12 septembre 2008

An Inlaid Gilt-bronze Vase (Fanghu). Qing dynasty, 18th century The faceted vessel of baluster shape, inlaid with 'Hundred Antiques' carved in jade, lapis lazuli, agate, and malachite, including bats, stylized shou characters, the endless knot, coins, wan emblems, and ruyi-heads, against a gilt ground of lingzhi sprays in low-relief, a continuous ruyi-head border at the base, a pair of handles on the slightly flared neck in the form of ruyi scepters, the flared foot inlaid with ruyi form hardstones, the recessed underside cast... [Lire la suite]

Mon préféré! Le troublion de la mode new-yorkaise a encore sévi! Mieux que Federer et Nadal, il fait le grand chelem! Les portables... Les moyennement portables, si on enlève le bas... Les carrément importables, mais qui ont le mérite de nous faire rire et d'applaudir... ... Thom Browne. Photo: Marcio Madeira

  A Large 'Blanc de Chine' Figure of Guanyin, Qing Dynasty;  height 23 1/8 in., 58.7 cm. Estimate: 15,000—20,000 USD. Photo: Sotheby's. The standing figure with downcast eyes, her hair swept up in a chignon, her robes gracefully flowing, a slender ruyi scepter in her hand, all upon a low rockwork base, impressed gourd-shaped mark inscribed He Chaozong above a square inscribed with a Xuande mark beween her shoulders, a creamy ivory glaze overall, pooling to pale amber, carved wood stand (2). Provenance:... [Lire la suite]

Two 'Blanc-de-Chine' figures. Qing dynasty The first depicting Guanyin standing barefoot upon a low incised base covered by rolling waves, gazing down to her left, both hands held in front with the left grasping the ends of her flowing robe tied in a knot at her navel, wearing bangles on both wrists, the round face below finely combed hair pulled up in a wave-like knot, the back with an impressed seal reading Zhang Shoushan in a double-gourd; the other figure depicting the Daoist God of Literature, Wenchang, seated upon a rocky... [Lire la suite]

Mes silhouettes préférées Marcus Wainwright and David Neville. Photo: Marcio Madeira

A fine and rare pink-ground small Bowl and Cover. Qianlong seal marks and period The bowl with delicately curved sides rising to an everted rim, well-painted on the exterior with a striding five-clawed dragon and phoenix in puce enamel, their eyes picked out in black, surrounded by blue clouds, above a band of stylized ruyi-head lappets, all against a pink ground incised with feathery scrollwork, atop a straight foot accented with a band of blue circles, the interior glazed white, the domed cover repeating the design of the... [Lire la suite]

Terriblement preppy mais tellement efficace! Photo: Courtesy of Michael Bastian

A pair of small 'famille-rose' bowls. Qianlong seal marks and period Each with curved sides culminating in an everted lip, the exterior decorated with a lush assemblage of drooping passion fruit borne on leafy and blossom-filled vines, bamboo and a fluttering butterfly, the vines and bamboo continuing over the rim into the interior of the bowl, picked out in green, red, yellow, purple and blue, the passion fruit seeds depicted in iron-red, all atop a short straight foot (2) - diameters 4 1/4 in., 10.8 cm - Estimate:... [Lire la suite]

Les silhouettes que j'ai préférées dans la collection de... ... Marc Jacobs. Photo: Marcio Madeira

Les voilà, les jumeaux que mon copain A. voudrait "adopter" pour son salon Louis XV... Ca va saigner! An Impressive Pair of 'Famille-Rose' Vases and Covers. Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Period The massive vases of baluster form with high shoulder, waisted neck and slight galleried lip, the domed covers with wide everted rims, surmounted by tall lotus-bud finials, the bodies decorated in underglaze blue and colorful enamels with gilt highlights, depicting the fenghuang, the male and female phoenix, among profuse peony... [Lire la suite]