Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr to Auction Impressionist & Modern Art Masterpieces

A slim but mighty selection of Impressionist and Modern art will soon cross the auction block in Paris. Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr is presenting masterworks by Léonard Tsuguharu Foujita, Rembrandt Bugatti, Théo van Rysselberghe, and others in its June 4, 2025 sale. Live bidding will begin at 9:00am ET, with online and telephone bidding options available. 

Here are some of the Impressionist and Modern masterpieces not to be missed. 

Rembrandt Bugatti

A signed work by early 20th-century Italian sculptor Rembrandt Bugatti leads this auction catalog from Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr (lot #16; estimate: EUR 280,000 – €350,000 / USD 320,000 – $400,000). Deux léopards marchant, le mâle lève une patte (Two leopards walking, the male raises one paw) is a bronze figure conceived by the artist around 1912. The foundry mark ‘Cire Perdue, AA. Hebrard’ appears on the sculpture’s base. Like many of Bugatti’s works, this example emphasizes the wild elegance of animals through lithe musculature, smooth lines, and a balanced composition. 

The son of an artistic family, Rembrandt Bugatti had access to a creative network from an early age. He quickly pushed the boundaries of contemporary sculpture, bridging the fading fashions of Art Deco with emerging Cubism. As a young sculptor, he worked closely with foundry and gallery owner Adrian Hébrard to develop an audience for his work. Bugatti later found both inspiration and tragedy at the Antwerp Zoo. Its exotic animals served as models for his work, and their deaths during World War I contributed to his worsening mental health. The available leopard sculpture dates from a few years before his death at the age of 31. 

Léonard Tsuguharu Foujita

A 1956 portrait of a young girl by Léonard Tsuguharu Foujita is another notable Modernist lot in this sale (lot #14; estimate: €250,000 – €350,000 / $280,000 – $400,000). This rare piece dates from the mature period of Foujita’s career and is composed of oil paint on canvas. With delicate, muted colors, Foujita depicts a yellow-haired girl in a red dress holding two parakeets on her fingers. The piece embraces Italian Renaissance aesthetics while blending in Foujita’s Japanese painting sensibilities. 

Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr notes that “1956 marks a time of profound inner transformation for [Foujita].” He had returned to France earlier in the decade after spending years traveling the world. Foujita was already a well-established and commercially successful artist by the 1950s, and he increasingly turned to themes of delicate youth and childhood in the final years of his life. The available painting offers a window into Foujita’s artistic priorities during this final, important period. 

Théo van Rysselberghe

A delicate oil on canvas painting by Belgian artist Théo van Rysselberghe, titled Quai à Veere (Quay at Veere), will also be available in this Impressionist and Modern art sale (lot #6; estimate: €180,000 – €250,000 / $210,000 – $280,000). Painted in the neo-impressionist style of Georges Seurat, this piece depicts a sun-dappled port lined with charming houses. The rippling water and clear blue sky offer parallel views of the scene. Painted in 1906, this piece has not been seen at auction since 1999. 

A prominent figure of Belgian art in the late 19th century, van Rysselberghe co-founded a radical artistic circle, Les XX. His contact with figures such as Auguste Rodin, Claude Monet, and Auguste Renoir brought him closer to Impressionist ideas. The pointillist technique was especially compelling to van Rysselberghe, who painted with it for over a decade. In the early years of the 20th century and near the end of his life, van Rysselberghe returned to broader brushstrokes, vibrant colors, and depictions of delicate coastlines. 

Emile Claus

Impressionism collectors can also consider Emile Claus’ Le faucheur au repos (The reaper at rest), a 1905 oil on canvas painting (lot #5; estimate: €100,000 – €150,00 / $110,000 – $170,000). This work is signed with the artist’s initials in the lower right. Depicting a man sitting between hay bales, the painting features layered brushstrokes and dashes of pink, red, and purple that add lumosity to the scene. 

Belgian painter Emile Claus gained prominence in the 1880s, mostly putting out realistic scenes from everyday life. His genre paintings were prized by Belgian royals and helped bring him international acclaim. Impressionism gradually crept into his work, which later took on the style of Claude Monet. Le faucheur au repos dates from this mature period of Claus’ career. It is filled with short brushstrokes and careful attention to light. 

The Impressionist & Modern Art sale at Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr will begin on June 4, 2025. To learn more about each of these lots and browse the complete catalog, visit Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr. 
Find more coverage of Impressionist and Modern art, including the recent world record for Belgian Impressionist artist Rik Wouters, on Auction Daily.