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Pair of Renaissance style vases in patinated bronze from the Mouchy-le-Châtel castle, second half of the 19th century

This pair of patinated bronze vases were made during the second half of the 19th century to decorate a door on the facade of the Mouchy-le-Châtel Castle, in the Parisian region. This castle was built in the 16th century by the Maricourt Family, then it was taken during the second half of the 18th century by the first dukes de Noailles, before being occupied by the dukes of Mouchy, younger branch of the Noailles family. It's the dukes of Mouchy that started the work of restoration and extension during the Second Empire, entrusted to the architect Hyppolite Destailleur (1822 – 1893), to whom we also owe the restoration of Courances and Vaux le Vicomte castles. Helped by the sculptor and drawer Michel Lienard (1810 – 1870) and sculptor Mathurin Moreau (1822 – 1912), the three of theme redefined the castle Mouchy-le-Châtel keeping the Renaissance decorative repertoire of the first castle. Our pair of bronze vases is an example of the reinterpretation of the shapes inspired by the Renaissance. Put on a flaring fluted foot, they're adorned on the belly with four lion's heads in relief. The lid and the long neck are decorated with friezes of acanthus leaves and flowers. The long neck is joined to the belly by two handles in a S shape of which the scrolls are occupied by flowers. Our two vases were made during one the different restoration's phases of the castle during the second half of the 19th century to adorn the door of one of the castle's facades as show the archive picture.

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Louis XVI style curved fireplace in Bleu Fleuri marble

Beautiful Louis XVI fireplace made in the late 19th century in Bleu Fleur1 marble of which the veins brighten up the sober decoration and its straight lines soften by the curved feet.

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VAL D’OSNE FOUNDRY, Cast iron statues of the goddess Ceres and of the nymph Pomona, after Mathurin MOREAU

These two cast iron statues depicting the Roman goddess Ceres and the nymph Pomona are the works of the sculptor Mathurin Moreau (1822-1912) for the Val d’Osne foundry. This artistic foundry was founded in 1835 by Jean Pierre Victor André, inventor of the ornamental cast irons. The foundry, with its workshops settled in the Val d’Osne (in the French department of the Haute-Marne), was first created in order to produce urban furniture and decorative cast irons, but quickly became France’s greatest artistic foundry under the name of « Fonderie d’art du Val d’Osne ». Hippolyte André (1826-1891) was appointed at the firm’s head at the death of his uncle. The growing firm absorbed then several competitive establishments, like Barbezat or Ducel. Mathurin Moreau comes from a family of sculptors : his father Jean-Baptiste, as well as his two brothers, Hippolyte and Auguste, were sculptors too. He was 21 years old when he received the second Prix de Rome, in 1842. He began displaying his work in the Salon in 1848, and was immediately noticed. During the 1855 World’s Fair he displayed with success a great fountain, which seduced the city of Bordeaux, and brought him to the top of the decorative arts stage. He won numerous awards during his career, in particular at the 1859, 1861 and 1863 Salons, and to the 1867, 1878 and 1889 World’s Fairs. Starting 1849 and for three decades, he collaborated with the Val d’Osne foundry, for which he made remarkable models for fountains, candelabras, or even garden statues like ours. His models decorate the public space of France but also Geneva, Liverpool or even Buenos Aires and Peruvian cities. We learn that our statues, presented on the foundry’s catalog, depict Ceres, goddess for harvests, agriculture and fertility, and Pomona, nymph and divinity of fruits. Both are wearing an antique tunic, falling down their bodies, underlining their breasts, with the drapery following their leg’s movements. According to the mythology, Ceres, the one holding a wheat sheaf, is supposed to be the origin for the four seasons, putting the ground’s fertility on hold during the four months when her daughter Proserpina is meant to be in the underworld next to her husband Pluto. Meanwhile, Pomona is the divinity of fruits : following the mythology, she did not like wilderness but preferred instead a well-nurtured garden. The artist represented her offering grapes with her right hand, and holding her tunic’s drapery, filled with fruits, with her other hand. Creating these two cast iron statues, the artist celebrates generosity and nature’s beauty following the neoclassical ideals of his times.

