. 1972.
Peasant. Oil on canvas. VELA ZANETTI, José. 1972. Signed and dated (bottom right). José Vela Zanetti (Milagros, Burgos, 1913–Burgos, 1999) was a painter best known for his murals. He began his training in León, where he moved with his family and held his first exhibition in 1931. Supported by his father, he traveled to Madrid for a few months to see exhibitions and visit the Prado Museum. Shortly afterward, he received a scholarship to visit Italy, awarded by the Provincial Council of León. As a result of the Spanish Civil War, he moved to the Dominican Republic, where he remained until 1960. In Santo Domingo, along with other exiled artists, he founded the National School of Fine Arts. During this period, he held exhibitions and projects in Mexico, Colombia, Puerto Rico, and the United States. Throughout his life, he received important public commissions, such as the mural inaugurated in 1953 at the UN headquarters, commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, considered his most important work. Also notable are his historic murals for the Provincial Council of Burgos and the frescoes of the former Ercilia Theater in Barahona, Dominican Republic. He was a member of the San Fernando Academy and awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Burgos. In 2001, the Cultural Center of the City of Madrid held a retrospective exhibition on Vela Zanetti's work, entitled "Anthological," the most important to date. A commemorative exhibition for the tenth anniversary of his death was recently held at the Ángeles Penche gallery in Madrid. His works are held in the collections of the Caja Rural de Burgos and the Vela Zanetti Foundation in León, as well as murals in various cities in Spain, Santo Domingo, the United States, Colombia, and Switzerland. In 2013, the Fórum Evolución in Burgos held an important exhibition dedicated to Vela Zanetti's work, commemorating the centenary of his birth.ANTIQUES
· Size: 83x5x99 cms. int 65x81 cms.
Ref.: ZF1406 -
CIRCULAR PIETRA DURA TABLETOP. MARBLE AND HARDSTONES.
Circular table top in marble and hard stone. Inspired by Italian models from the 16th-17th centuries. In the centre of the panel, surrounded by a garland of flowers, there is a pearl necklace with a bow. Around this element, there are four vases with birds perched on branches interspersed and, further outwards, a band with vegetal scrolls. This area is framed by another with simplified scrolls and another with more elaborate ones interspersed with scallop shapes and heraldic shields, and perched birds. The fleur-de-lis on the border clearly shows the influence of Gobelins' work on this panel. The French workshop was set up to make this type of inlay for the French court, and is the heir to the native centre of “hard stonework”: the Florence of Piero de Medici and Lorenzo the Magnificent, who wanted to revive a Roman technique called “opus sectile” mosaic. Mention should also be made of the Royal Workshop of Naples and the one created by Charles III at the Royal Site of El Buen Retiro in Madrid, which closed at the beginning of the 19th century. After 1600, the primacy of the decoration that appeared in the 15th century is clear, and elements such as birds, butterflies and pearl necklaces were added over time. The present example inherits this whole tradition: compare the table made by Francesco Ghinghi in the Real Laboratorio Delle Piedre Dure in Naples (catalogue number O00511) and the board (O00466) from around the mid-18th century, both in the Museo del Prado in Madrid, those kept in the Museo Opificio delle Pietre Dure in Florence (especially works such as the board made as a model for a table by Jacopo Ligozzi around 1610). Traditionally, a technique very similar to inlay was used, but instead of wood, using marbles of different colours and veins and hard stones (greater than 6 on the Mohs scale) such as lapis lazuli, agates, etc. In the present example, many of those used in works between the 16th and 18th centuries have been included, making it an outstanding work.DECORATION
· Size: Diam. 150 cms.
