{"title":"7.26 Shop Main Salon","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"the-twelve-princesses-by-gustave-max-stevens","title":"The Twelve Princesses by Gustave-Max Stevens","description":"Gustave-Max Stevens\u003cbr\u003e 1871-1946 | Belgian \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eThe Twelve Princesses\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Oil on canvas\u003cbr\u003e Signed and dated “G.M. Stevens \/ 1899” (lower right) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The greatest triumph of the artist’s career, this extraordinary and monumental oil on canvas by Gustave-Max Stevens perfectly represents the highly detailed compositions and richly hued palettes championed by the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. The composition’s larger-than-life-size, brilliant coloring and myriad details enhance the drama of its subject, the Brothers Grimm fairy tale, \"The Twelve Princesses.\" The artist exhibited this work extensively, including at the 1901 Paris Salon, testifying to both the artist’s regard for the work and its exceptional quality. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Monumental in subject, style and size, it is clear that the artist himself knew that \u003cem\u003eThe Twelve Princesses\u003c\/em\u003e was his masterpiece, and he took every opportunity to show it publicly. It was first shown shortly after its creation at an exhibition of the artist’s work at the Cercle Artistique et Littéraire in Brussels in 1899 and then at the Salon d’Art Idéaliste in Brussels. It was then accepted into the prestigious Paris Salon of 1901, the annual exhibition where artists showcased only the very best examples of their work. The artist also exhibited it with Sächsischer Kunstverein (Saxon Art Association) in Dresden in 1900, the Antwerp Triennial Salon of 1901 and the Salon des Beaux-Arts d’Ostende of 1907. Additionally, Stevens kept \u003cem\u003eThe Twelve Princesses\u003c\/em\u003e in his own personal collection for the entirety of his life, and it descended within his family — a testimony to the artist’s particular attachment to this work.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The fairy tale \"The Twelve Princesses,\" also called \"The Shoes That Were Danced to Pieces\", tells the story of twelve sisters who are kept locked up in their bedroom every night by their father, the king. Despite this, the king finds his daughters’ shoes “danced to pieces” every morning when he releases them. He presents a challenge to his kingdom: “Whoever could discover where they went dancing each night could choose one of them for his wife and become king after his death.” After many before him fail, a man accepts the challenge and, with the help of an invisibility cloak, discovers the sisters travel to a magical underground realm where they attend a lavish ball every evening. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Stevens chooses to depict the moment of the sisters' escape. They adorn themselves in their finest gowns and jewels, with each princess dressed more extravagantly than the last. His approach to the painting is meticulous yet romantic, and the entire composition is a feast for the senses. The long, graceful silhouettes of the princesses occupy the entirety of the colossal canvas, and the artist revels in a painstaking depiction of detail for each and every figure. Strongly-patterned, iridescent fabrics combine with lush jewel tones to create a highly expressive aesthetic that brings a sense of realism to the mythical narrative. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Stevens captures the princesses with the precise detail and symbolism that were tenets of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. They are shown standing before a window barred with iron, emphasizing the wonder of their nightly escape. The central figure gazes into a mirror, serving not as a symbol of vanity, but rather representing the ephemeral, alternate world they are about to enter. The mirror holds their secret and points beyond exterior appearances. Only two of the sisters look out at the viewer, the oldest and the youngest, who have the most significant roles in the story. The eldest, dressed the most austerely and almost hidden behind her sisters, wears a knowing look of secrecy and mystery, while the youngest looks at us apprehensively, foreshadowing their eventual exposure. Combining thoughtful detail, symbolism and aestheticism, this work showcases the enigmatic, dreamlike style of painting for which the Pre-Raphelites were renowned. