“She had seen the flower painting by Fantin-Latour which had recently been exhibited.”--Proust, In Search of Lost Time
Well, until this auction, I did not remember I had personally seen a Fantin-Latour flower painting (see Item 116) because of the vastness of the Musée d’Orsay! A French major in college, I studied French art in undergraduate classes at Vanderbilt University, and so I am delighted to see copies of famous works as well as some new works (Item 115) in this auction!
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| Item 116 |
During my year in Paris earning my masters from Sciences Po and working for the OECD, I enjoyed visiting the Parisian art museums during my free time. The Louvre Museum is expansive and center-town beside the Seine River. It was originally built as a fortress in the late 12th century and then transformed into a palace and finally declared a museum. My favorite works in the Louvre are the Napoleon paintings, which are bigger than life--standing several meters tall. I never realized how large the paintings were until I saw them in real life towering above me.
Lucky in location during my first six months in Paris, I lived a block from the Musée d’Orsay. A former train station, the museum features works from 1848 to the beginnings of cubism, including the impressionists and post-impressionists. My favorite artist featured in the Musée d’Orsay is Vincent van Gogh. During my undergraduate study abroad in the South of France, I visited Arles, walking in van Gogh’s footsteps. From the Starry Night Over the Rhone to The Café Terrace At Night, Arles looks much the same now as it did in van Gogh’s paintings; in fact, the cafe featured in The Café Terrace At Night is still there. Influencing artists from van Gogh to Cézanne, the South of France has an amazing warm, bright yellow sun. Originally from the South of France, Cézanne is also a favorite painter of mine; I have climbed Mont Sainte-Victoire, which Cézanne frequently painted.
Whereas Cézanne habitually painted Mont Sainte-Victoire, British Sir John Everett Millais (1829-1896) often painted children. Millais’ "Little Speedwell's Darling Blue," 1892, is featured in this auction (see Item 124).
It is a lovely painting of the artist's granddaughter, Phyllis, seated by (and holding) flowers. An unusual title, it is from Lord Alfred Tennyson's In Memoriam, section LXXXIII:
“O sweet new-year delaying long;
[...]
Bring orchis, bring the foxglove spire,
Deep tulips dash'd with fiery dew,
Laburnums, dropping-wells of fire.”
Also included in this auction, is a print of a child painting (Item 122). It appears to be a copy of a Loren Entz (1949-); an American from Kansas, Entz focuses on the quiet, domestic side of Western rural life. In Entz’s paintings, the audience can appreciate how gently the artist depicts the love of children and family.
This auction also features some other adorable pictures of children! See the teddy bears on the porch swing and young love in Item 120. Well, we all know young love can sometimes lead to trouble (as seen in Jan C. Verhas’ "The Broken Flower Pot" which is item 105). When the going gets tough, that’s when we need home, family, pets (Items 114 and 118), and friends. "American Homestead Spring" (Item 122) shows a peaceful pastoral home, and "Romantic Moment" by Lena Lih (Item 123) depicts a calm country retreat far from the world’s woes. Finally, in "Two Sisters" (Item 104),
Robert Edward Morrison illustrates the love of family.
From our family to yours, we feel so fortunate to share with you these great pieces of art!
Happy bidding!
Adrienne
www.ayptoday.com
