AMERICAN WAR OF INDEPENDENCE

Gazette International, by Sophie Reyssat

12 and 13 June
The Rouillac auction house has devised a two-dayprogramme for its traditional "Garden Party" sale at theChâteau d'Artigny in the Loire Valley. On 12 and 13 June,it will be selling the contents of some important residences,ranging from jewellery to historical mementoesof the American War of Independence, which will endthe bidding on Monday. Americans are sure to be interestedin maps of New York and its surrounding fortificationsin 1781, Portsmouth, and Boston harbour (eacharound €10,000). These are some of the last plans stillowned by the descendants of the Comte de Rochambeau,the commander of the French expeditionary forceand strategist of the victory at Yorktown, alongsideWashington and La Fayette. A map of the 1782 siege isalso up for sale (around €1,000). To the cry of "LibertasAmericana", bidding should be at around €50,000 forAmerica's most famous medal, designed by BenjaminFranklin and engraved by Augustin Dupré, after adrawing by Antoine Gibelin. Represented as Minerva,the goddess of wisdom, France keeps the British Lion atbay with her shield, protecting the infant Hercules,personifying America's nascent power and alreadycrushing a few serpents. We should not forget the 300-odd lots preceding these historic pieces. The day before,famous artists like Alexandre Calder and Moïse Kislingwill be celebrated – not to mention Francis Picabia, withworks from the Thirties that have remained in the familyof his friend Jean Martin-Roch. For example, you willneed around €100,000 for the 1905 “Effets de soleil surles bords de l'étang de Berre”. Old Masters will be on themenu, naturally, with the 17th century represented by a“Still Life with Crabs and Shrimp” by Jan Davidsz deHeem (€40,000/60,000). There will also be a historicistewer of 1859. The Sèvres Manufactory produced an enamelled copper vessel featuring allegories of Day andNight, with gilt aluminium mounts, which joined theEmpress Eugénie's collection at the Tuileries Palace theyear after its creation (€50,000/80,000). As previouslymentioned, various specialities will be in the limelighton Monday, when the bidding opens with Antiquitiesand Asian art. The star piece from Asia is a 16th centurygilt bronze Chinese Buddha in the lotus position(€80,000/100,000). Gustave Le Gray's seascapes will bethe other attraction of the day. Immortalised in thespring of 1857, his “View of Mediterranean with MountAgde” in the distance is particularly impressive, with itsdramatic effects of light and Romantic atmosphere(€40,000/60,000).

Sophie Reyssat

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