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Lot Essay
Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art
“Les Masques” 2009 Edition, Third set of 4 Masks
Mexico, Gabon, Indonesia and China
It is Christie’s great privilege to present one of the extremely rare full sets of four of the 2009 third series ‘Métiers d’art’ Tribal Mask wristwatches. One of the highlights of the season, these spectacular creations are considered to be great works of art, the masks are entirely hand-made by craftsmen of the highest caliber working with precious materials. The finish of the gold masks has been captured in amazing detail and faithfully reproduces the original full-size masks from which they were copied. Combined with the outstanding watchmaking skills of Vacheron Constantin, the Tribal Mask watches become wearable masterpieces of outstanding beauty.
These remarkable sets of ‘Tribal Masks’ bring together art, culture and the finest watchmaking like never before. Reproduced from life-size masks housed in Geneva’s famous Barbier- Muller Museum, the first four watches of this exceptional series of Metiers d’Art timepieces were made in 2007 featuring masks from China, Alaska, the Congo and Indonesia. The second set of the series made in 2008, features four different masks, this time from Japan, Mexico, Papa-New-Guinea, and the Gabon Kwélé people. In June 2009, Vacheron Constantin completed the collection by releasing the present third set featuring further wonderful tribal masks from Mexico, Gabon, Indonesia and China.
These highly exclusive horological works of art, mesmerizing in their beauty and breathtaking in their level of traditional craftsmanship embody primitive aesthetics at their finest. As an undoubted highlight of the auction, this wonderful complete set of Métiers d’art Tribal Masks has been preserved in exceptional condition and is offered complete with the full set of accessories. It is sure to impress both serious watch collectors and those who appreciate great artistic craftsmanship.
Celebrating their 250th anniversary in 2005, Vacheron Constantin decided to explore the idea of creating a series of culturally significant wristwatches. The theme of tribal masks was inspired by the Geneva based Barbier-Mueller Museum, the worlds finest museum of primitive art, who were approached in order to form a close collaboration with the company to bring these works of art from diverse cultures to a wider audience. In 2007, an incredible series of watches featuring tribal masks called ‘Métiers d’art les Masques’ was announced. These extraordinary watches were presented in boxed sets of four, each watch featuring a different mask from one of the four continents, Asia, the Americas, Africa and Oceania. The project was completed with the inclusion of verses by the French poet Michel Butor done in a spiral of gold letters on the sapphire crystal dials that give voice to the masks when the light strikes at certain angles. In order to give the mask full prominence, the time and date functions are ingeniously displayed discreetly by rotating discs in four windows.
The Masks
The sapphire crystal dial is applied with the amazingly lifelike micro sculpture mask hand made in 18K gold which has been engraved and coloured to faithfully reproduce the antique mask as closely as possible.
In many primitive cultures, masks have a double function as both aesthetic and ritual objects. Some are believed to allow communication with the spirits of ancestors or to be the physical manifestation of ancient rituals. Respecting the importance and cultural significance of these masks to their respective peoples, Vacheron Constantin’s craftsmen took great care not to distort their original character and identity. Using a combination of traditional craftsmanship and modern technologies, the poetic sensibilities of the masks is accurately captured with subtle contrasts accentuating the delicacy of the finishing.
The watches in the present set are named as follows:
Mask of China – a Zangs-‘Bag facial Mask from the Tibet region, Tantric Buddhism. 16th–17th century.
A mystery seems to emanate from this mask. The highly naturalistic nose reminds us that this figure with its frozen expression has a human side. The divine is expressed by the strange mandorla, positioned like a jewel on the forehead of the mask and enclosing a painted eye. A beautifully designed frieze of gold-covered arabesques and scrolls frames the empty spaces.
Mask of Mexico – a Pendant Mask from the State of Guerrero, Mezcala culture (300 – 100 BC)
Blending the influences of several cultures in a singular style, this pendant mask conveys all the artist’s virtuosity. Its powerful and austere profile comprises both abstract and naturalistic features. The upper part of the face and the diagonal of the cheek are treated in a minimalist fashion; by contrast, the aquiline nose and down-turned mouth seem far more realistic. This mask belongs to the Mezcala culture.
Mask of Indonesia – a Facial Mask from the Island of Lombok, Sasak people.
With its air of bewilderment, this mask has both realistic and geometrical features and is dominated by the large eyes. It clearly represents an old man with its sunken cheeks, dark rings under the eyebrows, and especially the wrinkles that furrow its brow and the folds between the nose and mouth. The old man occurs regularly as a character in Balinese Wayang Topeng theatre.
Mask of Gabon – a Ngontang Mask from Western Gabon, Fang people.
The sobriety of this white mask, with its melancholic air and o-shaped mouth, shows the sculptor’s remarkable sensitivity. It is covered with white kaolin, a colour that for the Fang, as for many other African tribes, referred to the spirit of the dead. The expressive power of the face is produced by the vertical line suggesting the nose as well as the scarifications from the chin to the forehead and from which two welldefined, curved eyebrows branch out. This mask was used in a ritual dance linked to the Byeri’s cult of ancestor worship.
This superlative 2009 ‘Tribal Masks’ set is likely to be the only example of this treasure of Vacheron Constantin’s Metiers D’Art craftsmanship to be offered at auction for the foreseeable future and represents an unmissable opportunity for both watch and art collectors.
