M.S. Rau Art

Jean Metzinger 1883-1956 French Port du Croisic Signed "J. Metzinger" (lower right) Oil on canvas This exceptional painting by the celebrated French artist Jean Metzinger is a ra...

Edouard Léon Cortès 1882-1969 I French Place de la Madeleine Signed “Edouard Cortès” (lower right) Oil on canvas Renowned as the “Parisian Poet of Painting,” Edouard Léon Cortès e...

Guy Carleton Wiggins 1883-1962 American Wall Street, Winter Signed "Guy Wiggins" (lower right) Titled, signed and dated “Wall Street Winter/Guy Wiggins/1930” (en verso) Oil on can...

Jean-Baptiste Monnoyer 1636-1699 French Still Life with Flowers on a Carved Stone Ledge Oil on canvas Impeccable detail and luminous color breathe life into this floral still lif...

Theodore Earl Butler 1861-1936 American Grainstacks in plaine des Ajoux, Giverny Oil on canvas Theodore Earl Butler was one of the leading American Impressionists, known for his ...

Sir Joshua Reynolds 1723-1792 British Sir Henry Bowles Howard, 12th Earl of Suffolk and 5th Earl of Berkshire Oil on canvas Sir Joshua Reynolds is unequivocally considered the most important English portraitist of the 18th century who was instrumental in adapting the Grand Manner style in the portrait genre. In fact, when the Royal Academy was founded in 1768, Reynolds was elected its first President, setting the precedent of quality for which all other portraitists would strive. Reynolds's portrait of Henry Bowles Howard, 12th Earl of Suffolk, showcases his genius in the genre and mastery over the medium. Reynolds’s portrait of the Earl expertly invokes classical values with strong lighting, rich colors and expert attention to detail to help underscore the prominence and revered echelon of the sitter. Howard was an esteemed British politician and Knight of the Garter. He served as Secretary of State for the Northern Department from 1771 to 1779, and he played a key role in utilizing mercenaries during the American Revolution and safeguarding Sweden's independence. The portrait employs Reynolds's signature style to render Howard rightfully as a gentleman of distinction. Captured seated in a stately library, the Earl appears learned and austere as he places one hand upon a stack of important documents and looks wistfully into the distance. Reynolds makes these compositional choices decisively, as the seated position gives Howard a weighty appearance of importance and the semi-profile turn captures his countenance at an attractive angle that highlights his strong, masculine features. The work draws on the classical conventions of Greek and Roman art and the Italian Renaissance masters, anchoring the nobleman in a history of refinement. Everything from his strong yet welcoming expression to his pale face enlivened by a rush of blood to the cheeks presents the picture of a strong, vital and powerful leader. As the first president of the Royal Academy in London, Reynolds’s commissions raised the status of an artist in Britain during the Romantic period and also established the portrait as an esteemed high art genre that garnered equal import to the history paintings that reigned supreme in decades prior. Today, Reynolds’s works grace the walls of the most important museums in the world, including the Louvre, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the National Gallery in London, among others. Circa 1770 Canvas: 50 1/2" high x 40 1/4" wide Framed: 61" high x 52 1/2" wide x 3 1/2" deep Provenance: Sir Henry Howard, 12th Earl of Suffolk and 5th Earl of Berkshire, 1739-1779 His mother, Lady Mary Howard, née Finch, Lady Andover, d. 1803 Acquired by descent to her daughter, Frances, and her husband Richard Bagot (later Howard) Acquired by descent to their daughter, Mary (1784-1877), and her husband Col. Fulke Greville Upton (later Howard), d. 1846 Acquired by descent to Lieutenant Colonel H.R.G. Howard Sale, Christie's, London, March 24, 1961, no. 29 Julius Weitzner, London and New York Sale, Paris, Musée Galliéra, December 7, 1965, no. 165 Newhouse Galleries, New York, NY Mr. and Mrs. F. Howard Walsh, Fort Worth, Texas, 1966 Walsh Family Art Trust Private collection, Oregon M.S. Rau, New Orleans Exhibited: British Institution, London, 1844, no. 130, loaned by the Hon. Fulke Greville Howard. South Kensington, "Second special exhibition of National Portraits," 1867, no. 478, lent by the Hon. Mrs. Greville. Agnew's, London, 1903, no. 17. Literature: Algernon Graves and W. V. Cronin, A History of the Works of Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A., vol. 3 (London, 1899), p. 945. David Mannings...

