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Lot Essay
THE MASTER OF NEOCLASSICISM
Robert-Joseph Auguste was born in Valenciennes in 1723, the son of Christophe Auguste, a 'bourgeois' of Paris. He worked as a journeyman for ten years before entering his mark in 1757 sponsored by Joseph Vallayer, which indicates that he was already a very experienced goldsmith and a fine chaser. He soon worked on important commissions, partly on the recommendation of Marquis de Marigny, director of the King’s Buildings and brother of the Marquise de Pompadour, who was a close acquaintance of the goldsmith. Thus in a letter dated 1765 the Marquis commented to his friend Charles-Nicolas Cochin: 'Il ne parait maintenant de distingué dans cet art que M. Auguste, tous les autres étant plutôt des marchands qui présentent sous leur nom des ouvrages de bons ouvriers que des gens capables d'exécuter eux-mêmes'. 'It now appears that the only distinguished artist of this art is Mr. Auguste, all others being merchants who declare under their name works of good workmen rather than people who can execute themselves'. In 1777 he was appointed 'Orfèvre ordinaire du roi' in 1777 and did not retire until 1785-1786, leaving the workshop to his son Henry, before his death in 1805.
ONE OF A PAIR, PART OF A LARGER SERVICE
Auguste quickly positioned himself as an advocate and the specialist of the new Neoclassical style which owed him to receive orders from the French court but also all European courts, Sweden, Denmark, Russia, Portugal and Hanover. His production is remarkable by the contrast of plain polished surfaces and finely chased cast elements that included draperies, laurel garlands and animals' heads.
The present tureen is early in Auguste's production. He has yet to received the commissions from Empress Catherine the Great or from the King of Sweden. But 1771 was nevertheless a busy period for the goldsmith who made amongst others a pot à oille of comparable design for the Danish ambassador in Paris, Otto von Bloehme (sold Christie's Geneva, 26 April 1977, lot 306). The present tureen is also marked with the 'decharge for objects going abroad' confirming that it was made for a foreign client. Furthermore it is one of a pair, the other having been offered at Sotheby's, Paris in the Collection Bernard and Edith Causse, 6 April 2023, lot 20, confirming that it must have been part of a larger and important service.
Of course the absence of any coat-of-arms prevents us to identify the potential owner. However the presence of the spread eagle above the arms could give us some indication as to the owner although too many families used the eagle across Europe.
Robert-Joseph Auguste was born in Valenciennes in 1723, the son of Christophe Auguste, a 'bourgeois' of Paris. He worked as a journeyman for ten years before entering his mark in 1757 sponsored by Joseph Vallayer, which indicates that he was already a very experienced goldsmith and a fine chaser. He soon worked on important commissions, partly on the recommendation of Marquis de Marigny, director of the King’s Buildings and brother of the Marquise de Pompadour, who was a close acquaintance of the goldsmith. Thus in a letter dated 1765 the Marquis commented to his friend Charles-Nicolas Cochin: 'Il ne parait maintenant de distingué dans cet art que M. Auguste, tous les autres étant plutôt des marchands qui présentent sous leur nom des ouvrages de bons ouvriers que des gens capables d'exécuter eux-mêmes'. 'It now appears that the only distinguished artist of this art is Mr. Auguste, all others being merchants who declare under their name works of good workmen rather than people who can execute themselves'. In 1777 he was appointed 'Orfèvre ordinaire du roi' in 1777 and did not retire until 1785-1786, leaving the workshop to his son Henry, before his death in 1805.
ONE OF A PAIR, PART OF A LARGER SERVICE
Auguste quickly positioned himself as an advocate and the specialist of the new Neoclassical style which owed him to receive orders from the French court but also all European courts, Sweden, Denmark, Russia, Portugal and Hanover. His production is remarkable by the contrast of plain polished surfaces and finely chased cast elements that included draperies, laurel garlands and animals' heads.
The present tureen is early in Auguste's production. He has yet to received the commissions from Empress Catherine the Great or from the King of Sweden. But 1771 was nevertheless a busy period for the goldsmith who made amongst others a pot à oille of comparable design for the Danish ambassador in Paris, Otto von Bloehme (sold Christie's Geneva, 26 April 1977, lot 306). The present tureen is also marked with the 'decharge for objects going abroad' confirming that it was made for a foreign client. Furthermore it is one of a pair, the other having been offered at Sotheby's, Paris in the Collection Bernard and Edith Causse, 6 April 2023, lot 20, confirming that it must have been part of a larger and important service.
Of course the absence of any coat-of-arms prevents us to identify the potential owner. However the presence of the spread eagle above the arms could give us some indication as to the owner although too many families used the eagle across Europe.