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Lot Essay
The plaster model for the front of this pendant is recorded as being from the workshop of Alfred André (see A. Kugel, R. Distelberger & A. Bimbenet-Privat, Joyaux Renaissance, Une Splendeur Retrouvée, Paris, 2000, Annexe pl.x-c).
This jewel and another in the Rothschild Collection (lot 50) appear in a watercolour by Jean-Baptiste Fortune de Fournier (1798-1864). This is extremely important in helping to date the entire group of jewels by André. Fournier was born in Ajaccio and died in Paris. He worked as watercolourist for Napoleon III and exhibited at the Salons of 1843 and 1864. Eight interior views of The Tuileries are recorded by him as well as a portrait of Napoleon III. He was awarded the Legion d'Honneur. The watercolour illustrating the Rothschild jewels was included in the sale of some of the contents of the château de Ferrières near Paris, the home of Baron James de Rothschild, which was re-built by Sir Joseph Paxton between 1853-63.
This jewel and another in the Rothschild Collection (lot 50) appear in a watercolour by Jean-Baptiste Fortune de Fournier (1798-1864). This is extremely important in helping to date the entire group of jewels by André. Fournier was born in Ajaccio and died in Paris. He worked as watercolourist for Napoleon III and exhibited at the Salons of 1843 and 1864. Eight interior views of The Tuileries are recorded by him as well as a portrait of Napoleon III. He was awarded the Legion d'Honneur. The watercolour illustrating the Rothschild jewels was included in the sale of some of the contents of the château de Ferrières near Paris, the home of Baron James de Rothschild, which was re-built by Sir Joseph Paxton between 1853-63.