1,888 results for "renaissance"

Beautifully detailed, with a gorgeous deep patina, this rare pair of bronze bookends by Oscar Bach depict girls holding geese by the neck, like something out of a charming nursery rh...

A rare pair of tin-glazed (lead glaze with a bit of tin oxide added) earthenware pharmacy jars from Italy hand-painted. Beautiful color and elegant shape. Circa 1720.

Late 19th Century Renaissance Revival period hand-carved walnut oval picture or mirror frame, France. This adorable antique French picture or mirror light brown walnut frame features an oval-shaped body, adorned with stunning finely carved details - with foliate decors; a face mask on top and a pair of phoenix...

A large and striking Art Deco vase sculpted by Gaston Goor for the Mougin pottery works in France, this brilliantly-hued piece shows the production of terracotta elements for the fac...

An impressive pair of Renaissance Revival cast gilt bronze ewers. Italian circa 1900. Each decorated with formal foliate decoration and heavy scroll work. With long ornate handle and...

An extremely rare, so-called, Rotterdammer tile, with the decoration of a sailboat. Country: The Netherlands Place: Rotterdam Date: circa 1615 - 1620 Workshop: Claes Wijtmans This tile comes from one of the most rare and sought after tile series...

Acetre. Bronze. Century XVI. Bronze piece that has a circular foot, and a circular body, with an outwardly hollowed mouth at the top, and a decoration in relief in this last area o...