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Fountain center model "Fontana delle Tartarughe", XIX century

Fountain named after Pope Alexander VII, featuring at its center a triton surrounded at its feet by four basins representing seashells, resting on a base. On the latter, a dedication is inscribed, divided into four cartouches surrounded by motifs, placed between each basin. The triton is depicted kneeling, the body turned to the left, his left arm raised upwards, his right arm in the same position, the palm open to the sky. This posture suggests that originally he was supposed to hold an element in his two hands (a large bowl, perhaps?) adding another level to the fountain. On the pedestal, cartouches bear inscriptions in Latin, the translation of which can be provided as: "ANNO PONTIFIC IV ALEXANDER VII RESTAURAUIT ORNAVITQUE," which can be translated as: "In the 4th year of the pontificate, Alexander VII restored and adorned." Alexander VII (1599-1667) was Pope from 1655 until his death in 1667. The model of the fountain (the base) as well as the text inscribed in the cartouches closely resemble the Turtle Fountain in Rome, located in Piazza Mattei, the design of which was drawn by Giacomo della Porta in 1582, and the bronzes executed by Tadeo Landini, the whole completed in 1585. The figures were originally supposed to hold dolphins in their hands, but these were never placed on the fountain due to water pressure. In 1658, during the pontificate of Alexander VII, the existing fountain was restored and transformed, with the addition of turtles, which are believed to have been sculpted by Bernini. Bibliography : Steven Ostrow, "Collecting Copies of 'the most charming fountain in Rome'. Taddeo Landini's Fontana delle Tartarughe".

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Louis XIV style mantel in red Campan marble

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KOENIG & LAFITTE - Art Nouveau stained glass window with bindweed

This stained glass window was created by Paul Koenig and Lafitte in the early years of the 20th century, during the flowering of Art Nouveau. This draughtsman and engraver, born in Épinal in 1883, was associated with Lafitte, a glass painter. Their creations were part of the École de Nancy movement. This school, founded in 1901 by Emile Gallé, Louis Majorelle, Antonin Daum and Eugène Vallin, aimed to develop the decorative arts in the provinces, and became the spearhead of the Art Nouveau style. Our stained glass window is curved. The pattern is divided into six large, distinct panels. There are three in the upper section, separated by two arches that flare out towards the top. It is trimmed by a band of pink glass, which is covered in places with delicate bindweed flowers and leaves that emphasise the curvature of the upper arch. Their design is particularly fine and precise. In the centre, the glass is almost transparent, but the lead lines holding them in place flare out following the curvature of the vertical arches. The lower part of the stained glass window has a large central section of soft green hammered glass, which follows the shape of the arch separating it from the upper part, and at the bottom adopts the shape of a brace. In the spandrels, bordered by a thin line of pink glass, two bunches of bindweed repeat the pattern of the upper part. This work can be compared with the stained glass window with Jasmin de Virginie made by these artists. This one, although generally more traditional in shape, also has a pink border (albeit in a stronger colour). The flared shape of our vase is repeated, with a variation. In addition, the variety of flowers represented, an original and exotic species, proves Koenig’s interest in flora. As in the stained glass window with bindweed, the flowers are depicted in buds at the bottom, blossoming more and more as they are depicted upwards.

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Napoleon III style mantel with modillions in Lunel marble

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Antique Oak and Pine Wood Paneling – Composed of Two Rooms

virtual tour This painted wood paneling set extends across two rooms and features molded panels, geometric patterns, and arched decorations, creating an elegant and harmonious design throughout. Doors and window frames are integrated seamlessly within the same decorative style. Originally crafted from oak and antique resinous pine, the paneling has undergone restoration, with many panels replaced by plywood to ensure its preservation. The stone fireplace shown in certain images is available as an optional additio