Workshop of Bartholomaeus Spranger 16th Century Flemish Leda and the Swan Oil on panel Retelling one of the most legendary Greco-Roman mythological tales, this exceptional oil on...

The son of the legendary Napoléon Bonaparte, Napoléon François Charles Joseph, takes a spirited stance in this remarkable oil painting attributed to the Austrian portraitist Johann Peter Krafft. Believed to have been exhibited at the Exposition Universelle of 1900 in Paris, this work stands as a testament to both Austrian artistry and the legacy of one of the most powerful men in history. After Napoléon's exile to the island of Elba in 1814, his son was seen by many of his supporters as the last hope of France. The child was named the ruler of half of Europe, holding the titles of Napoléon II...

Henry Roderick Newman 1843-1917 American Venus of Philae Signed, dated and inscribed lower left Watercolor on paper A masterwork of American Pre-Raphaelite painting, Venus of Phi...

Pierre Bonnard 1867-1947 French La neige au Grand-Lemps (The Snow at Grand-Lemps) Signed "Bonnard" (lower right) Oil on canvas Pierre Bonnard is widely celebrated as one of the g...

Emmanuel Frémiet 1824–1910 French Jeanne d’Arc Signed “E FREMIET” This commanding bronze of Jeanne d’Arc by Emmanuel Frémiet captures one of the most enduring symbols of French n...

Jean-Baptiste Robie (1821-1910) Belgian Bouquet of Flowers in the Countryside Signed "J. Robie" (lower left) Oil on panel This extraordinary floral still life embodies the height...

Richard E. Miller 1875-1943 American Bathers Oil on canvas on board Emanating the radiant beauty that defines American Impressionism, Bathers captures Richard Edward Miller at his expressive best. Painted during a period shaped by his time among the celebrated Giverny Colony, the work blends atmospheric color, lyrical brushwork and an instinctive sensitivity to light. Its romantic tone and refined handling highlight Miller’s role as one of the most compelling American painters to absorb and evolve the lessons of French Impressionism. In this striking composition, Miller bathes his figures in a warm, glowing light that reveals their elegance and ease. Soft contours and textured strokes create a painterly surface that feels immediate and alive. The shimmering palette of the distant water recalls the brilliance of Monet’s Giverny...

Marius Jean Antonin Mercié French (1845-1916) David vainqueur de Goliath (David, Victor of Goliath) Signed “A. Mercié” (on base) Bronze This incredible bronze sculpture, entitled ...

Montague Dawson 1890–1973 British The Atlantic Packet Albion of the Black Ball Line Signed "Montague Dawson" (lower left) Oil on canvas Montague Dawson’s The Atlantic Packet Albi...

Auguste Rodin 1840-1917 French L'Éternel Printemps (The Eternal Spring) Bronze with brown patina Signed "Rodin" (on base), with Barbedienne foundry mark Perhaps one of the most w...