“Les Masques” 2009 Edition, Third set of 4 Masks
Mexico, Gabon, Indonesia and China
It is Christie’s great privilege to present one of the extremely rare full sets of four of the 2009 third series ‘Métiers d’art’ Tribal Mask wristwatches. One of the highlights of the season, these spectacular creations are considered to be great works of art, the masks are entirely hand-made by craftsmen of the highest caliber working with precious materials. The finish of the gold masks has been captured in amazing detail and faithfully reproduces the original full-size masks from which they were copied. Combined with the outstanding watchmaking skills of Vacheron Constantin, the Tribal Mask watches become wearable masterpieces of outstanding beauty.
These remarkable sets of ‘Tribal Masks’ bring together art, culture and the finest watchmaking like never before. Reproduced from life-size masks housed in Geneva’s famous Barbier- Muller Museum, the first four watches of this exceptional series of Metiers d’Art timepieces were made in 2007 featuring masks from China, Alaska, the Congo and Indonesia. The second set of the series made in 2008, features four different masks, this time from Japan, Mexico, Papa-New-Guinea, and the Gabon Kwélé people. In June 2009, Vacheron Constantin completed the collection by releasing the present third set featuring further wonderful tribal masks from Mexico, Gabon, Indonesia and China.
These highly exclusive horological works of art, mesmerizing in their beauty and breathtaking in their level of traditional craftsmanship embody primitive aesthetics at their finest. As an undoubted highlight of the auction, this wonderful complete set of Métiers d’art Tribal Masks has been preserved in exceptional condition and is offered complete with the full set of accessories. It is sure to impress both serious watch collectors and those who appreciate great artistic craftsmanship.
Celebrating their 250th anniversary in 2005, Vacheron Constantin decided to explore the idea of creating a series of culturally significant wristwatches. The theme of tribal masks was inspired by the Geneva based Barbier-Mueller Museum, the worlds finest museum of primitive art, who were approached in order to form a close collaboration with the company to bring these works of art from diverse cultures to a wider audience. In 2007, an incredible series of watches featuring tribal masks called ‘Métiers d’art les Masques’ was announced. These extraordinary watches were presented in boxed sets of four, each watch featuring a different mask from one of the four continents, Asia, the Americas, Africa and Oceania. The project was completed with the inclusion of verses by the French poet Michel Butor done in a spiral of gold letters on the sapphire crystal dials that give voice to the masks when the light strikes at certain angles. In order to give the mask full prominence, the time and date functions are ingeniously displayed discreetly by rotating discs in four windows.
The Masks
The sapphire crystal dial is applied with the amazingly lifelike micro sculpture mask hand made in 18K gold which has been engraved and coloured to faithfully reproduce the antique mask as closely as possible.
In many primitive cultures, masks have a double function as both aesthetic and ritual objects. Some are believed to allow communication with the spirits of ancestors or to be the physical manifestation of ancient rituals. Respecting the importance and cultural significance of these masks to their respective peoples, Vacheron Constantin’s craftsmen took great care not to distort their original character and identity. Using a combination of traditional craftsmanship and modern technologies, the poetic sensibilities of the masks is accurately captured with subtle contrasts accentuating the delicacy of the finishing.
The watches in the present set are named as follows:
Mask of China – a Zangs-‘Bag facial Mask from the Tibet region, Tantric Buddhism. 16th–17th century.
A mystery seems to emanate from this mask. The highly naturalistic nose reminds us that this figure with its frozen expression has a human side. The divine is expressed by the strange mandorla, positioned like a jewel on the forehead of the mask and enclosing a painted eye. A beautifully designed frieze of gold-covered arabesques and scrolls frames the empty spaces.
Mask of Mexico – a Pendant Mask from the State of Guerrero, Mezcala culture (300 – 100 BC)
Blending the influences of several cultures in a singular style, this pendant mask conveys all the artist’s virtuosity. Its powerful and austere profile comprises both abstract and naturalistic features. The upper part of the face and the diagonal of the cheek are treated in a minimalist fashion; by contrast, the aquiline nose and down-turned mouth seem far more realistic. This mask belongs to the Mezcala culture.
Mask of Indonesia – a Facial Mask from the Island of Lombok, Sasak people.
With its air of bewilderment, this mask has both realistic and geometrical features and is dominated by the large eyes. It clearly represents an old man with its sunken cheeks, dark rings under the eyebrows, and especially the wrinkles that furrow its brow and the folds between the nose and mouth. The old man occurs regularly as a character in Balinese Wayang Topeng theatre.
Mask of Gabon – a Ngontang Mask from Western Gabon, Fang people.
The sobriety of this white mask, with its melancholic air and o-shaped mouth, shows the sculptor’s remarkable sensitivity. It is covered with white kaolin, a colour that for the Fang, as for many other African tribes, referred to the spirit of the dead. The expressive power of the face is produced by the vertical line suggesting the nose as well as the scarifications from the chin to the forehead and from which two welldefined, curved eyebrows branch out. This mask was used in a ritual dance linked to the Byeri’s cult of ancestor worship.
This superlative 2009 ‘Tribal Masks’ set is likely to be the only example of this treasure of Vacheron Constantin’s Metiers D’Art craftsmanship to be offered at auction for the foreseeable future and represents an unmissable opportunity for both watch and art collectors.