Mellerio Paris, A French Gold, Diamond, Silver-Gilt, Rock-Crystal, Obsidian Lapis Horse An extremely rare and unique, one of a kind French gold, diamonds, Silver-gilt rock-crystal, obsidian and lapis lazuli jeweled sculpture "Bucéphale, Chevaux de légende", "Bucephalus, A Legendary Horse" by Mellerio, Paris, circa 1998. Sitting on black obsidian base, the solid rock crystal slab is finely applied with a lapis lazuli half-horse with harness mounted in 18k gold and brilliant cut diamonds, between two crystal and lapis lazuli columns adorned with gold and diamonds, insert with 7 ruby cabochons and 1 emerald cabochon, the obsidian base with a plaque engraved: CHEVAUX DE LEGENDE / MELLERIO DITS MELLER / PARIS / 5029 DIV Bucephalus (c355-326 BC) is among the most famous horses in history, and it was said that this he could not be tamed. The young Alexander the Great, of course, tamed him – and went on to ride his beloved equine companion for many years and into many battles. The piece is in excellent condition and comes with a custom made wood case made for transport. It's very elegant and has French hallmarks throughout. A truly magnificent piece. Measures 10" high x 9" wide x 4" deep Founded in France in 1613 by the descendants of Italian immigrants from the Vigezzo Valley in the north of Italy, Mellerio is one of the oldest jewellery houses in Europe. The family business soon attracted the attention of the Royal Court and Marie Antoinette herself reportedly purchased a precious bracelet featuring 7 cameos surrounded by rubies in 1780. Later on, in the 19th century, Mellerio became the official supplier of the French Royal family and the Court of Netherland. Mellerio creates many jewellery items, all set with rare gems such as peridots, amethysts, aquamarines, citrines and topaz, applying for a patent, the flexible stem, a very supple and light jewellery mechanism. Mellerio remains also well known for their spectacular series of Art Nouveau jewels, created at the beginning of the 20th century, as well as for the creation of trophies rewarding some of the greatest footfall and tennis players of history. In 1993, the jewellery house launched their first watch collection. Today, Mellerio has stores in Paris, Japan and Hong Kong. July 14, 1789: this date is known throughout the world as the beginning of the French Revolution. According to a ledger belonging to House of Mellerio, this was also the day that the jeweler sold a golden key to the Comte de Coutance for 10 livres. This ledger, as well as inventories dating as far back as 1768, are the jeweler’s oldest archives. These archives have continued to grow over the years, as the House, established on rue de la Paix in Paris, still lives on today, still in the hands of the same family from Craveggia, in the North of Italy. The tumultuous history of the Mellerio family in France probably goes as far back as the Italian wars of the Renaissance, but the first official document proving their commercial activity in Paris dates back to 1613. This document is the famous royal warrant awarded by Marie de Medici to a number of Italian families established along the rue des Lombards, including the Mellerios, allowing them to sell “small jewelery items”, therefore granting them a small exception to the traditional monopoly enjoyed by Parisian jewelers. At that time, powerful corporations regulated the operations and customs of Parisian business, but thanks to this exceptional warrant, the Mellerios managed to escape the confines of this framework. Today, this wax-sealed document is kept at the city hall of Craveggia. From 1613 to the Revolution, the Mellerios lived between France and Italy. The corporations tried many times to put an end to their trade privileges, but all in vain, as a dynasty of sovereigns renewed the warrant. Always marrying and often retiring in Craveggia, the Mellerios continued to maintain their jewelry business in Paris. At first, they did this without a shop. Wearing backpacks (wooden boxes divided into small compartments where jewels were kept), they would tour town fairs around Paris and royal castles. This is how Jean-Baptiste Mellerio (1765-1850) is said to have sold a bracelet set with rubies and Antique cameos to Marie-Antoinette, which still exists today. Many elements seem to prove the veracity of this anecdote. The queen was particularly fond of cameos, which cover the entire background of her famous jewelry cabinet, and ruby was her favorite stone after diamond. The famous bracelet, reacquired a few years ago by the House of Mellerio, is indeed an 18th century jewel, set with antique cameos representing the profiles of Roman emperors. Two branches of the family were operating in Paris during this time, under the reign of Louis XVI: that of Jean-François (1746-1828), the paternal ancestor of the current Mellerios, and that of Jean-Baptiste (1765-1850). The French Revolution forced them to return to Italy. However, both Jean-Baptiste and François Mellerio (1772-1843), who was the son of Jean-François, were eventually able to return to Paris after the founding of the Consulate. Jean-Baptiste opened a shop at the Iron Crown of rue Vivienne, and François opened his at the Palais des Tuileries, rue du Coq Saint-Honoré. His well-organized order books give an idea of his high-ranking clientele during the “Old Regime”, among which were the Comte and Comtesse Octave de Segur, the Marquise (later Duchess) de Tourzel, former governess of the royal children, and her daughter, the Comtesse de Bearn, the Craufurds -who organized the flight to Varennes, the Duc and Duchess de Gramont, the Comtesse de Boigne, and Madame de Souza, Talleyrand’s mistress. We also see the names of the imperial family: Empress Josephine, the Queen of Holland, Princess Elisa, Caroline and Pauline. At that time, the House of Mellerio specialized, among other things, in the trade of antique cameos, a newly fashionable genre of jewel that captured the imagination of all the princesses and noble women of the time. The years of the Restauration and July Monarchy were among the most glorious. The Bourbons were back on the throne, and the clientele of the House of Mellerio had regained its former wealth. Mellerio supplied Louis-Philippe, Duke of Orléans, as well as his mother, wife and sister, with sumptuous jewels, including a set of emeralds made piece by piece, while the Duke of Bourbon, last prince of the House of Condé, offered diamonds to his mistress, the scheming Baronne de Feucheres, and Monsieur de LaFayette also bought cameos for one of his granddaughters. For the first time, Mellerio ventured into the world of arts in 1815, when Carlotta Grisi, a famous dancer who created Giselle, as well as an actress named Rachel, bought jewels at the Mellerio store on rue de la Paix. 1848 marked a new turning point. France once again became a Republic. François Mellerio handed the company over to his son, Jean, and the latter decided to travel to Spain to build a new clientele. He later became one of the jewelers of the royal family, and met Eugénie de Montijo, who remained a faithful client when she became empress of the French people. The Imperial years were lavish. During the Second Empire, Paris was a pageant of crinoline dresses designed by Worth, while jewels by Mellerio, Worth’s neighbour on the rue de la Paix, adorned the noble women of the Tuileries court. The Empress bought pearls. Mathilde Bonaparte...

