Mid-March in Mazamet. Sold, sold, and please don’t sell that!
It seems we’ve arrived at the hot-cakes stage of the market. The Reynes house sold for asking price, approximately one million US$. I don’t know who bought it. The park … Continue reading
February Auction Highlights, London & Madrid
Still time to bid! Each with caned seat and back with loose cushions upholstered in red and cream damask. Profoundly French. I’ve always loved sitting at dining tables where everyone … Continue reading
Winter in Mazamet: Visiting the Molinié Villa
It’s been cold! The lawn has been regularly covered in a white dust of ice. There have been storms and flooding in various parts of France. Luckily, we’re not in … Continue reading
Gorgeous Stuff; Autumn in Mazamet; And just for fun: The Canadian High Court Decision
The weather has been fantastic. Mild sunny days and cool nights. It feels like compensation for a summer that was very volatile. A book by Sonia Servant via the Dept. … Continue reading
The Secret of Life: We all play the status game, but who are the real winners?
“Life is a game. To understand this is to understand why the human world can be so maddening, angry and irrational. The behaviour of racists, transphobes, conspiracy theorists, cult members, … Continue reading
2021, Summer in Mazamet — and art
… and what a strange summer it has been so far. Another year without Summer-Girls visiting. Had they come, we’d be listening to Thomas Dutronc’s album Frenchy and drinking champagne … Continue reading
Brilliant Idea for Next Door + A Brussels Tapestry
And so it becomes clear. The house next door has been purchased to become a co-living residence for seniors. It’s a fantastic idea and an interesting option both for the … Continue reading
A Random Rant or an Open Letter – or the 1st draft of a letter
Infuriating. Infuriating. Have I said infuriating? For the nth time in the past three years the French Douane (customs office) has sent us a request for supplementary information on a … Continue reading
Masterpiece, from Master Piece, Objet de Maîtrise, Meesterstuk
Excerpt from Walter Cahn, Masterpieces: Chapters on the History of an Idea, Princeton, 1979 “The exercise of a profession during the Middle Ages necessitated admission to a guild or corporation, … Continue reading
The Redemptive Power of Beautiful Things
A more light-hearted post since whenever one turns on the television all we hear are terrible things – so I give you some beautiful things: I found this great little … Continue reading
Masterpiece Art: Stephen Finer, Portraits that Capture
I highly recommend this virtual exhibition, which you can see from the comfort of your home. Not a bad option these days. The paintings are sublime. STEPHEN FINER: PORTRAITS THAT … Continue reading
Beautiful Things: Roland Oudot and Mercier Freres
Roland Oudot and Mercier Frères. Two names that aren’t terribly well known although they should be. A few weeks ago I saw a painting by Oudot at auction and thought … Continue reading
Isolation has increased productivity.
I finally got around to restoring the George I st chest that we found in Castres. If you recall, it was in a dubious state (see below) – which meant … Continue reading
A Lady of a Certain Size – and results. Also, STEP AWAY FROM THE ART!!!
Where do I begin? Well, the Spanish tapestry I mentioned in the last post nearly doubled its 2018 sale price. That’s some serious appreciation in a year’s time! The walnut … Continue reading
(Often Overlooked) Modern Artistic Wonders of Weaving
via tapestry ||| sotheby’s This is up for auction again – not sure why, but usually when things come up for sale just a year or two after they were … Continue reading
An 18th Century Walnut Sofa, Circa 1730; And other thoughts including on people who see Jesus on toast
It’s a very conservative estimate, but there’s a chance someone will end up with an outstanding piece of furniture for a very reasonable price. I still find it baffling that … Continue reading
Self-Isolation, Louis XV Stools & Some Cooking
We’re following the French governments’s advice and in self isolation because Mike fits the risk group criteria. We already live in quasi-self-isolation, so the main difference is instead of food … Continue reading
Louis XVI Commodes, Including a Highly Important Marquetry Dresser by RVLC
Firstly, have a look at this: “… The commode having three drawers, the first set in the frieze, mounted with panels of ormolu interlace and rosettes above the remaining two … Continue reading
Like stepping into a Jane Austen novel: The Harveys and the Herrings
To the left the Harveys, to the right the Herrings (of Norwich/Norfolk), in this most unusual portrait painted in 1820 by Joseph Clover, when the two prominent families were united … Continue reading
Lights, Camera – Mazamet
Lights, lights, lights in the garden! Absolutely wonderful. There was one thing I missed terribly about Spain and that was the ambience at night. Particularly in the garden at Villa … Continue reading
André-Léon Vivrel, Sotheby’s Hong Kong
AGE OF ELEGANCE: EUROPEAN PAINTINGS, FURNITURE AND SCULPTURE HONG KONG André-Léon Vivrel (1886-1976), FRENCH STILL LIFE Source: Vivrel Still Life, Sotheby’s This is an artist I did not know, but … Continue reading
Chairs, China & Art – and detours
Remember how the dining room was nearly done? Oops. There’s been a detour. I wasn’t happy with the balance of the lighting as we sat at the table. The right … Continue reading
Dame Gillian Lynne 1926-2018. Once upon a time.