Pablo Picasso 1881-1973 Spanish Guitare sur un guéridon (Guitar on a pedestal) Gouache on Western wove paper laid on board Signed “Picasso” (upper left) Picasso’s prolific career has been marked by many grand love affairs, both romantic, intellectual and creative. Beyond his lovers like Olga Khoklova and Dora Maar and his intellectual muses like Georges Braques and Gertrude Stein, Picasso’s greatest love and inspiration was perhaps a humble instrument: the guitar. Whether it be the Old Guitarist from his early blue period, his groundbreaking series of three-dimensional guitar sculptures from his nascent explorations in Cubism, or his Mandolin and Guitar composition’s grander explorations with color and biomorphic shapes, the guitar is an elusive calling card for modern art’s greatest genius. In Guitare sur un guéridon, Picasso intertwines his signature guitar and a bowl of fruit. These two elements are playfully brought together and skillfully anchored on the tabletop by a square positioned at the center of the composition. The result is a captivating and harmonious arrangement that showcases Picasso's artistic ingenuity in blending these everyday objects into a visually striking and cohesive composition. This rare gouache was created during the pivotal summer of 1920. During this time, Picasso lived in Juan-les-Pins, a small coastal resort town in the South of France away from the confines of the city and the fallout of World War I. With this newfound freedom, Picasso entered an exciting and innovative creative period and began to interrogate the connections between Neoclassicism and Cubism. Picasso created a series of gouache paintings characterized by their flat, geometric nature, sinuous contours and strikingly vivid colors. Though not a complete departure from his previous Cubist works, this series showcased the influence of the Surrealists, especially the biomorphic subconscious explorations of Joan Miró, upon Picasso’s oeuvre. While the breadth of his creativity grew, he returned back to a familiar motif — the guitar — with a renewed sense of vigor and excitement. Guitare sur un guéridon’s undulating lines and biomorphic appeal bring Picasso's preoccupation with the guitar into deeper focus. The sinuous lines of guitar mirror...

Pablo Picasso 1881-1973 Spanish Buste d'homme barbu (Bust of a Bearded Man) Signed "Picasso" (upper right) and dated "8.4.65" (en verso) Oil on canvas Pablo Picasso and his work transcend art history: they have achieved global celebrity within both academic circles and popular culture. More than any other artist, his ever-evolving, evocative style has come to define modern art of the 20th century, and to this day he continues to gain recognition. The most compelling of his works offer a glimpse into the psyche of the master himself, and the present work can be counted among these. Combining saturated color with a jarring simplicity, Buste d'homme barbu represents an important series of bearded men portraits that the artist composed during the last few years of his life. These works are among the most highly personal and intimate of his career, and they serve as remarkable examples of his mature style with their highly modern expressivity. Many of Picasso's works from his last years capture the visage of his wife Jacqueline, who was his chief model during this period. In April, however, at his home studio in Mougins, France, Picasso changed direction and produced a series of individual portraits of men. His male subjects derive from various sources. Often they were self-referential portraits; often they referenced his father, Spanish painter José Ruiz...

Urbano Lucchesi 1844 - 1906 Italian La Casta Susanna (The Chaste Susanna) Marble This elegant statue entitled La Casta Susanna depicts the virtuous biblical figure Susanna, exper...

Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse 1824–1887 French Allégorie de la Paix (Allegory of Peace) Signed “Carrier-Belleuse” White marble A vision of serenity and grace, Allégorie de la Pa...

Patrick Hughes b. 1939 British Warholed Signed “Warholed / Patrick Hughes” (en verso) Oil on panel Almost defying definition and description, the artwork of London artist Patrick...

Edward Alfred Cucuel 1875-1954 American Le Casino de Monte-Carlo Signed "Cucuel" (lower left) Watercolor on paper American Impressionist Edward Alfred Cucuel was celebrated for h...

Frank Sinatra 1915-1998 American Abstract with Squares Signed "Sinatra 86" (lower right) Acrylic on canvas Famed as one of the greatest American pop singers of the 20th century, ...

Rembrandt van Rijn 1606-1669 Dutch Beggar Seated on a Bank Etching on paper New Hollstein's first state of two Signed and dated in plate "RHL 1630" (lower center) This remarkable...

Albrecht Dürer 1471-1528 German The Small Horse Dated in the plate on upper center; monogrammed in the plate lower center: AD Meder state a Copperplate engraving on laid paper “W...

Jean-Gabriel Domergue 1889-1962 French Aux Courses (At the Races) Signed "Jean Gabriel Domergue" (lower right) Oil on canvas This exceptional oil by French artist Jean-Gabriel Do...

Fernando Botero 1932-2023 Colombian Juan Rodriguez Conejo Signed "Botero 88" (upper right) Oil on canvas Exemplifying Fernando Botero's distinctive visual language and mastery of...

