livre d&
Nicolas-Quinibert Foliot was an 18th century French cabinetmaker. He was the supplier of furniture for the castles of Versailles, Fontainebleau and Compiègne.
All of his works are distinguished by luxury. The lines are balanced and elegant, the carvings are numerous and executed subtly and tastefully.
Jean-Henri Riesener was a famous German ébéniste (cabinetmaker), working in Paris, whose work exemplified the early neoclassical Louis XVI style.
Jules Barbey d'Aurevilly, born Jules Amédée Barbey d'Aurevilly, was a French writer, critic and essayist.
After studying law at the University of Caen, d'Aurevilly gained popularity in 1852 as a literary critic for the Bonapartist newspaper Le Pays, which was influential among the decadents of the late 19th century.
In literature, d'Aurevillys specialized in tales of macabre mysteries that explored ulterior motives and hints of evil, but without the supernatural. He was a decisive influence on writers such as Auguste Villiers de l'Isle-Adam, Henry James, and Marcel Proust.
Henri-Robert-Marcel Duchamp, a pioneering French artist, is celebrated for his profound influence on 20th-century art and culture. Duchamp's work transcended traditional mediums, embracing painting, sculpture, and conceptual art, thereby redefining the very nature of artistic creation. His audacious approach to art, marked by intellectualism and wit, challenged conventional perceptions of beauty and utility, making him a central figure in the development of modern and postmodern art.
Duchamp's most notable contributions include his ready-mades—ordinary manufactured objects that he selected and presented as art. This innovative concept questioned the role of the artist and the creation process, exemplified by his famous piece, "Fountain," a porcelain urinal that radically altered the landscape of art by its mere presentation in 1917. His other significant works, like "Nude Descending a Staircase, No. 2," showcased his fascination with movement and mechanization, further cementing his legacy as a visionary.
Duchamp's influence extends beyond his creations, as he played a vital role in shaping the Dada movement and conceptual art. His ideas and artworks continue to inspire artists, collectors, and experts in the fields of art and antiques. Museums and galleries worldwide, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art in New York, proudly house his works, attesting to his enduring relevance.
For those keen on exploring the intersections of art, culture, and history, Duchamp offers a rich tapestry of innovation and controversy. Collectors and art enthusiasts are invited to sign up for updates on new product sales and auction events related to Henri-Robert-Marcel Duchamp, ensuring they remain at the forefront of developments in this captivating domain.
Charles D'Oyly was a British public official and painter from Dacca (now Dhaka). He was a member of the Bengal Civil Service based in Calcutta, Dacca and Patna from 1797 to 1838. Although he held senior positions with the East India Company's civil service, he is best known as an amateur artist who published many books featuring engravings and lithographs featuring Indian subject matter.
Evert Maaskamp was a Dutch artist and engraver, publisher and print dealer.
In addition to publishing geographical publications, topographical maps and engravings, Maaskamp produced very high quality illustrated works on sheet metal. Throughout his career he collaborated with the English artist Charles Howard Hodges, whose influence is evident in many of Maaskamp's engravings.
Sir William Douglas Hamilton was a British diplomat, archaeologist and volcanologist, a famous collector, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of London.
He served as British Ambassador to the Kingdom of Naples from 1764 to 1800, but most importantly, he was a passionate researcher of history, art and natural sciences and was a member of the Society of Dilettantes, established for the purpose of studying ancient art.
In Naples, Hamilton amassed a unique collection of antique vases and published an illustrated book about them. In parallel, Sir Hamilton studied the volcanoes Vesuvius and Etna, local volcanic and seismic activity, and the causes of earthquakes in the Neapolitan territory. As a corresponding member of the Royal Society, he sent the results of his research to London. His publications were very valuable for the time.
Pierre-François Hugues d'Hancarville, better known as Baron d'Hancarville, was an art historian, writer, and adventurer who lived most of his life in Italy.
To advance from the merchant class to high society, he studied mathematics, physics, history, literature, ancient languages, and English, Italian, and German. Traveling in Europe, he presented himself as an aristocrat under various names. Under the name Baron d'Hancarville, he was known as a connoisseur and art dealer, which is apparently why he was approached by Sir William Hamilton (1731-1803), who was ambassador to the British embassy in Naples and had amassed a large collection of ancient vases. Before selling this collection to the British Museum in 1772, Hamilton asked d'Hancarville for help in creating a complete catalog of it in descriptions and illustrations. The baron also wrote a detailed essay.
This catalog, entitled The Complete Collection of Antiquities from the Cabinet of Sir William Hamilton, is itself a neoclassical masterpiece in French and English. Antique vases have never before been depicted with such precision and aestheticism.