Lot Essay
This bust is identical to that of the Elector (1662-1726) in the Bayerisches Nationalmuseum in Munich (see: H. Weihrauch, 'Die Bildwerke in Bronze und in Anderen Metallen', Bayerisches Nationalmuseum München, Katalogue, Band XIII, 5, p. 194-5, figs. 229-234). The Munich bust is one of a set of six which trace the history of the Elector and his Wittelsbach ancestors, back to Charlemagne, by way of Duke Otto von Wittelsbach, Kaiser Ludwig of Bavaria, Duke Albrecht III and the Elector Maximilien I. They are supported on plinths of identical design to that of the Houghton bust, but inlaid in première-partie macquetry
A third bust of the Elector, the plinth also in première-partie, was sold from the collection of Emma Budge of Hamburg, Graupe's Berlin, 27-29 September 1937, lot 98
DE GROFF AND BVRB PERE
Guillaume (Willem) de Groff (born circa 1680 in Antwerp, died 1742 in Munich), was a sculptor, bronze-founder and stuccoist who trained in Paris from circa 1700. Patronised by Louis XIV from 1708, he remained in Paris until his appointment as court-sculptor to the Elector Max Emanuel of Bavaria in 1715
In 1714 the Elector, who was residing in Paris, commissioned de Groff to execute an equestrian monument of himself which is now in the Bayerisches Nationalmuseum, Munich (inv. R 3973). As J.N. Ronfort and J.D. Augarde conclude in 'Le Maître du Bureau l'Electeur', L'Estampille et L'Objet d'Art, January 1991, no. 243, pp. 56-7, its remarkable Boulle pedestal was almost certainly executed by Bernard van Risenburgh père (1660-1738)
BVRB PèRE WAS EXTENSIVELY PATRONISED BY THE ELECTOR, SUPPLYING BOTH THE PETIT BUREAU, AS EARLY AS 1695, NOW IN THE J. PAUL GETTY MUSEUM, CALIFORNIA (IBID., P. 59, FIG. 19), AND THE BUREAU DE L'ÉLECTEUR AFTER 1715 (IBID., P. 48-55, FIGS. 6-15). THE CHARACTERISTIC BOULLE MARQUETRY OF THE LATTER, WITH ITS SPARE FOLIATE SPRAYS, HUSK-TRAILS, CONCAVE ANGLES TO THE BOULLE PANELS AND BOMBé FORM, SHARES A CLOSE STYLISTIC AFFINITY TO THE PEDESTAL OF THE HOUGHTON BUST. IT IS, THEREFORE, HIGHLY PROBABLE THAT THESE BUSTS REPRESENT A FURTHER FRUITION OF THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN DE GROFF AND BVRBpère for their principal patron, Max Emmanuel of Bavaria
It is interesting to note that de Groff executed a niche for the Elector's kabinett in 1717, which depicted a putto and dolphin supported upon a closely related pedestal (illustrated in H. Weihrauch, op. cit., p. 19 5-7, figs. 236 adn 236a)
A third bust of the Elector, the plinth also in première-partie, was sold from the collection of Emma Budge of Hamburg, Graupe's Berlin, 27-29 September 1937, lot 98
DE GROFF AND BVRB PERE
Guillaume (Willem) de Groff (born circa 1680 in Antwerp, died 1742 in Munich), was a sculptor, bronze-founder and stuccoist who trained in Paris from circa 1700. Patronised by Louis XIV from 1708, he remained in Paris until his appointment as court-sculptor to the Elector Max Emanuel of Bavaria in 1715
In 1714 the Elector, who was residing in Paris, commissioned de Groff to execute an equestrian monument of himself which is now in the Bayerisches Nationalmuseum, Munich (inv. R 3973). As J.N. Ronfort and J.D. Augarde conclude in 'Le Maître du Bureau l'Electeur', L'Estampille et L'Objet d'Art, January 1991, no. 243, pp. 56-7, its remarkable Boulle pedestal was almost certainly executed by Bernard van Risenburgh père (1660-1738)
BVRB PèRE WAS EXTENSIVELY PATRONISED BY THE ELECTOR, SUPPLYING BOTH THE PETIT BUREAU, AS EARLY AS 1695, NOW IN THE J. PAUL GETTY MUSEUM, CALIFORNIA (IBID., P. 59, FIG. 19), AND THE BUREAU DE L'ÉLECTEUR AFTER 1715 (IBID., P. 48-55, FIGS. 6-15). THE CHARACTERISTIC BOULLE MARQUETRY OF THE LATTER, WITH ITS SPARE FOLIATE SPRAYS, HUSK-TRAILS, CONCAVE ANGLES TO THE BOULLE PANELS AND BOMBé FORM, SHARES A CLOSE STYLISTIC AFFINITY TO THE PEDESTAL OF THE HOUGHTON BUST. IT IS, THEREFORE, HIGHLY PROBABLE THAT THESE BUSTS REPRESENT A FURTHER FRUITION OF THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN DE GROFF AND BVRBpère for their principal patron, Max Emmanuel of Bavaria
It is interesting to note that de Groff executed a niche for the Elector's kabinett in 1717, which depicted a putto and dolphin supported upon a closely related pedestal (illustrated in H. Weihrauch, op. cit., p. 19 5-7, figs. 236 adn 236a)