Ref.15009
Conrad KIESEL (after), Japonist portrait of a woman wearing a kimono, circa 1880

This portrait of a European woman dressed in the manner of a Japanese woman, set against a Japonisant backdrop, was probably executed after a work by the German painter Conrad Kiesel, displaying the same features. Several copies of this work, executed like ours in oil painted on embossed leather, were however attributed to Franz Schier. Against a background of embossed leather decorated with motifs of flowers, butterflies (a symbol of eternity in Far Eastern cultures) and dragons, a woman with European features stands out, dressed in the Japanese manner: she wears a short-sleeved kimono (known as a tomesode) fastened by an obi (a wide Japanese sash) tied at the back. Her hair is arranged with a butterfly-shaped comb and chopsticks, and she holds a fan in her right hand. Her bracelet, however, owes more to Orientalism than to Japonisme. In the lower right corner, her legs appear caught in a bush of pink flowers, thus justifying the imbalance of her posture. The enthusiasm born in the second half of the nineteenth century, notably following the reopening of Japan to international trade and its participation in the 1867 Universal Exhibition, took the name of "Japonisme". It sparked a genuine revolution in Western art, strongly inspiring numerous artists across all fields. This work bears witness to the powerful influence of Japanese art on Western creations at the end of the nineteenth century, both in subject and in execution, notably in the deliberate absence of depth and perspective, tempered however by the presence of the flowers.

Ref.15810
Imposing Neo-Renaissance cabinet in walnut, marble, gilt bronze and hardstones, circa 1870

Important two-part cabinet crowned with a sculpted pediment, centered by a high-relief gilt bronze figure of a female allegory. The richly decorated façade features carved walnut panels framing gilt bronze plaques depicting female allegories and antique scenes, along with inlays of marble, hardstones, and red stone cabochons. Numerous finely chased bronze mounts also adorn the piece, showcasing motifs of cherubs, deities, and classical emblems. This ensemble is a remarkable example of 19th-century eclecticism inspired by the Italian Renaissance, combining luxurious materials with refined ornamentation.