Souvenirs of travel to Italy. The Neoclassical style of ornamentation, very fashionable under Louis XVI, the Directory, and the Empire, fostered the creation and dissemination of works of art influenced by Greco-Roman art. During their travels to Italy, passionate collectors and artists brought back boxes of molded miniatures as typical souvenirs or as subjects for study, drawing inspiration from classical themes. These boxes reflect the taste for Antiquity and the spread of classical models in 19th-century Europe.
This delicate watercolor depicts two elegantly dressed young girls.
This image conveys the refinement and gentleness of early 20th-century bourgeois childhood.
This portrait depicts an elderly, bearded man in ceremonial oriental attire, a subject particularly popular in the 19th century during the rediscovery of the Dutch Golden Age. The figure is shown half-length, facing the viewer, wearing an imposing turban adorned with a cabochon and a rich red cape trimmed with fur.
France
19th century
The decoration of this turban stand is characteristic of the Rococo style introduced to the Ottoman Empire during the Tulip Period, a time of openness to Western artistic influences in the 18th century. The decorative technique employed, known as Edirnekâri, refers to a tradition of sculpture and polychromy developed by artisans in the city of Edirne, in western Turkey.
Ottoman Empire, Turkey
Late 18th century
An elegant oval miniature attributed to Robert Field (1769–1819), depicting a bust-length portrait of an admiral in his blue uniform, adorned with epaulettes and gold embroidery. The sitter is shown in three-quarter view against a delicately shaded blue background, highlighting the refined features of his face.
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.
Rare day bed, sculpted wood, original polychromy, to recover
Epoch Directoire
France
It consists of a deep Imari-type porcelain plate, in particularly bright colors, deep blue, bright white and intense red.
The gilded bronze frame is in keeping with the spirit typical of the Louis XV style.
Today, it can also be used as a paperweight, while retaining its decorative charm and unique presence.
France
Late 19th century
Their pierced backrests in painted sheet metal illustrate fables by Jean de La Fontaine, some of which are taken from the illustrated repertoire of Jean-Baptiste Oudry, produced between 1729 and 1734: The Hare and the Tortoise, The Wolf and the Dog, The Donkey and the Dog, The Frog and the Rat, The Fox and the Monkey King…