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Apart from the fact that it is an exceptional example of a Pre-Raphaelite painting, it is also exemplary of the 19th-century interest in legends and fairy tales; the story of the dancing princesses would have been a well-known tale in affluent households of the age. These tales were popularized by Andrew Lang’s \u003cem\u003eFairy Book\u003c\/em\u003e series, a collection of 12 volumes that was hugely successful. \"The Twelve Dancing Princesses\" was the first story printed in the \u003cem\u003eRed Fairy Book\u003c\/em\u003e edition of the series in 1890 — an edition the artist would have certainly been familiar with. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Born in Saint-Gilles, Belgium, just outside of Brussels, in 1871, Stevens began his artistic studies at the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Brussels in 1886 under the instruction of Jean-François Portaels. He then studied with Fernand Cormon and Louis-Joseph-Raphaël Collin at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. He then returned to Brussels, a city that at the time was a major center for artistic innovation. There, he co-founded and led \u003cem\u003eLe Sillon\u003c\/em\u003e in 1893, an artistic movement that sought a different approach to painting from the Neo-Impressionists and instead espoused a philosophy of decorative realism and luminous coloring.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The great Pre-Raphaelite Edward Burne-Jones was a supporter and honorary member of \u003cem\u003eLe Sillon\u003c\/em\u003e, and the group hosted an exhibition of the master’s works in 1895. Stevens, who was already an admirer of Burne-Jones, was heavily involved in the planning of this exhibition and must have taken immense inspiration from his aesthetic approach. He completed \u003cem\u003eThe Twelve Princesses\u003c\/em\u003e only a few years after the Burne-Jones show, embracing the Pre-Raphaelite ideals of truth to nature, complexity of composition and brilliance of color. He also won a coveted bronze medal at the Paris Exposition Universelle of 1900 for \u003cem\u003eAnnunciation\u003c\/em\u003e, another painting with strong Pre-Raphaelite connections. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Today, his works reside in the National Gallery of Canada (Ottowa), Minneapolis Institute of Art, Musées royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique (Brussels) and the British Museum (London), but none surpass the current painting. Staggering in size, magnificent in palette, exceptional in technique, and fascinating in subject, \u003cem\u003eThe Twelve Princesses\u003c\/em\u003e represents the very best from the artist. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/landing.rauantiques.com\/stevens-insights\/\" target=\"new\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eSee auction comparables and market data\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Dated 1899 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Canvas: 76 1\/8\" high x 114\" wide (193.36 x 289.56 cm)\u003cbr\u003e Frame: 100 1\/4\" high x 138 5\/8\" wide (254.64 x 352.11 cm) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Exhibited:\u003cbr\u003e Exhibition Gustave-Max Stevens, Cercle Artistique et Littéraire, Brussels, 1899\u003cbr\u003e Salon d’Art Idéaliste, Brussels\u003cbr\u003e Paris Salon, 1901, number 846, p.27 (illustrated under the title “Filles de Rois”)\u003cbr\u003e Sächsischer Kunstverein, Dresden, 1900, number 1864\u003cbr\u003e Triennial Salon, Antwerp, 1901, number 46\u003cbr\u003e Salon des Beaux-Arts d'Ostende, 1907 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Provenance:\u003cbr\u003e Collection of the artist, Brussels\u003cbr\u003e Thence by descent\u003cbr\u003e Private collection, Paris\u003cbr\u003e M.S. Rau, New Orleans","brand":"M.S. Rau","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43672916230279,"sku":"31-4687","price":4450000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/2471\/0466\/files\/31-4687_1.png?v=1767201297"},{"product_id":"cleopatra-by-julius-kronberg","title":"Cleopatra by Julius Kronberg","description":"Julius