Lot 30
30
A REMARKABLE PAIR OF FRENCH COMMEDIA DELL'ARTE FIGURES OF MEZZETIN AND COMPANION

Details
A REMARKABLE PAIR OF FRENCH COMMEDIA DELL'ARTE FIGURES OF MEZZETIN AND COMPANION
SECOND QUARTER 18TH CENTURY, ST. CLOUD OR CHANTILLY

He standing playing a yellow mandolin in snood, ruff, jacket and cloak, striped in yellow edged in iron-red, edged in black, the cloak lined in yellow and painted with Oriental flower sparys in iron-red, blue enamel, turquoise and yellow, his turquoise breeches with iron-red bows at the knees, his shoes grey/brown; his companion singing from a score and small cap and braided hair, blue enamel bodice, fringed in yellow and iron-red, her sleeves and skirt with yellow and iron-red bands and fringe, painted with matching flower sprays to his cloak, the bases with applied sprays (repairs to both necks and the top of his mandolin, chips his cloak, her score and base)--about 9½in. (24cm.) high (2)

Lot Essay

These figures, of Watteau inspriation were probably made around 1740. They represent the most important French achievement in a field so largely dominated by the German and Italian factories. The problems experienced with firing the male figure are indicative of why figures of this sort are of extreme rarity.

Some authorities have in the past given this pair to Chantilly, but a comparison of the flower sprays with the painting on St. Cloud snuff-boxes such as lots ----- in the present sale would appear to support an attribution to the latter factory.