PARIS.- For its last sale of the year, Christie’s will present C’est fou!, an important private collection characterised by its eclecticism and its exuberance amongst around 1000 lots. They will be scattered through different sales the 12, 13 and 14 December 2018 in Paris. In total, more 725 artworks divided in seventeen sections will be offered with a global estimation of 9 million euros.

This collection is interesting for its variety. The collector, erudite and passionate, has gathered from year to year unique pieces from all eras and from all domains making this collection a truly treasure. C’est fou! is that mysterious and surprising collection which will be presented to the public next December and which will attract connoisseurs and collectors from all horizons.

Lionel Gosset, Collections Director: “Insatiable collector, this sale is only a stage in the life of this connoisseur who follows his dream and his passion to discover, be amazed and to exclaim C’est Fou !”

Amongst the 725 lots presented, collectors will be pleased to discover one of the masterpieces of the sale, a painting from the 19th century by Hermengildo Anglada-Camarasa, La Gata Rosa estimated at €600,000-800,000. The Spanish artist, influenced by the late 19th century’s artistic movements, depicted a woman with a strong resemblance with Klimt’s creations added to a wonderful work on the material, patterns and colours. The gaze of the woman looking at the public reminds us of some models from the same period.

The 19th century is represented with this amazing group of four wood sculptures realised by Jean-Baptiste Gustave Deloye following a commission of the Maison Krieger. These four allegoric figures were designed for the Universal Exhibition of Paris in 1889. Two Renommées together with two allegories of Architecture and Sculpture are made of mahogany in a perfect state of preservation for their important size of 1,50 meters. With the technical and aesthetic achievements of this group, the stand earned the Grand Prix of the Universal Exhibition, the highest recompense at this international event (estimate: €80,000-120,000).

The section dedicated to European sculpture will present a remarkable artwork attributed to Antonio Moglia, a Panthère made of a marble called giallo tigrato and estimated at €200,000-300,000. Thanks to this rare and precious marble, this artwork is exceptional for the realism of the animal’s spotted coat, but also in its volumes, muscles and extremely realistic panther’s fangs. This rare and specific marble was used during the Antiquity and is very appreciated by the collectors. Another model titled Léopard assis realised in Italy at the same period was sold by Christie’s in Paris in May 2017 for €722,500.

Other decorative objects from prestigious provenance will be offered such as an admirable set of Garniture de table coming from the former collection of the Marquis de Linares. This lot, composed of a table centerpiece and wonderful silver candelabras, is estimated at €600,000-900,000. It is not only a silversmithery treasure but also a testimony of the luxurious lifetstyle the Marquis de Linares had in his amazing palace in Madrid.

The provenance is royal for one Meissen porcelain set composed by a chocolate cup and its saucer, part a larger group offered by August III of Saxe, King of Poland, to Marie Lesczynska, Queen of France. Its provenance is noticeable on the royal coats of arms of France and Poland depicted on the set. With its golden and polychrome decoration, this lot is estimated at €8,000-12,000.

The profusion of artworks allows a comparison with the famous « Kunstkammer » from the Renaissance. The curiosity of our collector has no limit. In the course of fairs, galleries, auctions and antique dealers, he acquired works of art across categories, without restraining his desire to discover new fields. Old master paintings, sculptures, antiquities, oriental art, ivory, religious art, this spontaneous collection is seeking beauty across centuries, artistic movements, eras and tastes.

Ivories are linked to the confined and mysterious universe of the Kunstkammer. This is how audacious artworks, from the Renaissance to the 19th century, are present in this sale such as a splendid sculpture representing the Virgin Mary made of ivory and coral (estimate: €6,000-9,000).

From several periods and different specialties, this unusual collection is also offering more than 200 lots of Asian art. One Guanyin Statue from the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), estimated at €30,000-50,000 will be presented along with a Red carved and encrusted lacquer box from the Qianlong period of the Qing dynasty estimated at €30,000-50,000.