Otto Eerelman 1839-1926 Dutch A Watchful Mother Oil on canvas Signed “O. Eerelman” (lower left) Celebrated across Europe for his lifelike animal portraits, Otto Eerelman achieved...

Patrick Hughes b. 1939 British Writ on Water Oil on panel Signed, titled, and dated “Writ on Water / Patrick Hughes / 2025” (en verso) In Writ on Water, Patrick Hughes transforms...

Antonio Torres Fuster 1847-1945 Spanish On the Terrace Signed "Antonio Torres" (lower left) Oil on canvas Antonio Torres Fuster deftly channels the artistry and spirit of the Pre...

Edouard Léon Cortès 1882-1969 French Place de la Bastille Signed “Edouard Cortès” (lower left) Oil on canvas A glowing warmth radiates from this bustling street scene by the reno...

René Magritte 1898-1967 Belgian Le carnaval du sage (The Sage’s Carnival) Signed “Magritte” (lower right); titled and dated "Le carnaval du sage 1947" (en verso) Oil on canvas The enigmatic paintings of René Magritte have become some of the most familiar and celebrated of the Surrealist movement. Among the most influential of the Surrealist painters of the 20th century, Magritte is an artist of international renown, as beloved for his popular appeal as he is for the psychological intensity of his works. The present oil on canvas, entitled Le carnaval du sage, was executed in 1947 at the height of his career, and it is a tour-de-force example of the haunting, mysterious scenes that comprise his oeuvre. Painted in the years following the Second World War, Le carnaval du sage showcases several recurring themes from Magritte’s oeuvre. Chiefly, a juxtaposition between the visible and the hidden is keenly felt. Throughout his career, Magritte explores the psychological obsession with revealing what is hidden, particularly with regard to the human face. In his Le fils de l’homme, he obscures the face of a man in a bowler hat with an apple, while his Les amants (Metropolitan Museum of Art) conceals the faces of two lovers with white sheets. In Le carnaval du sage, Magritte juxtaposes the blatant nudity of his central figure by masking her face, simultaneously revealing and concealing her from the viewer. The work also incorporates two of Magritte’s most common tropes – the glass of water and the baguette. Lending the scene a strange sense of domesticity, they appear infinitely familiar and distinctly out of place, and thus heighten the uncanny effect of Magritte’s composition. In the background hovers a ghost obscured by a sheet, a figure which was of particular fascination to Magritte beginning in 1946. He once wrote to his fellow Surrealist Paul Nougé: "I saw in a dream an answer to the problem of the ghost: the traditional ghost draped...

Salvador Dalí 1904-1989 Spanish Four of Wands Signed "Dalí" (lower center) Gouache on photographic background From Salvador Dalí's celebrated tarot series, Four of Wands represen...

Louis Ritman 1889-1963 American Nude No. 2 Signed "L. Ritman" (lower right) Oil on canvas This vibrant nude by famed American artist Louis Ritman epitomizes the artist's talent ...

Mary Cassatt 1844–1926 American Smiling Sara in a Big Hat Holding Her Dog Signed "Mary Cassatt" (lower right) Pastel on paper “I love to paint children. They are so natural and t...

Mary Cassatt 1844–1926 American Girl with a Banjo Signed (lower right) Pastel on board This important pastel entitled Girl with a Banjo by Mary Cassatt is a true masterwork from ...

Rembrandt van Rijn 1606-1669 Dutch Abraham Casting Out Hagar and Ishmael Signed and dated "Rembrandt f. 1637" (upper right) State one of one Etching with touches of drypoint This...

Salvador Dalí 1904-1989 Spanish Four of Swords Signed “Dalí” (lower center) Gouache on photographic background Representing a unique blend of spiritualism and Surrealism, this go...

Louis Valtat 1869-1952 French Portrait of Pierre Renoir Signed "L. Valtat" (lower right) Oil on canvas This vibrant painting by Louis Valtat depicts the famed Renoir's eldest son...

Giovanni Boldini 1842-1931 Italian Portrait of Emilienne Le Roy Oil on canvas A dazzling display of Giovanni Boldini’s signature style, Portrait of Emilienne Le Roy captures the ...