Kronberg\u003cbr\u003e 1850-1921 | Swedish \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eCleopatra\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Oil on canvas\u003cbr\u003e Signed and dated “Julius Kronberg Roma. 1883” (lower right) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Painted for and until recently housed in Sweden’s famed Tistad Castle, this historical genre masterpiece by Swedish Academic painter Julius Kronberg is monumental in both size and importance. The awe-inspiring work vividly brings to life the final moments of Queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt (69-30 B.C.E.), one of the most myth-enshrouded figures in history. Measuring over 11 feet high, it is a tour de force of the Academic style; its sheer size, along with its vibrancy and wealth of fascinating details, place it at the pinnacle of Academic art. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The subject of Cleopatra’s death was a popular one in the realm of art history, having been captured by the likes of Guido Reni, Jean-Baptiste Regnault, German von Bohn, and Hans Makart. Yet, when compared to all of these, Kronberg’s Cleopatra far exceeds them all in terms of drama and his extraordinary sense of detail. The artist took his inspiration from Shakespeare’s tragedy \u003cem\u003eAntony and Cleopatra\u003c\/em\u003e, which had been published in Sweden for the first time in 1825. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e In the tragic final act, Cleopatra mourns her lover Antony’s death, while also refusing to surrender to Octavian, who wishes to take her to Rome as a prisoner of war. Rather than become a spectacle of Rome, she resolves to commit suicide with her handmaidens, Charmian and Iras. Kronberg brilliantly captures the moment in which, after her handmaiden Iras has already died, Cleopatra reaches for a poisonous asp to press to her own breast. Her handmaiden Charmian kneels with her back to the viewer, but the brokenhearted anguish of her stance makes clear her despair in the face of what she is witnessing. Cleopatra herself comes across as strong and resolute in spite of the task ahead of her. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e When confronted with the work, viewers cannot help but be awed by the scene. Kronberg’s composition overflows with Oriental objects in a grand, Egyptian-influenced interior. Reproduced in rich detail with astounding accuracy, they reveal Kronberg’s dedication to careful research and superior draftsmanship. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e To achieve such accuracy, two smaller versions of the work were produced, one on cardboard and the other a small color sketch in oil. Kronberg also produced two three-dimensional studies of Cleopatra and her handmaidens in wax, to ensure he would achieve exactly the correct proportions of the bodies’ postures. The two painted studies can be viewed today in Julius Kronberg's studio at Skansen in Stockholm, where they form part of the Nordic Museum collection. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Kronberg created very few stand-alone paintings during his career, and most can be found in Sweden’s museums, including the Hallwyl Museum (Stockholm), Nationalmuseum (Stockholm) and Gothenburg Art Museum. He was more often commissioned for large-scale murals and ceiling paintings, including those in Stockholm Palace and Stockholm’s Royal Dramatic Theatre. In high demand in his day, the vast majority of Kronberg’s compositions were privately commissioned by wealthy Swedish private clients. \u003cem\u003eCleopatra\u003c\/em\u003e is one such example, having been commissioned in 1879 by Count Fredrik Wachtmeister. Painted specifically for the Wachtmeister family’s Tistad Castle, it remained there for over 130 years, only recently appearing on the market. The work is one of Kronberg’s very few masterpieces, and is perhaps the greatest Academic painting not presently found in a museum. