The 18th century still has its fans

The refinement of the Age of Enlightenment was seductive, thanks as much to Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun as to the charm of everyday settings.

Enthusiasts melted for the enchanting face of a child with rosy cheekbones, for whom Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun (1755-1842) chose the enveloping softness of an oval format : €79 ,856 were pronounced for the Portrait de Sophie d’Artois assise (65 x 53.5 cm – See Gazette no. 43), immortalized in 1777. It’s easy to imagine the hushed interior that might have surrounded it, where hangings certainly played an important role. One tapestry in particular was acclaimed at €54,096 for its vivid colors and fine condition. It features the smiling effigy of the god Bacchus, an allegory of autumn when grapes are transformed into wine. He was accompanied by seven other divinities, personifying the seasons and the elements, to compose the “Portières des dieux”. Commissioned by Jules Hardouin-Mansart (1646-1708) from 1699, this hanging was so successful that it was woven throughout the18th century, with numerous ornamental variations. To complete the decor, a Transition period coffee table (79 x 71 x 40 cm) stamped by Philippe Pasquier – received as Master in 1760 – and inlaid on all sides with landscapes, architecture and attributes of hunting or love, would cost €15 ,456 . For the same amount, a pair of silveregg cups (h. 9.2 cm, weight 180.5 g) fashioned in Paris by Robert Mothé, in 1727. The cup is decorated with an appliqué of alternating mantling and rushes, like a model by the same silversmith in the Metropolitan Museum.