Elegant 19th century French centerpiece, finely cast in bronze with gilt patina, featuring a putto holding a beautifully cut crystal dish. The richly decorated base shows intricate s...

After the model by Pierre (Pietro Francavilla) de Francheville) (1548-1615) This energetic model of an athlete in motion has finely detailed musculature. The patina is a rich brown...

Fabulous and rare, this pair of gilded bronze door pulls by Maurice Jallot depict two joyous nude female figures, one a dancer and the other playing the tambourine. Although they ser...

This pair of quite large and substantial antique bronze and crystal candelabras show no maker's marks, but are presumed to have been made in France in circa 1920 in the Renaissance s...

In the 1930s, Sweden was the world's epicenter for the production of high quality, engraved glass pieces in the Art Deco manner, well illustrated by this vase depicting a nude male f...

A remarkable pair of two antique European tin-glazed earthenware apothecary jars. circa 1770 Originally used as medicinal pottery jars that held ointments and dry drugs at apothecar...

Red coral branch mounted on a 19th-Century French bronze doré fragment. This is a lovely objet d'art to add to your collection or cabinet. During the Renaissance, Cabinets of Art an...

A female torso sculpture wall art piece that calls on references of Renaissance paintings and academic ceramic sculptures. This female body piece explores historic interpretations o...

The picture frame has a rectangular shape with a double border: the thicker outer frame in hand-applied parchment and the inner one in brass. The surfaces feature a polished finish t...

A stunning Italian majolica centerpiece crafted during the Art Deco period, skillfully blending 16th and 17th-century motifs with a modern...

A fascinating bit of history, this pair of carved wooden terms dates to the High Renaissance during the 1500s. A term is a beam support in the form of a human head where the bust con...

A very fine and Palatial French 19th Century Louis XV Style gilt bronze figural cartel clock by Lerolle Frères, the finely frame body with a circular face with Roman numerals, the ce...

Italian Large Bronze Relief of the Madonna and Child, Saint John, and Saint Elizabeth After Pierino da Vinci (Italian, c. 1530–1553) Circa 1850 This finely cast 19th-century bronze ...

Brilliantly sculpted and cast with very fine detail with a rich, lustrous patina, this celebrated bronze of a fully nude male archer was sculpted by Ernst ...

Chest. Carved wood, metal. Spanish school, 16th century. Rectangular casket with a flat lid decorated on the outside with a series of figurative reliefs in a symmetrical arrangemen...

A rare work by Oskar Lindenberg, a German sculptor who produced few pieces during his productive years, this beautiful nude male bronze captures its s...

Red coral branch mounted on a 19th-Century French bronze doré fragment. This is a lovely objet d'art to add to your collection or cabinet. During the Renaissance, Cabinets of Art an...

Pair of classic hand-made candlesticks in Baroque style '700. The base is round and is made of hammered plate. The stem is cast, grooved and chiseled finishing with the shaped wax...

Hand-crafted and highly decorative, Renaissance Revival copper planter. If you collect decorative antiques with angels and putti in particular then this hand-crafted home accessory ...

Magnifying glasses are already recorded as far back as the Ancient Greeks. Troughout history they were reserved for scientists, nobility and monks. During the Renaissance and culmina...

Italian midcentury Art Deco style table lamp, ashtray, cigarette service or centre table, by Aldo Tura , in hand carved wood, with metal fusion parts. Parchment lampshade. Working el...

Antique Marble Sculpture, Antique Marble Relief Plaque, Antique Saint Michael Slaying Lucifer, Antique Marble Relief Sculpture. Large 18th / 19t...