Ref.: AWD1211 ... -
COMMODE. CARVED WOOD. 16TH CENTURY
Chest of drawers. Carved wood. 16th century. Restorations. Chest of drawers with a carved wooden front in its own color, featuring two drawers with metal handles and lock escutcheons above two doors with handles and locks similar to the previous ones, and a carved top. The figurative elements (busts of men and female figures) appear within plain tondos, with simple geometric elements overlooking the rectangular areas in which they are located. The sides have simpler carvings based on plain moldings, and the lower part features wave-like work. These types of figurative busts are very common in the European Renaissance (compare, for example, the Plateresque carvings by Calderón, created in 1524 in the choir of Sigüenza Cathedral, with 16th-century Portuguese desks, the sides of the Azay-le-Rideau chest or trunk in the Louvre Museum in Paris, etc.), with the elements surrounding these busts typically varying within tondos. The shape of the piece of furniture is also striking, being unusual in the Spanish school of the period.ANTIQUES
· Size: 150x60,5x161 cms.
Ref.: ZF1317 -
OIL ON COPPER. \'THE VIRGIN\'S ASCENSION\'. CIRCLE FRANS VAN DE KASTEE...
Circle of VAN DE KASTEELE, Frans (Brussels, c. 1541 – Italy, 1621). “Virgin with angels and saints.” Oil on copper. Curled ebony frame. This painting is devotional in nature, judging by its small format, its subject matter and also by the fact that it is an oil painting on copper. For this reason, it was probably conceived for a private altar or chapel. It presents a large central break in Glory, delimited by clusters of clouds between which cherub heads appear, with the figure of the Virgin Mary in the centre, carried by child angels. She is wearing a tunic of an intense pink tone, with a violet gown underneath, of which we can only see the sleeves, a blue cloak (symbol of truth and eternity) and a white veil over her head, alluding to the concept of purity. Mary appears in a rotating, dynamic and typically baroque position, and shows one hand extended towards the ground plane, another on her chest and her head slightly turned, with her eyes directed towards the sky. At his feet, four figures in a landscape setting closed on both sides and open in depth in the centre (in the distance we see a city, shrouded in mist and blue from the distance), a balanced, symmetrical and orderly composition typical of classicist Baroque. This is the representation of Saint James the Greater, Saint John, Saint Francis and Saint Maurice, from left to right. They are all represented in large size, with special attention paid to their anatomies and clothing, worked in typically Baroque chiaroscuro folds. Saint James wears a cloak adorned with a scallop shell on his shoulder, and carries a pilgrim's staff and hat. Saint John wears the sheepskin typical of his iconography, a red cloak alluding to his passion, and carries the cruciform banner and his Gospel in his hand. At his feet, the lamb that usually accompanies him in plastic representations, a symbol of Christ and his sacrifice. On the right-hand side we see St. Francis in a brown habit tied with the Franciscan cord, looking up at Mary and crossing his hands over his chest, showing his stigmata and carrying a wooden crucifix. Finally, at his side we see St. Maurice, in a breastplate and cloak, carrying the palm of martyrdom. The blue and pink tones of his attire are in keeping with the colours of the Virgin's clothes, as is the violet cloak of St. James, a resource through which the painter balances the composition, unifying both planes, and establishes a typically classical, balanced and symmetrical pyramidal structure. Due to its formal characteristics, this work can be linked to the influence of Frans Van de Kasteele, known as Francesco da Castello, a Flemish painter who settled in Rome during the pontificate of Gregory XIII (1572-85). He is documented as a member of the Academy of St. Luke in 1577, and was appointed consul in 1588. To this day, we know nothing of his training in the Netherlands or of his first works. In a private collection in Vienna there is a miniature on parchment signed by the artist and dated 1584, an adoration of the Magi. There is also a contract from 1588 in which he was commissioned to make six paintings on canvas and five miniatures on copper on religious themes. Although settled in Rome, Kasteele always maintained relations with the Netherlands, especially with the humanists Philips van Winghe, Abraham Ortelius and Henricus Corvinus. In Rome he was respected and recognised, a member of the Pantheon of the Academy of the Virtuosi as well as that of St. Luke. Although he also worked as an easel painter, he was mainly the author of small-format works, illuminations and miniatures. Many of his works were sent to Spain, which is why he had many followers in our country.ANTIQUES
· Size: 33x3x40 cms. int. 24x32 cms
Ref.: Z5099 -
THIRTY LIGHTS GLASS AND BRONZE CHANDELIER. 19TH CENTURY.
