Lot 0128
Russian Gold, Enamel and Diamond Brooch in the Form of Lily
Estimate: 5000-8000€
Russian Gold, Enamel and Diamond Brooch in the Form of Lily
Moscow, circa 1900
Gold, enamel, 5 diamonds (3,5 – 4 mm diameter of 4 diamonds, 3,3 mm diameter of 1 diamond).
Dimensions: 6,3 x 2,7 x 1,5 cm.
An elegant gold brooch in the form of a lily of the valley sprig, the leaves enameled in translucent green and the ribbon in blue. The flowers are set with old-cut diamonds mounted in silver-topped gold.
Marked on the reverse with Moscow assay marks and maker’s initials.
The naturalistic design, delicate modeling, and subtle use of enamel place this jewel firmly within the Art Nouveau (Modern Style) tradition that flourished in Russia at the turn of the 20th century.
Starting price: 4000€
Estimate: 5000-8000€
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France, late 19th century
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Height: 78 cmThis monumental bronze by Émile Louis Picault depicts St. George, the Christian knight and dragon-slayer, standing triumphantly over the defeated beast. The sculpture captures the hero at rest after battle — his pose calm and resolute, his gaze lowered in quiet reflection. The finely rendered armor, detailed sword, and naturalistic anatomy reveal Picault’s exceptional skill in modeling bronze with both strength and grace.
A leading figure of 19th-century French sculpture, Picault was renowned for his allegorical and patriotic subjects as well as mythological heroes. Trained in Paris, he began exhibiting at the Salon des Beaux-Arts in 1863 and went on to produce more than 500 models during his prolific career. His works often explored virtues such as courage, honor, and diligence, rendered with expressive energy and precise craftsmanship.
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Estimate: 2500-3000€Bust of Emperor Alexander I
Russian Empire, St. Petersburg, 1827
Author: Fedor Ivanovich Kovshenkov (1785–1850)
Bronze, casting, patination
Dimensions: 19.5 x 8.5 x 8.5 cm.This finely executed bust of Emperor Alexander I was created by Fedor Kovshenkov, a master bronzeworker who had once been a serf. In 1822, the Emperor himself recognized Kovshenkov’s talent and freed him from serfdom, appointing him as a bronze master during the construction of the Kazan Cathedral.
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Fedor Ivanovich Kovshenkov (1785–1850)
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Estimate: 1200-1500€Nikolai Liberich. Lying Boar paperweight.
Model circa 1866
Bronze, casting, chasing
Dimensions: 5.5 × 20.5 × 17.5 cm
St. Petersburg, 1870s–1880sThis finely detailed bronze sculpture depicts a wild boar lying on the ground, rendered with naturalistic accuracy and careful attention to the animal’s anatomy and textured fur.
Exhibitions: A comparable piece was exhibited at the State Russian Museum in Nikolai Liberich. Sculpture and Graphics from the Collections of A. G. Egorov and K. V. Zhuromsky (2011).
Publications: A comparable work was published in the book by A. Egorov and K. Zhuromsky Nikolai Liberich. Sculpture and Graphics (p. 220).Nikolai Ivanovich Liberich (1828–1883)
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Bronze sculpture of “don César de Bazan” by Emile PICAULT (1833-1915)
Estimate: 5000-6000€Émile Louis Picault (1833–1915)
Don César de Bazan
France, late 19th century
Bronze with double patina, signed “E. Picault”
Height: 86 cm.
This dynamic bronze sculpture by Émile Louis Picault portrays Don César de Bazan, the dashing nobleman and soldier from the 1872 opera Don César de Bazan by Jules Massenet, a character also found in Victor Hugo’s play Ruy Blas. Picault captures the quintessential romantic hero — bold, proud, and slightly defiant — frozen mid-gesture with sword in hand and cloak flowing in motion. The piece reflects the artist’s fascination with themes of honor, individuality, and chivalric elegance.Executed with a double patina, the sculpture demonstrates Picault’s technical virtuosity in bronze casting, contrasting warm and dark tones to emphasize both the richness of costume and the expressiveness of the figure’s face.
Émile Louis Picault, born in Paris in 1833, was among the most prolific sculptors of the 19th century, creating over 500 models throughout his long career. A frequent exhibitor at the Salon des Beaux-Arts from 1863 onward, Picault specialized in allegorical, patriotic, and mythological subjects. His works, notable for their meticulous detail and vitality, exemplify the moral and aesthetic ideals of the Belle Époque.
Starting price: 4000€
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