.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
拍品专文
Only four of these splendid and lavishly decorated gold, enamel and pearl-set free-standing urn-shaped watches are known to exist. Christie’s is delighted to offer this magnificent example which is presented in wonderful condition throughout, the rich and exquisite enamels attributed to the great Geneva enamel artist Jean-Louis Richter have remained undamaged and unrestored for over 200 years. Distinguished by its extraordinary rarity and quality, the present watch has not been seen publicly for 25 years, being part of a highly distinguished European collection in the intervening years. A sublime objet de luxe, it is certainly among the most significant Chinese market watches to be offered at auction in recent years.
The superb quality and depth of the enamel decoration is testament to the celebrated art of enamel miniatures originating from Geneva in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The enamel paintings of the present watch can be confidently attributed to Jean-Louis Richter (1766-1841), one of the most celebrated enamel painters working in Geneva at the time. Indeed, he was famous for his use of the distinctive combined techniques of guilloché, together with painted and translucent enamels, a technique, it is said, that he was the first to discover and of which the present watch is a spectacular example. Richter’s work is represented in many of the world's most renowned museums and important private collections, notably Geneva's Patek Philippe Museum where one of the four known related examples of this urn-form watch is now displayed (Inv. S-324).
The exquisitely painted large enamel scene on the back cover is incredibly beautiful, painted with great depth and sensitivity. In the established tradition of the time, the small and charming scene of children playing painted in the area above the dial has been copied from an engraving of the subject “Playing at Thread the Needle” by Francesco Bartolozzi (1727-1815) after the original painting by William Hamilton, R.A. (1751-1801) and published in 1787. English genre works painted by artists such as William Hamilton who specialized in scenes of romantic English rural life enjoyed enormous popularity at the time and were often used by Genevan enamellers to embellish their masterpieces.
Up to the present day, only four examples of this type of urn-form watch are known to exist. The watches of this group so far identified are as follows:
1. Case no. 3131, with narrowing top, enamel scenes depicting "Three Children and the Bunny Rabbit" to the front, back with the enamel miniature of a lady and her children in a park. Sold: Antiquorum Hong Kong, 10 June 1997, lot 426 & Christie’s Geneva, 15 November 2010, lot 90.
2. Case with triple curvate top, enamel scene depicting "Playing at Thread the Needle" to the front, enamel miniature of two maidens in a park to the reverse. The present watch. Sold: Antiquorum Hong Kong, 10 June 1997, lot 425.
3. Case with rounded top, enamel scene depicting "Blind Man's Buff" to the front, plain enamel back, also attributed to Jaquet Droz and Richter. Sold: Antiquorum Hong Kong, 10 June 1997, lot 427
4. Similar to the latter, with mirror-image enamel scene "Blind Man's Buff", the reverse with two enamel miniatures, a small riverside scene and a larger classical landscape depicting a lady, her child and a sheep. Sold: Sotheby's London, 1 October 1997, lot 71.
Jaquet Droz et Leschot
Pierre Jaquet Droz, born in La Chaux-de-Fonds in 1721, was one of the most brilliant and innovative watchmakers of his era, specializing in musical and automaton watches and clocks, boxes, fans, singing birds and other ingenious playing-toys. His astonishing creations fascinated nobility, kings and emperors of the world, most notably in China. Pierre Jaquet Droz travelled widely, notably in England, France and Spain. In Madrid he was condemned to death by the Inquisition for allegedly practicing black magic but was saved by the Bishop of Toledo.
His second son, Henri-Louis, was born on 13 October 1752. At a young age, the talented child was sent to Nancy in order to study music, science, mathematics, physics and drawing. Upon his return in 1769, He Henri-Louis joined his father's workshop together with Jean-Frédéric Leschot (1764-1824), Pierre's adoptive son. The extremely successful partnership between the three men resulted in the production of the most extraordinary singing bird boxes, automaton watches and other timepieces. When Pierre Jaquet Droz grew old the firm was taken over Henri-Louis and Jean-Frédéric Leschot who changed the name to Jaquet Droz et Leschot and continued after Pierre's death in 1790.
Jean-Louis Richter (1766-1841)
Jean-Louis Richter was born in Geneva in 1766 and learned his art from the celebrated David-Etienne and Philippe-Samuel-Théodore Roux. Throughout Richter's lifetime he was known for is characteristic heads which were upon closer inspection of interesting proportion and doll like features. Contrary to what is usually thought, painted enamel subjects are seldom through ones own imagination, and Richter himself was inspired by, be it in some cases loosely, known paintings and prints of the period. There are some differences between Richter's interpretations and the originals but this can be mostly attributed to the constricted techniques of enamelling. These changes though are most harmonious and it is sometimes suggested that this was Richter’s artistic license.