Ceiling lamp in bronze and colourless carved and modelled glass with thirty lights. Late 19th century. It is attached to the ceiling by a hook hidden by a crown with stems, from which the central axis of the lamp, made of glass in the shape of a double baluster, starts. The arms, made of gilded bronze, decorated with architectural and plant elements, start from this. The lights have candle-shaped bulbs. Beads of various shapes (rectangular, octagonal, star, teardrop and pendants with mixed profiles) have been placed all over the surface, joined by discreet metal hooks. The variety of shapes and the quality of the colourless glass should be highlighted. The profiles of some beads (teardrops, polygons, pendants) are found in both Bohemian and French works and in most of the Royal Glass and Crystal Factory of La Granja de San Ildefonso (Segovia, Spain) due to the great popularity of these shapes. The stars or small flowers are much rarer in the preserved examples. The mastery of the cut can be appreciated in the profiles and in the fineness of the modelling of the axis. While the decorative elements of the bronze clearly show influences of Neoclassicism, the glass work is reminiscent of the so-called “Maria Theresa chandeliers”, works based on those commissioned by the Empress Maria Theresa for her coronation in factories in the Bohemian part of the Czech Republic in 1743. This typology spread rapidly throughout Europe, varying in design and serving as an example in the main glass factories up to the present day. Although it is clearly different from the work done in Murano (Italy), the chandelier follows a tradition that has its roots in Bohemia and was continued in France, where as much attention was devoted to gilded bronze as to glass, and whose examples the chandelier somewhat more closely resembles. Similar lamps can still be found in very prominent residences such as the Fernán Núñez Palace (Madrid), Viana Palace (Córdoba), National Museum of Decorative Arts (Madrid), Paz Palace (Buenos Aires, Argentina), Louvre Museum (Paris), etc.ANTIQUES
· Size: 100x100x130 cms.
Ref.: Z6580 -
WROUGHT IRON BRAZIER. SPAIN, 13TH-14TH CENTURIES.
Brazier. Wrought iron. Spain, 13th-14th centuries. It has restoration on one handle. Rear grill. Reference: "The art of the ferro". Barcelona: Santiago Rusiñol, 2007, p. 151, image 137. Brazier made of wrought iron, consisting of a circular base, three flat legs, a body formed by two flat rings joined by vertical sections decorated with simple facing scrolls, and two handles on the top similar to the sections and ending in washers. Inside, it has an iron grill from a later date than the rest of the piece and has a restoration on one handle. It is very similar to another wrought iron brazier dating from the 12th or 13th centuries that is currently in a private collection; compare also with the rectangular one in the Museu Episcopal de Vic dated in the 14th century. The spirals that form the decoration of the piece are frequently called “curly irons”, and are an element very often used in the few examples of Romanesque ironwork and ironwork that we have preserved, and, for this very reason, they will be elements that will be maintained in forging works for centuries after in Spain (the Romanesque model with its volutes lasted well into the 15th century, with some variation). For example, the railings of the Church of Santa María del Camino or del Mercado in León or the one that has been placed in the choir in the church of San Vicente de Ávila, or those preserved in the Diocesan Museum of Jaca (Huesca). As it is a work made with a utilitarian purpose, the lack of decorative elements is normal, as is the transformation of the decoration into functional parts of the brazier. The examples of Romanesque braziers that have reached us are even scarcer than those with ironwork. One is preserved in the Diocesan Museum of Tarragona and another in the possession of the Junta de Castilla, both square but with this same type of spirals, and some more in important museums and collections such as the National Archaeological Museum, in the Cathedral of Tarragona, etc. Weight: 7.5 kg.ANTIQUES
· Size: 52x39x54 cms.
Ref.: ZF0635