Giacomo Francesco Cipper – “il Todeschini”, Young man eating from a wooden bowl, oil on canvas, Italy, 1st third of the 18th century
The portrait shows a young man hailing from the plebeian strata, framed in half pose, sitting against a neutral dark background. The boy is facing frontally, his cheerful expression emphasized by a wide smile revealing his teeth. In his right hand he holds a large wooden bowl, while in his left hand he holds a spoon with which he scoops up the food. The young man is dressed in a white shirt and a simple chestnut cubicle, as well as a tricorn, which is a distinctive triangular hat, decorated with a feather. In the lower left corner of the painting, a section of the table is visible, on which lies an unleavened loaf of bread.
The color palette is maintained in tones of warm browns, reds and ochres, with clear chiaroscuro contrasts that artfully model the face and hands and bring out the figure from the dark background.
Gustav Friedrich Amalius Taubert, Profile Portrait of Józefina Amalia Potocka, chalk drawing on paper, Warsaw, 1796
This miniature profile portrait depicts Józefina Amalia Potocka, shown in half-length, from the right profile. The woman's hair features backcombed curls, cascading freely onto her neck and shoulders. A delicate hint of pink accentuates her lips, cheek, and chin, subtly enlivening the facial drawing. She is attired in a light-colored gown, its bodice adorned with a white polka-dot pattern. Her shoulders are draped with a light grey shawl featuring a darker, misty pattern. The background is shaded, rendered in shades of grey, with the upper section distinctly lighter. The entire piece was executed in pencil and chalk in a grey palette. The lips, chin, and blush areas were further tinted with pinkish gouache or watercolor.
The work is signed at the bottom left, within the oval: "Gus. Taubert. / fecit. Warsovie / 1796". Miniature in an old paper frame with remnants of a gilded border.
Dimensions: 9.5 cm h, 7 cm w oval with composition; 10.5 cm x 9 cm with frame
Head of an angel (?), sandstone, France, ca. 1300
The Gothic full-figure sculpture depicting a head, most likely an angel, was created in the circle of Parisian sculpture around 1300. The face with a calm expression and idealized features, surrounded by curls supported by a band, fits the type of depictions characteristic of French sculpture of the time of Philippe the Beautiful (1285-1314). The style, which spread in the 14th century, is sometimes referred to as "court style." Sculpture with traces of polychromy, damage and traces of surface erosion. Made of sandstone, it was originally most likely part of a full-figure representation. It most likely had a sacred function.
Heraldic Plaque with Knut and Ślepowron Coats of Arms, Silver, Poland, 17th Century.
An oval plaque crafted from hammered silver sheet, adorned with engraving. At its center are two shields, superimposed. The smaller, inner shield, quadrangular in form, bears the emblem of the Knut coat of arms. In the center of the rectangular field between the upper edges of the shields is the emblem of the Ślepowron coat of arms, flanked by the initials 'I–L'. Surrounding this is a stylized cartouche embellished with volute and floral ornamentation. A single engraved line traces the plaque's edge. At mid-height near the edges, small holes are present, indicating traces of mounting.
A highly intriguing and rare artifact, most likely serving a sepulchral function. Jan Karol Dachnowski, in his "Armorial of Royal Prussia from the 17th Century," describes the Knut coat of arms and mentions a "silver plate nailed to a coffin, later set above an epitaph." This plaque likely served a similar purpose. The Knut coat of arms, described in Niesiecki's Armorial as "three lilies, two side-by-side, the third in the middle above them, each composed of two lilies, so that one lily faces upwards, the other downwards," was the personal coat of arms of the Knut family, associated with the territories of Royal Prussia. The presence of two coats of arms on the plaque most likely symbolizes a personal or marital union. If the latter, Ślepowron would be the husband's coat of arms, and Knut – the wife's, to whom the initials 'IL' should be attributed.
A very rare item of significant collector's and historical value.
Icon of Our Lady of the Dawn Gate, brass, enamel on metal, Poland, 19th century.
Decorative icon depicting Our Lady of the Dawn Gate, set in an elaborate brass frame with gilding. The representation is made of embossed sheet metal; the face and hands are covered with painted enamel. Background covered with maroon velvet. On the back of the frame a foot for standing and a pendant.
Irish (Celtic) cross, stone sculpture, Ireland, 19th century.
The sculpture in the form of an Irish cross, 24 cm high, made of a single piece of gray stone (slate). Like the medieval prototypes, it consists of a base (pedestal) with chamfered sides, a high shaft topped by a crossbar merged with a circle (nimbus). In the upper section, partially enclosed within the ring, is a semi-relief depiction of the Crucified Christ. The shaft below is decorated with incised “X” marks, simple geometric ornamentation, and the inscription INCX. The sides of the shaft feature carved rosettes and zigzag motifs. Additionally, the right side bears the inscription IXC, while the left side contains an unclear word, most likely in the Irish (Gaelic) language. On the reverse of the shaft appears another “X” mark, with a triangular shield motif below. The ends of the cross arms are decorated with four-pointed rosettes.
Ivan Khlebnikov, Kovsh with horse’s head, silver, enamel, gilt, Moscow, 1860-1918
A unique kovsh from the famous Moscow factory of Ivan Khlebnikov, made of silver and maintained in the aesthetics of the Novorussian style. The surface of the vessel is decorated with enamel cloisonné - cells formed from thin silver wires soldered to the body, forming partitions later filled with colored glaze, repeatedly fired and polished. The result is a smooth, glossy decoration with floral and geometric motifs in vivid colors. A striking accent is the naturalistically chiseled silver horse's head forming the vessel's handle. The interior retains traces of the original gilding. The kovsh bears the punches: the inscription ХЛѢБНИКОВЪ, which is the signature of Ivan Khlebnikov's company with an eagle (marking the Imperial Court's suppliers), and the oval Moscow probationary mark - the profile of a woman in a coquina with the Greek letter delta and the number 84 (partially rubbed off), indicating the sample of silver.
John Baptist Lambrechts (1680 – after 1731), Genre scene in an inn, oil on board, ca. mid-18th century.
An intimate genre scene, attributed to Flemish painter John Baptist Lambrechts. The center of the depiction is formed by three figures: a woman in a red skirt and green kaftan with a distinctive white scarf around her neck, a man in a red cap and a woman standing behind, who participates in the conversation. Next to her stands a set table, covered with a colorful cloth, on which the white shawl - a hallmark of inn scenes by Lambrechts - could not be missing. A gesticulating man addresses a woman who, with a glass in her hand, looks calmly at the viewer. On her shoulders is a white shawl tied over her breasts: an element characteristic of Lambrechts' painting, present in almost all his depictions of women.
The painting betrays the characteristics of a good painter's workshop such as skillfully developed chiaroscuro, the way of depicting the details of fabrics and tableware attest to the artist's technical maturity. The composition is static, but full of subtle emotional tensions.
John Baptist Lambrechts (1680 – after 1731), Genre scene in an inn, oil on board, ca. mid-18th century.
An intimate oil painting on board attributed to Jan Baptist Lambrechts, a leading painter of genre scenes of 18th-century Flanders. The composition shows a couple in an inn: the woman turns to the man reproachfully, the man looks away, holding a jug and a glass. The scene alludes to everyday domestic tensions and the problem of alcohol abuse. The painting is distinguished by realistic social observation, the play of light and the artist's characteristic details like a plate with clamshells and a white scarf. The subject matter and style are perfectly in line with the trend of moralistic bourgeois painting popular in Flanders.