Dame Gillian Lynne, who has died at the age of 92, quite simply changed the way we think of dance. Her husband, actor Peter Land, announced on Twitter the … Continue reading
A marble bust of the Roman Emperor Commodus | Christie’s
“… Aurelius Commodus Antoninus Augustus (161-192 AD), or Commodus as he was more commonly known, was the last emperor of the Nerva-Antonine dynasty, which ruled the Roman Empire for … Continue reading
In research this week: The Commode en Console
“… It’s French name, commode en console, indicates that it is, in fact, a console table designed to stand against a wall and a commode or chest of drawers. A … Continue reading
Yippee: a crucifixion, abortion, ducks and pretty things!!!
And it’s only Wednesday! – In case you missed the exceedingly popular last issue of Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, there’s a fascinating article on the second case of crucifixion ever found. … Continue reading
Christie’s: The Kenneth Neame Collection, Including Arts of India, English and European Furniture and Works of Art
“This June, discover the refined taste of Kenneth Neame, one of London’s most respected antique dealers. Ahead of his forthcoming relocation, Neame is offering a curated selection of pieces from … Continue reading
Hommage à la famille Hessel : mécènes et modèles | Christie’s
“The Hommage à la famille Hessel : Mécènes et Modèles auction, to be held on 23 March, offers one of the rarest art collections of the 20th century, including works by French … Continue reading
The Dilemma(s)
I spent a good long while last night examining the console table. The damage goes far beyond what I initially presumed. There’s over-painting throughout. And it’s not just the gold … Continue reading
A Horrendous Day
I had planned on posting wonderful pictures of a stunning parcel gilt lacca povera console table from the first half of the 18th century this afternoon – but that will … Continue reading
Fabulous news! Dame Gillian Lynne Theatre
‘Andrew Lloyd Webber has today announced that the New London Theatre is to be renamed in honour of the trailblazing choreographer Dame Gillian Lynne. The Theatre will be formally recognised … Continue reading
The Mezzaro & Other Textiles (an update)
The person you see in the video is J.C. Bordes. He’s a local artisan with shops here in Mazamet, in Labastide Rouairoux and in Albi – and he makes woodblock … Continue reading
From a 2014 Sale: An Italian green and gilt-japanned chinoiserie bureau cabinet, Venetian, circa 1750
“This striking bureau cabinet, decorated with chinoiserie scenes imitating Oriental lacquer, takes its inspiration from the form of early 18th century Anglo-Dutch examples, which quickly took root as important pieces of … Continue reading
Demystifying Maison Jansen by James Archer Abbott
“Befitting its rich heritage, the name “Jansen” has multiple connotations. First, it identifies a century-long, global offering of decorating services that focused on both historical revivals and contemporary trends, largely … Continue reading
The Heart is a Burial Ground: The lost, wild world of Caresse Crosby
“She is credited with inventing the modern bra, launched Salvador Dali on the international arts scene and founded a publishing house for writers including Hemingway, Joyce and Faulkner. But the … Continue reading
Beautiful Things: Indian Palampore or Genovese Mezzaro “Tapestries”
“A palampore is a type of hand-painted and mordant-dyed bed cover that was made in India for the export market during the eighteenth century and very early nineteenth century. Only … Continue reading
Satan Come Forth!
Someone was kind enough to tip me off to this having been put up on youtube. Utterly hilarious – and what an absurd wig they put on Mike. They all … Continue reading
Many days are irritating, this wasn’t one of them.
Sorry, the pictures are awful; but what you see resting on the desk is a wonderful Belle Epoque mirror frame we found earlier today (I put another mirror behind it … Continue reading
Experimentations in Shallow Breathing
We watched Call Me by Your Name today. Undoubtedly the film of the year. It’s only going to be released in France in February, so it was excellent to see it … Continue reading
Big-nosed Jesus and God as a second-rate Santa: the worst Christian art | Art and design | The Guardian
“… Instead, Kermani does something both refreshingly cheeky and philosophically instructive. As he wonders what Christian art says about Christianity, he meditates on works ranging from Old Masters (Leonardo, Caravaggio, … Continue reading
Exceptional Beauty: Up Close and Personal with Goya
Boys with Mastiffs, de Goya y Lucientes Prado Museum 1786. Oil on canvas, 112 x 145 cm. “Two boys hold two large, muzzled mastiffs by their leads. On the collar … Continue reading
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