Our lady with child Jesus savior of the world 17th century Portuguese sculpture in polychrome and gilded wood. Repaints. Height: 71 cm very g...

Manopan crank musical organ. 19th Century. It is complete but it does not work, it needs to be revised. It has 6 cards with spanish songs of the time. G...

Dating to 1857 hallmarks for James Vickery and makers plaque Henry Lewis From our Vanity Box collection, we are delighted to offer this exceptional Victorian Coromandel Vanity Box...

Antique French Renaissance Gothic Figural Brass 16" Candelabra Candle Holders w/ Lions and Paw Feet - a Pair. Circa Early 20th Century. Measurements: 16.5" H x 7" W x 6.5" D.

Masterfully carved Italian Vanitas bust in solid marble from late 19th century. White Carrara marble skull combined with a red Rosso Imperiale marble Ro...

An exceptional Renaissance style patinated and gilt bronze cherub base made in the early to mid 19th century. The figure holding a 10 inch diameter solid crystal ball. Beautiful qu...

A beautifully decorated 18th century Italian Majolica faience ‘wet’ or syrup albarello/drug jar. Blue and white having a front reserve, blue and white scrolls to body. Beautifully de...

Extremely rare and beautifully sculpted and executed, this monumental terracotta clock depicting a nude Adam and Eve exchanging the fateful apple, is finished in a green-black glaze ...

Bronze sculpture of the god Mercury Representation of the god Mercury standing on Aeolus, the god of the wind (after Gianbologna) Origin France Circa 1900 Base of green Alpine marble...

This bust is part of a limited edition of only six pieces created in 2011 from an original model by the sculptor Raffaello Romanelli. Inspired by the famous Torso Gaddi displayed in ...

Vintage French Ormolu Gold Dolphin Candlestick Candle Holder Max Le Verrier French Bronze 20th Century Dimensions: H x W x D: 12cm x 8.5cm x 7cm This detailed dolphin-shaped cand...

French Gilt Metal and Brass Centerpiece, late 19th century, the crenellated above an ovoid body centered by a circular boss on scrolled legs with with mask head terminals and paw fee...

Slanted Vintage Ceramic Bowl with Yellow and Black Lines by Roger Capron - Vallauris, France Roger Capron was in influential French ceramicist, known fo...

Bronze Reduction Bust of Molière by F. Barbedienne, after Caffieri, circa 1870s Measurements: 5.25" high x 3.25" wide x 2.25" deep Base: 2" square white marble Description A finely...

Religious sculpture in plaster, 20th century. 20th century religious sculpture in painted plaster. H: 45cm, W: 32cm, D: 16cm

This hand-blown colorless glass tazza by Italian artist Simone Crestani features a refined baluster stem crowned with a sculpted octopus applied to the vessel. The piece merges class...

Although Walter Anderson is best known for his superb series of watercolor paintings depicting the birds and animals of the Gulf Coast, influenced by the stylization of the Art Deco period, he also collaborated with his brothers in creating ceramic pieces for the Shearwater Pottery...

Robert Haviland & C. Parlon Limoges France Decorative Plate 1979 Limited Ed # 3. Limited Edition collectible plate "The Lady and the Unicorn" by Robert Haviland & Co and Limoges France. Haviland Limoges France Limited Edition Porcelain Collector Plate "La Dame a La Licorne". La Chasse a La Licorne Limoges Haviland C. Parlon Collectible Plate. 1970s French Limoges limited edition and 22-karat gold collectors plate by Haviland & Parlon. This coveted and rare collector plate display a scene from the famous late fifteenth century Renaissance Paris tapestries of unicorn hunting scene ," La Chasse A La Licorne". The plate is hand painted with an incredible amount of detail, bright and bold colors with a 22-karat gold rim. Made of porcelain with a glossy finish, this round plate features a stunning multicolor fairy tale design with a unicorn theme. The plate is handmade and painted, and is part of the Limoge product line. This vintage Haviland Limoges La Chasse a la Licorne Unicorn Plate...