The superb quality and depth of the enamel decoration is testament to the celebrated art of enamel miniatures originating from Geneva in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The enamel paintings of the present watch can be confidently attributed to Jean-Louis Richter (1766-1841), one of the most celebrated enamel painters working in Geneva at the time. Indeed, he was famous for his use of the distinctive combined techniques of guilloché, together with painted and translucent enamels, a technique, it is said, that he was the first to discover and of which the present watch is a spectacular example. Richter’s work is represented in many of the world's most renowned museums and important private collections, notably Geneva's Patek Philippe Museum where one of the four known related examples of this urn-form watch is now displayed (Inv. S-324).
The exquisitely painted large enamel scene on the back cover is incredibly beautiful, painted with great depth and sensitivity. In the established tradition of the time, the small and charming scene of children playing painted in the area above the dial has been copied from an engraving of the subject “Playing at Thread the Needle” by Francesco Bartolozzi (1727-1815) after the original painting by William Hamilton, R.A. (1751-1801) and published in 1787. English genre works painted by artists such as William Hamilton who specialized in scenes of romantic English rural life enjoyed enormous popularity at the time and were often used by Genevan enamellers to embellish their masterpieces.
Up to the present day, only four examples of this type of urn-form watch are known to exist. The watches of this group so far identified are as follows:
1. Case no. 3131, with narrowing top, enamel scenes depicting "Three Children and the Bunny Rabbit" to the front, back with the enamel miniature of a lady and her children in a park. Sold: Antiquorum Hong Kong, 10 June 1997, lot 426 & Christie’s Geneva, 15 November 2010, lot 90.
2. Case with triple curvate top, enamel scene depicting "Playing at Thread the Needle" to the front, enamel miniature of two maidens in a park to the reverse. The present watch. Sold: Antiquorum Hong Kong, 10 June 1997, lot 425.
3. Case with rounded top, enamel scene depicting "Blind Man's Buff" to the front, plain enamel back, also attributed to Jaquet Droz and Richter. Sold: Antiquorum Hong Kong, 10 June 1997, lot 427
4. Similar to the latter, with mirror-image enamel scene "Blind Man's Buff", the reverse with two enamel miniatures, a small riverside scene and a larger classical landscape depicting a lady, her child and a sheep. Sold: Sotheby's London, 1 October 1997, lot 71.
Jaquet Droz et Leschot
Pierre Jaquet Droz, born in La Chaux-de-Fonds in 1721, was one of the most brilliant and innovative watchmakers of his era, specializing in musical and automaton watches and clocks, boxes, fans, singing birds and other ingenious playing-toys. His astonishing creations fascinated nobility, kings and emperors of the world, most notably in China. Pierre Jaquet Droz travelled widely, notably in England, France and Spain. In Madrid he was condemned to death by the Inquisition for allegedly practicing black magic but was saved by the Bishop of Toledo.
His second son, Henri-Louis, was born on 13 October 1752. At a young age, the talented child was sent to Nancy in order to study music, science, mathematics, physics and drawing. Upon his return in 1769, He Henri-Louis joined his father's workshop together with Jean-Frédéric Leschot (1764-1824), Pierre's adoptive son. The extremely successful partnership between the three men resulted in the production of the most extraordinary singing bird boxes, automaton watches and other timepieces. When Pierre Jaquet Droz grew old the firm was taken over Henri-Louis and Jean-Frédéric Leschot who changed the name to Jaquet Droz et Leschot and continued after Pierre's death in 1790.
Jean-Louis Richter (1766-1841)
Jean-Louis Richter was born in Geneva in 1766 and learned his art from the celebrated David-Etienne and Philippe-Samuel-Théodore Roux. Throughout Richter's lifetime he was known for is characteristic heads which were upon closer inspection of interesting proportion and doll like features. Contrary to what is usually thought, painted enamel subjects are seldom through ones own imagination, and Richter himself was inspired by, be it in some cases loosely, known paintings and prints of the period. There are some differences between Richter's interpretations and the originals but this can be mostly attributed to the constricted techniques of enamelling. These changes though are most harmonious and it is sometimes suggested that this was Richter’s artistic license.