Richard E. Miller 1875-1943 American Young Woman in Interior Signed "Miller" (lower right) Oil on canvas Richard E. Miller's Young Woman in Interior exemplifies the artist's exce...

Pablo Picasso 1881-1973 Spanish Nu tenant un miroir (Nude holding a mirror) Signed "Picasso" (lower right) Pen and ink on paper Pablo Picasso's Rose Period is among the most icon...

Louis Comfort Tiffany 1848-1933 American White Mountains of New Hampshire Signed "Louis C. Tiffany" (lower right) Watercolor Louis Comfort Tiffany, best known for his revolutiona...

Paul Klee 1879-1940 Swiss-German Kronen-Narr (Crown Fool) Signed "Klee" (lower right) Gouache and ink on newsprint on cardboard One of the most important artists of the 20th cent...

Louis Carreon b. 1977 American Ballerina Signed “Louis Carreon” (lower right) Mixed media on canvas In his Ballerina series, Louis Carreon examines the ambitions and resilience o...

Salvador Dalí 1904-1989 Spanish King of Swords Signed “Dalí” (lower center) Gouache on photographic background This unique gouache by Surrealist master Salvador Dalí combines the...

Salvador Dalí 1904-1989 Spanish Two of Swords Signed “Dalí” (upper right) Gouache on photographic background Representing a unique blend of spiritualism and Surrealism, this goua...

Salvador Dalí 1904-1989 Spanish Nine of Swords Signed “Dalí” (lower center) Gouache on photographic background Representing a unique blend of spiritualism and Surrealism, this go...

Louis Carreon b. 1977 American Golden Spirit Signed "Louis Carreon" (lower right) Mixed media on canvas From Louis Carreon's celebrated Spirit Bird series, Golden Spirit is a syn...

After James Pradier 1792–1852 French The Night White marble on a grey marble socle Drifting in a dreamlike ascent, this exquisite allegorical sculpture, The Night, pays tribute t...

Beautifully detailed and lifelike, Venus and Cupid share a soft embrace in this remarkable Italian white marble sculpture. The feminine beauty gracefully leans against roughened rock...

Jean-Gabriel Domergue 1889-1962 French Elegant Lady with Feather Boa Signed "Jean Gabriel Domergue" (lower left) Oil on canvas A radiant masterwork by French artist Jean-Gabriel ...

Salvador Dalí 1904-1989 Spanish Seven of Pentacles Signed “Dalí” (lower center) Gouache on photographic background Representing a unique blend of spiritualism and Surrealism, thi...

Salvador Dalí 1904-1989 Spanish Nine of Cups Signed "Dalí’" (top center) Gouache on photographic background This original gouache is a part of Salvador Dalí’s sought-after deck o...

Eugen von Blaas Italian I 1843-1932 The Water Carrier Signed and dated "E. von Blaas 1891" (lower right) Oil on canvas Eugen von Blaas’ unparalleled skill for genre painting is on...

Fernando Botero 1932-2023 Colombian El Sueño (The Dream) Signed and numbered 4/6 Bronze Representing one of Fernando Botero's most coveted subjects and executed at the height of ...

Norman Rockwell 1894-1978 American Tender Years: Moth Holes Signed "Norman Rockwell" (lower right) Oil on canvas From Norman Rockwell's acclaimed Four Seasons calendar series for...

Erté (Romain de Tirtoff) 1892-1990 Russian-French Les sisters Signed “Erté” (lower right) Inscribed "No. 18.360 / Moi, J’aime le Music-Hall / Le ventriloque" (en verso) Gouache on...

Erté (Romain de Tirtoff) 1892-1990 Russian-French Les sisters Signed “Erté” (lower right) Gouache on paper Designed for a performance of Moi, J’aime le Music-Hall, Erté’s Les sis...

Alexander Koester 1864-1932 German Ducks in a Pond Signed "A. Koester" (lower right) Oil on canvas Alexander Koester is one of the great animal painters of art history, and this ...