CHARLES PERCIER (1764-1838) Original watercolour... - Lot 252 - Osenat

Lot 252
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Estimation :
20000 - 30000 EUR
Result with fees
Result : 20 000EUR
CHARLES PERCIER (1764-1838) Original watercolour... - Lot 252 - Osenat
CHARLES PERCIER (1764-1838) Original watercolour and preparations for the large basin for the Tuileries palace, mounted in 1810 by Jacob-Desmalter, the bronzes of Cartellieret preserved today in the Grand Trianon, Watercolour, wash, over lead pencil line and framed with a double fillet in Indian ink Annotation in lead pencil at the height of the entablature on the left: 6,000 # malachite and 3 chimera. On the lower part, in graphite 6 000 francs, Malachite 3 chimeras On a sheet with the filigram J. Whatman 1804 Empire period (fold in the middle in the direction of the width, sheet slightly crumpled) The sheet: 45,5 x 30 cm Lateral margins of 1, 3 cm or 1,5 cm because double fillet Top margin idem to the lateral margins Bottom margin: 0,8 and 1cm Provenance: Collection Jacob-Desmalter and by descent collection Le Fuel, then remained in its descent. After the Tilsit interview in June 1807, Napoleon I and Tsar Alexander I exchanged gifts and the Tsar offered malachites, those precious minerals extracted from Siberian quarries. On June 24, 1808 Pierre Léonard Fontaine notes in his diary1 : "the Emperor of Russia sent to the Emperor of the French four carriages loaded with boxes containing two tables of malachite of average size, one also in malachite in the shape of cup, another square vase with its foot in jasper and two sections of columns of pieces of report comming the tables and the vase. The whole was disbursed and deposited in the pavilion of Flora. These objects are perhaps precious as material but it will be necessary to assemble them and to decorate them with very rich bronzes to give them price" Charles Percier executes to emphasize them two drawings of the low bookcases, of the basin of which this one and of the candelabras that Jacob-Desmalter will have to execute. The malachites are exhibited in the salon de la paix at the Tuileries Palace in October 1808. On January 12, 1809, the malachites were handed over to FHG Jacob-Desmalter2. A submission of FHG Jacob-Desmalter of January 18093 paid on September 18, 1810 mentions: Mounting of the malachites for the new cabinet of the Emperor in the Tuileries palace: A large basin in malachite, mounted by three large chimeras with heads of Hercules with bronze lion skin, made on purpose, the model of these chimeras and the wooden one of the basin to be able to make the mounting, the bronzes melted, chased and gilded with the mat, in conformity with the first drawing: 6 500 F. On December 2, Fontaine wrote: "I had them displayed in the Galerie de Diane, the gifts of the Emperor of Russia, which were adjusted and mounted at great cost by Mr. Jacob." This furniture, placed in the Grand Cabinet of the Emperor in the Tuileries, was judged too small, and was carefully transported by Jacob to Trianon on August 8, 18104 but the Emperor had it temporarily moved back to the Tuileries on October 10, and then returned to Trianon on February 6, 1811. Cabinet du Couchant in the 17th century, the room of the Duchess of Burgundy, which became the Emperor's Salon, this room was specially fitted out to display the blocks of Siberian malachite sent to Napoleon in 1808 by Tsar Alexander I. It is interesting to note that Percier noted on his watercolour 6 000 f. and that the reality of the submission is 6 500 f. and to note also concerning their links with Russia that he and Pierre-Léonard Fontaine, in spite of their many occupations, took the time to send sketches to the Russian Emperor who "wished to be kept informed of the works of art with which the French Emperor embellished his capital. But they sent copies made by their pupils, which are kept in the Hermitage Museum, the originals having been preserved by their descendants, those of Jeanselme or Jacob-Desmalter, like this watercolour.7 It is worth mentioning that the basin represented in this watercolour still exists, impressive for its large dimensions, 112 cm high and 106 cm in diameter, with the inv. nos. 1859, T1359 and T185c. Kept at the Grand Trianon in the Salon des Malachites since 1811, formerly Salon de l'Empereur. 1- PL Fontaine, Journal 1799-1853, premier Tome 1799-1824, Paris 1987, SHAF ed., p. 211. 2- O2 688: reçu des malachites 3- O2 687 4- O2 560 5- O2 517 6- O2 555 7- Cf: Arcadi Gaydamak, l'Empire Russe, Architecture, Arts Appliqués et Décoration Intérieure 1800-1830, Moscow 2000, Trefoil Ed., p. 261. Bibliography: - D. Ledoux-Lebard, Le Grand Trainon, Meubles et Objets d'art, inventaire général du musée national de Versailles et des Trianons, Paris 1975, de Nobele Ed, 106-111. - Hector Le fuel, FHG Jacob-Desmalter, Paris 1923, Morancé Ed. CHARLES PERCIER (1764-1838) ORIGINAL AND PREPARATORY WATERCOLOR OF THE LARGE BASIN FOR THE TUILERIES PALACE, MOUNTED IN 1810 BY JACOB-DESMALTER. WATERCOLOR, WASH. EMPIRE PERIOD
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