Lot 11. From the Collection of Adolphe Stoclet Collection. Fernand Khnopff (1858-1921), Fore Aeternum Futur, circa 1909, pastel and colour pencil on paper, monogrammed, titled lower centre, 28 x 28 cm. Sold for €165,500. Photo: Bonhams.

BRUSSELS.- Fore Aeternum Futur by Fernand Khnopff (1858-1921) was the top lot at Bonhams' Stoclet Collections sale on Monday 23 October at Chaussée de Charleroi, Brussels. The work, which comes from the Adolphe Stoclet collection, and was displayed in his bedroom, sold for €165,500. The total of the sale achieved €380,335.

Christine de Schaetzen, Head of Business Development of Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr in Brussels, commented: “It is a great honour to have been entrusted with the Stoclet Family Collection. The fresh-to-the-market objects with this exceptional provenance from Adolphe Stoclet, whose collection was amongst the most important European collections in the first part of the 20th century, generated strong demand. This, together with attractive estimates, drove competition across the world. Collectors were delighted to know that some of the pieces were bought at renown dealers between 1910 and 1939.”

Caroline Gentsch, Director of the Contemporary Art Department at Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr in Brussels, added: “Philippe R. Stoclet's collection showed an avant-gardiste taste for Contemporary Art. I was delighted to see that European collectors appreciated American artists such as Ed Paschke or Jack Beal.”

Among works from the collection of Adolphe Stoclet (1871-1949), who bought, with passion South-East Asian, Chinese and Japanese works of art, a copper alloy Head of Buddha, Siam, 16th century, Thailand was sold for €35,840 (Estimate: €10,000 - €15,000), a Cloisonné enamel bowl from the Ming Dynasty, 16th century achieved €23,040 (Estimate: €8,000 - €12,000) and a Fine Maya stone Hacha was sold for €19,200 (Estimate: €10,000 - €15,000).

Lot 10. A copper alloy Head of Buddha, Late Sukothai style, 16th century, Thailand; 35 cm high. Sold for €35,840 (Estimate: €10,000 - €15,000). Photo: Bonhams.

Provenance: Adolphe Stoclet Collection, acquired in the early 20th century

Note: The serene ovoid face with delicate high-arching brows over shell inset eyes, aquiline nose and outlined lips with portraying a slight smile.

The Buddha's head would have been adorned with a separately cast, possibly gold, crown. Compare with examples attributed to the late Sukhothai and Ayutthaya periods in Jean Broisselier, The Heritage of Thai Sculpture, New York, 1975, pp. 139 and 208, nos. 100 and 145.

Discussing the popular ascendency of the Crowned Buddha type by the mid-16th century, Woodward indicates that at least in one instance, such an image is used to signify Maitreya, the Buddha of the future. However, in the 18th century, a reliable account explicitly refers to crowned Buddha images as depicting Shakyamuni when he converted the heretic king Jambupati (Woodward, The Sacred Sculpture of Thailand, Seattle, 1997, p.233).

Lot 4. A rare Chinese cloisonné enamel 'Lotus, grapewine and double-fish' bowl, Ming Dynasty, 16th century; 27 cm diam. Sold for €23,040 (Estimate: €8,000 - €12,000). Photo: Bonhams.

Provenance: Adolphe Stoclet Collection, acquired in the early 20th century

Note: The deep rounded sides rising to a flaring rim, decorated to the exterior with large polychrome lotus blooms, borne on undulating leafy stems. The interior with a central medallion of twin fish amongst aquatic weeds, within a frieze of pendent grapevines, bearing purple fruits, issuing from variegated-tone leaves, all on turquoise grounds within floral borders.

Compared to a related Ming Dynasty 'lotus and double-fish' bowl, but without the grapevine, sold at Bonhams, London, 17 May 2018, lot 204.
See also a cloisonné enamel 'double-fish' bowl, Ming Dynasty, without the grapevine, sold at Christie's London, 5 Nov 2019, lot 68.

Among the works from the Philippe Stoclet’s collection, collectors paid tribute to American and British artists such as Ed Paschke (1939-2004) who was a Polish American painter belonging to the second generation of American Pop art. He was represented here with Bolo, a late oil on canvas, which sold for €19,200. A gelatin silver print by the contemporary British photographer, Adam Fuss (born 1961), known for his ethereal images created using a photogram technique, sold for €10,240.

Lot 18. A Fine Maya stone Hacha, Late Classic, ca. A.D. 550 – 950. Dark gray stone; 20 x 17,3 cm. Sold for €19,200 (Estimate: €10,000 - €15,000). Photo: Bonhams.

Finely carved in dark gray stone with rough texture, pierced through at the eyes, nostrils and thrice to the back of the head; naturalistic ears and arching brows, flared nostrils and open mouth.

Provenance: Adolphe Stoclet Collection, acquired in the early 20th century

Other highlights of the sale included: 

Lot 33. Jack Beal (1931-2013), Nude on Chaise with Chair, 1968. Oil on canvas, 190 x 167 cm. Sold for €7,680. Photo: Bonhams.

Lot 5. Kitao Shigemasa (1739-1820) and after Toshusai Sharaku (active circa 1794-1796), Two 'hosoban yakusha-e' woodcut prints. The first, Edo period (1615-1868), late 18th/early 19th century; the second probably Showa era (1926-1989), early 20th century; 30 x 14 cm & 31 x 14,5 cm. Sold for €11,520. Photo: Bonhams.

The first one by Shigemasa of female-role actor standing, with a 17-syllable poem above, published by Urokogataya Magobei, signed 'Kiatao Shigemasa ga'

The second is a facsimile after Sharaku of Segawa Kikunojo III in the role of the courtesan Katsuragi, originally published by Tsutaya Juzaburo, inscribed 'Toshusai Sharaku ga'

Lot 84. Cini Boerri (1924-2020), "Brigadier" sofa. Two-seat sofa. Created in 1977. Structure in lacquered wood, upholstered in leather. H: 54 L: 225 P: 92. Edition Knoll International. Sold for €6,400. Photo: Bonhams.