The season started with a varied winter sale, programming antiquities, 19th century bronzes and paintings and works of art. Hereafter a summary with hammer prices (excl. 22% buyer's premium).
A marvellous society portrait by ‘femme du monde’ Louise De Hem (1866-1922) adorned the cover of the catalogue. The painting, entitled ‘Retour de bal’, depicted a rather fatigued model in a richly upholstered decor. De Hem, the only Belgian female painter, present on the Womens’s Exhibition in London in 1900, specialising in portraits – was tutored by Alfred Stevens (amongst others), but also painted social-realistic themes and genre scenes. The portrait, estimated between 8000 and 10000 euros, achieved the highest estimation and was sold for 10500 euros.
‘Dame au kimono’, a painting signed ‘C.L.Muller’, previously bought in 1911 by the architect Jules Birmant, from writer/poet and curator of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts, Pol de Mont and since in the same collection, remained unsold.
To conclude the 19th century art of painting in beauty we presented a fine painting by Léon Herbo, depicting a wedding feast (lot 61). The painting doubled the estimation and was sold on the phone for 60000 euros. ‘Les cerises’ from the same artist, was sold for 5500 euros (lot 68), less than expected.
Amongst a large ensemble of bronzes we highlight a.o. an Arabic horseman by Dubucand, registered as ‘Sahara Oasis Scene’. The sculpture was sold for 4600 euros. Other prices in chronological order: two three-piece garnitures in bronze and onyx/marble (lots 19 and 27), 6000 and 7200 euros, a typical Zeeland interior by Edward Portielje (lot 80) 6200 euros, two Napoleon III regulators (lots 96 and 67) 7400 and 5000 euros.
A rare early work from the first Morocco trip from Théo Van Rijsselberghe, entitled ‘El ouad El Lihud, la rivière des Juifs’ exchanged owners for 11000 euros (lot 178) and a Saint-Louis crystal glass service (lot 234), estimated around 1200 euros achieved tenfold (12000 euros).