Outstanding neoclassical carved dark alabaster urn lamp, Italy, 1920s-1930s. This Art Deco period alabaster urn lamp has an elegant neoclassical des...

The largest and most striking example of this design we've seen, this impressive Art Deco bowl was made by the famed Longwy ceramic works for Primavera, which was established by the ...

Saint Barbara in carved wood, Renaissance structure (16th-17th century) with later polychromy Devotional wooden carving representing Saint Barbara, identifiable by the chalice with t...

Sea monster Carrara marble mouth fountain Italy, late 16th century It measures 13.8 x 31.5 x 18.9 in (35 x 80 x 48 cm) State of conservation: some small evident gaps and widespread signs of wear due to outdoor exposure. The gray marks crossing it do not come from restoration, but are rather the natural veins of the marble. This work has some morphological characteristics typically associated with the iconography of the sea monster: an elongated muzzle, sharp teeth, protruding eyes, elongated ears, and a coiled serpent's tail. An in-depth series of studies on artistic depictions of the sea monster attempted to verify how this symbol evolved in antiquity in the European and Mediterranean contexts and how it gradually changed its image and function over time. The iconography itself is mutable and imaginative and its history is rich with cultural and artistic exchange, as well as the overlapping of ideas. This occurred so much that it is difficult to accurately pinpoint the "types" that satisfactorily represent its various developments. However, we can try to summarize the main figures, starting from the biblical Leviathan and the marine creature that swallowed Jonah (in the Christian version, this figure was to become a whale or a "big fish", the “ketos mega”, translation of the Hebrew “dag gadol”). Other specimens ranged from the dragons mentioned in the Iliad (which were winged and had legs) to "ketos” (also from Greek mythology), the terrifying being from whose Latinized name (“cetus”) derives the word "cetacean". See J. Boardman, “Very Like a Whale” - Classical Sea Monsters, in Monsters and Demons in the Ancient and Medieval Worlds, in Papers presented in Honor of Edith Porada, Mainz am Rhein 1987, pp. 73-84). In Italy the monster underwent yet further variations: it can be found in Etruscan art on the front of some sarcophagi representing the companion of souls, while among the Romans we find the “Pistrice” (cited by Plinio in Naturalis Historia PLIN., Nat., II 9, 8 and by Virgilio in Eneide: VERG., Aen., III, 427), which appeared in the shape of a stylized hippocampus or a very large monstrous cetacean and evolved into a hideous being with a dragon's head and long webbed fins. During the Middle Ages, the sea monster was the object of new transformations: at this time, it is often winged, the head is stretched like a crocodile, the front legs are often very sharp fins - sometimes real paws - until the image merges with dragons, the typical figures of medieval visionary spirituality widely found throughout Europe (on this topic and much more, see: Baltrušaitis, J., Il Medioevo fantastico. Antichità ed esotismi nell’arte gotica, Gli Adelphi 1997). In Italy during the 15th and 16th centuries, the revival of classicism - representative of the humanistic and Renaissance periods - led to a different reading of these "creatures". Indeed, the sea monster was also to find widespread use as an isolated decorative motif, especially in numerous fountains and sculptures where dolphins or sea monsters were used as a characterizing element linked to water (on this theme see: Chet Van Duzer, Sea Monsters on Medieval and Renaissance Maps, London, The British library, 2013). From the morphological point of view, the "sea monsters" of this period are mostly depicted as hybrid figures, in which the body of a mythological or real being (a hippocampus, a sea snake, a dolphin), is joined to a head with a rather indistinct appearance. It was usually characterized by large upright ears, an elongated snout, sharp teeth and globular, protruding eyes; a complex and indefinite figure, both from the symbolic point of view and from that of its genesis. The work we are examining is placed as a cross between the medieval sea serpent and the Renaissance dolphin, with stylistic features which recall the snake as often used in heraldry (such as the "snake" depicted in the coat of arms of the Visconti - the lords and then dukes of Milan between 1277 and 1447 - and which, for some, may be derived from the representations of the “Pistrice” that swallowed Jonah). In the search for sources, Renaissance cartography and in particular woodcuts should not be neglected. See for example the monsters of Olaus Magnus, from the editions of the “Historia de gentibus septentrionalibus” (“History of the peoples of the north”) and the natural histories of Conrad Gesner, Ulisse...

