Ref.10050
Antique cast iron fireback with wedding coat of arms of Gilles Brunet, Marquis of la Palisse, and Françoise-Suzanne Bignon

Made during the 18th century, this Louis XIV style fireback with beautiful dimensions is decorated with the arms of Gilles Brunet's alliance, Marquis of the Palisse and Françoise-Suzanne Bignon, married in 1715. Supported by two greyhounds, two ecus are surmounted with a marquis crown. The ecu on the left is torn between 1 and 4, a golden crawling greyhound, featuring a crenelated border of sand, 2 and 3 argent features the head of Maure . The ecu on the right is blue on the silver cross of cavalry set on a Vert mount from which a vine adjoined to the cross escapes, all of it is framed by four silver flames. See the work of Philippe Palasi "Heraldic firebacks", p. 226 for a similar model.

Ref.14083
Imaginary views of Paris in the 16th century: two paintings on porcelain by Alphonse CHAIGNON

Signed and dated 1882, these two circular-shaped porcelain paintings are the work of the painter Alphonse Chaignon. Trained by Jean-Hilaire Belloc, then a student of Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, Chaignon is known for his urban views idealizing the past, in particular medieval and Renaissance Paris. In the work we present on the left, the flamboyant Gothic bell tower of the Saint-Jacques Tower (completed in 1523) is identifiable. We can also see the sign of a tavern, “Au Lion d’Or”, indicating refined cuisine. If the costumes clearly evoke the Renaissance, the city is still immersed in a medieval atmosphere. The half-timbered houses, the Gothic ornaments, the centuries-old activities of women reflect Chaignon's archaeological passion. Certain details, such as the woman carrying a jug, demonstrate the influence of Italian painting on Chaignon. The medieval and Renaissance past fascinates many writers (Victor Hugo), architects (Viollet-Le-Duc) and artists (Jules Adeline, Alphonse Chaignon, Albert Robida) of the 19th century. The 1900 Universal Exhibition celebrated this imagination by offering a reconstruction of Paris in the Middle Ages.