The Opulent Eye

Christie’s is pleased to present this season’s auction of The Opulent Eye, a delightfully eclectic mix of furnishings, sculpture and ceramics highlighting the 19th Century aesthetic. The sale is led by The Cornwall Collection: Masterworks of the 19th Century, an exceptional group of decorative arts by the century’s foremost cabinetmakers, such as François Linke, Joseph-Emmanuel Zwiener and the Beurdeley family of ébénistes. Other top lots include an Italian ‘jeweled’ marble figure of Cleopatra by Fernando Vichi, whimsical furnishings by the haut luxe firm of Escalier de Cristal and a selection of champlevé enamel works by Ferdinand Barbedienne.

Among the porcelain and ceramics highlights is a fine group of Mintons pâte-sur-pâte vases by Louis Solon and Lawrence Birks, an unusual Berlin neo-Rococo clock incorporating Art Nouveau motifs and a massive pair of Sèvres style vases decorated with equestrian scenes.  A colorful selection of elaborately enameled Islamic inspired glass adds an element of exotisme, while a group of terracotta and porcelain vases echo the taste of the Grand Tour.