Attributed to Francis van Bossuit (1635-1692), South Netherlandish, third quarter of the 18th century
Pair of reliefs with the allegories of Autumn and Summer
Estimate
6,000 - 12,000 EUR
Lot Details
Description
Attributed to Francis van Bossuit (1635-1692)
South Netherlandish, third quarter of the 18th century
Allegorical reliefs of Autumn and Summer
pair of ivory reliefs; each on a red velvet ground, in a gilt wood frame
a label on the back inscribed: "FRANS Von Bossuit Brussel 1635 92 AMSTERD"
20cm. high overall; 7⅞in.
reliefs: 11.5 by 9.5cm.; 4½ by 3¾in.
Autumn as a bust of Bacchus holding a tazza and a bunch of grapes, Summer as a bust of Ceres holding a sheaf of wheat
(2)
Please note that this lot contains elephant ivory. Pursuant to the UK Ivory Act 2018, clients based in the United Kingdom are not able to bid on / purchase this lot.
Please note that this lot contains elephant ivory the export of which outside the EU is now prohibited pursuant to European regulation 2021/2280 of 16 December 2021. Sotheby's will be able to provide the buyer with the intra-community certificate attached to this item.
Collection Yves Saint Laurent et Pierre Bergé, Christie's Paris, 23 - 25 February 2009, lot 571;
Acquired in this sale, thence in the same Belgian noble family.
Van Bossuit favoured this type of half-length composition, which he produced in numerous small reliefs whose subjects could be drawn from biblical history or mythology; they could also be part of allegorical series, personifying, for example, the senses or the seasons. Of particular note is a relief of Flora, certainly from a series of the four seasons comparable to that of the present reliefs, in the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe, Hamburg (inv. 1928.8; cf. C. Theurkauff, op. cit., p. 152, ill. 52, and p. 171, no. 16).
RELATED LITERATURE
Ch. Theurkauff, « Zu Francis van Bossuit (1635 – 1692), ‘ Beeldsnyder in yvoor’ », in Wallraf-Richartz-Jahrbuch, 37, 1975, pp.119-182.
