Charles Spencelayh

The Buttonhole By Charles Spencelayh

Circa 1940

James Tissot was among the most successful and critically acclaimed artists of the Victorian era. Although the artist is celebrated for his elegant scenes of fashionable life in Paris and London, this work is a fascinating rarity within his oeuvre. In this monumental pastel, Tissot depicts a prehistoric woman draped in a tiger skin, presented with a striking pose and heroic air. His delicate portraiture, combined with his fascination with conveying texture, demonstrates why he was one of the most revered artists of his generation, and La femme préhistorique illustrates the remarkable technique for which he was renowned. This work was completed in preparation for a series of works exploring the Old Testament undertaken by Tissot from 1899-1902 that remained unfinished at the time of his death. A portion of this series focused on illustrations of Adam and Eve, and among these sketches were images of a nude Eve partially draped in animal furs. Towards the end of his life, following his conversion to Catholicism, biblical subjects became important to the artist. A few years before this work was completed, Tissot embarked upon a highly ambitious group of nearly 300 watercolors illustrating the New Testament, presenting the illustrated epic in its entirety at the Paris Salon of 1894. Both of these series were a critical artistic departure for the artist, stemming from a desire to create works separated from his typical images of modern society. This pastel imagines Eve as the prototype of womanhood in the guise of a prehistoric woman. Tissot rarely painted the nude, and his skill as a draftsman highlights the figure's natural beauty, contrasting it with the stark landscape surrounding her. Although a study, this monumental work is incredibly well-finished and highly engaging, with the statuesque model commanding the majority of the canvas. Her pose is strong and theatrical, and she addresses the viewer with a direct, confident gaze. The imagined historical subject of this drawing is grounded by Tissot’s exceptional attention to detail. A master of conjuring an array of textures, Tissot showcased this ability in this work by juxtaposing many types of fabrics and natural elements within one composition. The tiger skin with which the woman partially covers herself was a favorite studio prop of Tissot’s, appearing in many of his most influential works from the period, including several paintings of his partner and favorite model Kathleen Newton. It, in particular, showcases the artist’s understanding of texture, yet it also serves as an exotic element that elevates the sensuality of the scene when placed against the woman’s bare skin. Born in 1836 in the port town of Nantes, Tissot traveled to Paris at the age of 20 in order to join the studios of Hippolyte Flandrin and Louis Lamothe. During this period, he became close with James Abbott McNeill Whistler, Edgar Degas and Edouard Manet, and the impact of these friendships is reflected in his portraits of modern life. Having enjoyed considerable success in Paris during the 1860s, Tissot fought in the Siege of Paris, and after the fall of the Commune in 1871, he went to London, where he stayed for the next ten years. He was met with incredible success there, and he also met the love of his life, Kathleen Newton, a divorcée, with whom he lived from about 1876 until her death in 1882. Today he is regarded among the great masters of Belle Époque painting, and his works can be found in important collections worldwide, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Brooklyn Museum, the National Gallery of Art, the Musée d’Orsay, the Tate Gallery and many others. This pastel remained in Tissot's private collection until his death in 1902 and is referenced in the posthumous 1902-3 valuation of Tissot's home at 64 avenue du Bois...

Marc Chagall 1887-1985 Russian Musiciens sur fond multicolore (Musicians on a multicolored background) Signed 'Chag' (on the sleeve of the right figure); stamped with the signature 'Marc Chagall' (lower right) Tempera, gouache, colored ink and India ink and pastel on paper “The fact that I made use of cows, milkmaids, roosters and provincial Russian architecture as my source forms is because they are part of the environment from which I spring and which undoubtedly left the deepest impression on my visual memory of the experiences I have." - Marc Chagall Marc Chagall’s 1981...

Erté (Romain de Tirtoff) 1892-1990 Russian-French La dionée dite Gobe-mouches(Venus Flytrap) Signed "Erté" (lower right) Inscribed ---- (en verso) Gouache on paper Daring and mysterious, this original gouache from the creative mind of Erté features the sinuous figure of a woman wearing a unique ebony and sanguine body suit with a dramatic wing-like cape. Entitled La dionée dite Gobe-mouches or Venus Flytrap, this work embodies the Art Deco glamour and tongue-in-cheek artistry for which the artist's designs are so beloved. Inspired by the famed volume of poems from iconic French writer Charles Baudelaire, this ensemble showcases Erté's sartorial interpretation of La Vampire from Baudelaire's Les Fleurs du mal. This elegant composition exudes the quintessential opulence and drama that only Erté, the oft-called "Father of Art Deco," could achieve. La dionée dite Gobe-mouches showcases the breadth of Erté's creativity and his design expertise. First published in 1857, Baudelaire's Les Fleurs du mal was controversial for its suggestive content and themes of decadence and eroticism. The volume provided a wealth of inspiration for Erté and he drew from several specific poems to create original fashion sketches...

Erté (Romain de Tirtoff) 1892-1990 Russian-French L'Aurore boréale(The Aurora Borealis) Signed "Erté" (lower right) Inscribed ---- (en verso) Gouache on paper In this colorful gouache, Erté draws an enticing and unique fashion design on his model's elegantly elongated figure. Crowned by an elaborate headdress, the woman wears a daring gauzy caftan that drapes dangerously low, celebrating her nude form. EntitledL'Aurore Boréale" or The Aurora Borealis, this work embodies the Art Deco glamour for which the artist's designs are so beloved. This ensemble was inspired by Les Fleurs du mal, the famed volume of poems from iconic French writer Charles Baudelaire. As the name suggests, this creative design links the celebrated "fleur" orchids with one of nature's other great marvels, the Aurora Borealis. This refined piece of art radiates the essential luxury and theatricality that could only be accomplished by Erté, oft referred to as the "Father of Art Deco." First published in 1857, Baudelaire's Les Fleurs du mal was controversial for its suggestive content and themes of decadence and eroticism. The volume provided a wealth of inspiration for Erté and he drew from several themes to create original fashion sketches...

Erté (Romain de Tirtoff) 1892-1990 Russian-French Costume tailleur(Tailored suit) Signed "Erté"(lower right) Inscribed "No. 55"(en verso) Gouache on paper This striking gouache on...

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Elsa Carlander (British, circa 1930) An autumn gust Watercolour and pencil on paper Signed and inscribed ‘Best wishes from Elsa Carlander’ (lower right) 6.5/8 x 5.7/8 in. (16.8 x 15 ...

Count Amadeo Preziosi (Maltese, 1816 – 1882) A set of six pencil and watercolour studies or Turkish characters including street vendors, a Turkish sold...

Late 18th century mixed media portrait of the head of an old man, perhaps the biblical figure Moses. Italian school . Composed of graphite, colored chalk, watercolor and gouache on ...

Original watercolor with graphite tracings of a solitary hunter in the field by the British artist, George Anderson Short. Signed bottom right. ...

Original watercolor with graphite tracings of interior crowded pub scene by the British artist, George Anderson Short. Signed bottom left. Circa...

Original watercolor with graphite tracings of a hunter bring home the fresh game by the British artist, George Anderson Short. Signed top right. ...