Ref.14535
Eugène BAUDIN (att. to), Pair of sandstone vases set in a gilded bronze frame

This pair of Louis XV style sandstone balustrade vases bears a gilded bronze outline, inspired by the rocaille style. Four feet support the asymmetrical and precarious base of each vase. The vase’s paunch is enhanced with gadroons and is crowned with a narrow neck. The rim of the neck is also gilded in bronze. The sandstone is covered predominantly in a purple glaze, bringing focus to the deep green shade also found on the vase. It is the use of the different shades of colours, against the clean surface, that makes the work of Eugène Baudin so subtly radiant. A technique highly influenced by the work of the Massier and Vallauris manufacturers.

Ref.15976
After Philippe MAGNIER, after the antique, The Wrestlers

This bronze was made after the antique The Wrestlers by Philippe Magnier (1648-1715) between 1884 and 1888, based on a plaster cast from the antique preserved in the Uffizi Gallery, in Florence. It depicts two wrestlers or pancratiasts in action: one holds his opponent on the ground using his legs, while twisting his arm with one hand; the other, with his body folded over to the extreme, tries to resist the pressure exerted on him by his opponent; his face reveals effort and suffering, while maintaining classical perfection of features. The bulging muscles of the fighters demonstrate a precise study of human anatomy by the artist and a desire to accurately represent the sport, starting from Antiquity. The antique sculpture The Wrestlers, probably inspired by a now-lost Greek bronze, was discovered near Rome in 1583. It reminds us that pankration is a Greek combat sport, practiced during the ancient Olympic Games, which allowed the opponents great freedom in their attacks. This sport was practiced nude, as shown in this representation. In the 1680s, at a time when copies of antiques and modern commissions populated the king’s groves, a marble statue after the antique was commissioned by the royal administration from Philippe Magnier for the gardens of Versailles. The sculpture was placed in the park of the Château de Marly in the 1690s, where it remained until the Revolution. Numerous bronze casts were executed from Magnier’s marble in France in the 19th century. This medium, which gives an enhanced naturalistic impression compared to white marble, highlights the athletes' musculature. This bronze is thus emblematic of the enthusiasm generated by this representation of two wrestlers from its rediscovery during the Renaissance until the 19th century.

Ref.15805
Eduard STELLMACHER for Amphora, Ceramic owl vase, circa 1900

This Art Nouveau ceramic vase was produced around 1900 by the Amphora factory. Located in Turn-Teplitz (Austria), the factory was run by Riessner, Stellmacher and Kessel (RSt&K). The piece is stamped "E. St" in a triangle because the design is by Eduard Stellmacher, sculptor and ceramist, son of Albert Stellmacher, who left his partners in 1904 to create Eduard Stellmacher & Co. The number 18 is stamped close to the triangle. Around this vase, with its flattened body and cylindrical neck, an oak branch adds both structure and lightness to the whole. The branch supports the weight of an owl observing the container. The piece is glazed in a green whose reflections vary from more intense shades to subdued ones. A gilded effect highlights the relief of the piece. The enamel is reminiscent of a bronze that would have developed a verdigris patina over time. There are other examples of this vase with a finish that reminds us of metallic surfaces, for instance this piece is enameled in golden and copper colours.