A magnificent Renaissance style clock by the renown Parisian clockmaking firm of Le Roy &Fils. Beautifully modelled in finely gilded bronze and finely decorated with exquisite polychrome champlevé enamel. The case is formed with an arched swan neck pediment surmounted by a turret with elaborate finial. To the sides are charming figures of cherubs clutching the baluster turned pillars. A third cherub is seated above the dial. The dial is also gilded bronze with champlevé enamel and is complete with original finely blued steel hands. The clock is decorated in the round with a frosted glass rear door. Please note that this type of clock does not have a glazed bezel to cover the dial. The French movement is of high quality and is by Vincenti et Cie. It is in excellent clean and running condition having been fully overhauled by our clockmaker. Pendulum is original. It runs for 8 days and strikes the hours and halves on a bell. We have a video of the clock, please ask and we will send you a link. Condition of the case is excellent, the original gilding is particularly good with only minor wear where the clock has been handled and some light marks and discolouration. The rear most bun feet are missing however the clock sits very well without them. Rear frosted glass has some marks. Enamel is very good. Established by Basile Charles Le Roy in 1785, the firm of Le Roy et Fils became a well-established and renowned clockmaker. Basile had been Napoleon's master clockmaker, and along with his son Charles-Louis, he worked for Princess Pauline and the Duke de Bourbon as well. Examples of the firm's work are included in all of the major world collections. The firm was located at the Palais Royale from 1785, the year of its founding, through the death of Charles-Louis at Versailles in 1865. A shop was opened in London, in 1854 at 296 Regent Street under the name of Le Roy and Son. The name was later changed to Le Roy and Fils...

Large, rare and dramatic, this Art Deco bronze by Robert Delandre, circa 1930, depicts three nude male athletes all straining to reach the finish line of the race, their arms straining forward to win, and upward in ecstatic joy. The concentration and focus evident in their faces, and the beauty of their physiques, is beautifully captured by the artist, and the bronze is gorgeously finished in a green-brown patina that brings out the details of each figure. Delandre is largely known for his tabletop bronzes for the home or office, but he also entered competitions for public monuments and memorials. His most famous work is the "Monument to the Latham 47 Heroes" in Caudebec en Caux, France. The sculpture honors the men who disappeared in the prototype of the Latham 47 twin engine airplane in 1928, with Roald...

A Monumental Museum Quality Pair of French 19th Century Figural Gilt and Patinated Bronze Rosso Granite Marble Flambeaux Urns, each depicting a pair of standing allegorical and whimsical playful children (Putti) holding a flaming urn, by René Rozet...

Hawk in sterling silver on a sodalite stone-base. The hawk was made in casting. The finish was made completely by hand with chisel and engraving. The reproductions of animals in sol...

Square snuff box in 925/1000 sterling silver gold plated with perforated lid, embossed and engraved by hand, with fine round miniature diameter cm. 3.8 hand painted in tempera on veg...

Pair of Natural Striped Chambered Nautilus Half Shells Nautilus Pompulus Philippines; harvested in the 20th century Approximate size: 6.75 (w) x 5.5 (h) x 2.75 (d) in. Nautilus sh...

An Italian Brass cast bench Hanukkah lamp made in the Renaissance era of the 18th century. A pair of rampant lions leaning on a goblet-shaped burning incense alter is reminiscent of...

A pair of late 19th century French vases or urns, in the style of C.M.Clodion, in patinated bronze with a Belgian black marble base. The vases...