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Dated 1883 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Canvas: 131 1\/2\" high x 83 1\/2\" wide (334.01 x 212.09 cm)\u003cbr\u003e Frame: 141 3\/4\" high x 94\" wide x 3 1\/2\" deep (360.05 x 238.76 x 8.89 cm) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/rau-sfimages.s3.amazonaws.com\/dossier\/Dossier_32-0822.pdf\" target=\"new\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eView the Dossier\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Provenance:\u003cbr\u003e Count Fredrik Wachtmeister, Tistad Castle, Nyköping\u003cbr\u003e By descent to Count Nils Wachtmeister, Tistad Castle, Nyköping\u003cbr\u003e Thence by descent within the Wachtmeister family\u003cbr\u003e M.S. Rau, New Orleans\u003cbr\u003e Private collection, Minnesota\u003cbr\u003e M.S. Rau, New Orleans \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Exhibited:\u003cbr\u003e Copenhagen, Nordic Exhibition, 1888\u003cbr\u003e Stockholm, Blanchs konstsalong, \u003cem\u003eJulius Kronberg – Måleriets triumfator\u003c\/em\u003e (year unknown, source: T. Björk, p. 109)\u003cbr\u003e Stockholm, Liljevalchs konsthall, \u003cem\u003eJulius Kronberg, Memorial Exhibition\u003c\/em\u003e, 1923, cat. no. 84\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Literature:\u003cbr\u003e Små konstböcker no 11, \u003cem\u003eJulius Kronberg\u003c\/em\u003e, Gleerupska universitetsbokhandeln, Lund (year unknown), p. 11 (illustrated)\u003cbr\u003e Sigurd Müller, \u003cem\u003eFinsk Tidskrift för Vitterhet, Vetenskap, Konst och Politik\u003c\/em\u003e, vol. XVIII, 1885, p. 76\u003cbr\u003e G. Nordensvan, \u003cem\u003eOch Svenska Konstnärer\u003c\/em\u003e, Stockholm, 1892, pp. 558-559 (illustrated)\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eSwedish Life in Town and Country\u003c\/em\u003e, New York and London, 1904, p. 172\u003cbr\u003e R. Muther, \u003cem\u003eThe History of Modern Painting\u003c\/em\u003e, London, 1907, p. 196\u003cbr\u003e K. Asplund, \u003cem\u003eJulius Kronbergs atelier och efterlämnade arbeten\u003c\/em\u003e, Stockholm, 1922, p. 15-16\u003cbr\u003e K. Asplund, \u003cem\u003eJulius Kronberg\u003c\/em\u003e, Liljevalchs catalogue no. 43, Stockholm, 1923, p. 14, no. 84\u003cbr\u003e B.G. Söderberg, \u003cem\u003eSlott och herresäten i Sverige, Södermanland\u003c\/em\u003e, band II, Malmö, 1968, p. 236 (illustrated)\u003cbr\u003e T. Björk, \u003cem\u003eJulius Kronberg – Måleriets triumfator\u003c\/em\u003e, Stockholm, 2016, pp. 107-110 (illustrated)","brand":"M.S. Rau","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44518427033735,"sku":"32-0822","price":2950000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/2471\/0466\/files\/32-0822_1.png?v=1780946476"},{"product_id":"elders-at-the-kirk-by-edwin-douglas","title":"Elders at the Kirk by Edwin Douglas","description":"Edwin Douglas\u003cbr\u003e 1848-1914 | Scottish \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eElders at the Kirk\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Signed and dated “E Douglas \/ 1907” (lower left)\u003cbr\u003e Oil on canvas \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e A tender and highly engaging work by Edwin Douglas, \u003cem\u003eElders at the Kirk\u003c\/em\u003e reveals the artist at his best, bringing two noble collies to life with warmth and extraordinary painterly softness. Painted in 1907, the composition unites Douglas’ hallmark warmth, technical refinement and gentle narrative charm. With its quiet church interior and two dignified collies, the work captures the sentimental spirit that makes Victorian and Edwardian animal painting so beloved among British collectors. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Douglas renders the dogs with remarkable tenderness and individuality. One collie sits upright with calm attentiveness, while the other rests in the foreground with an expressive, almost human gaze. Their lustrous coats are painted in rich tones of chestnut, russet, white and deep brown, contrasting beautifully with the cool stone floor and soft white drapery of the baptismal font behind them. Details such as the church notice on the wall, the worn Bible at right and the heavy green door lend the scene a quiet sense of place, transforming the painting from a simple animal portrait into a touching genre scene. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Born in Edinburgh to the portrait painter James Douglas, Edwin Douglas studied at the Royal Scottish Academy Schools and exhibited there for the first time at only 17 years old. He went on to exhibit widely, including at the Royal Academy from 1869 to 1900, where he showed more than 40 works. Though he painted portraits, sporting subjects and rural genre scenes, Douglas became especially admired for his depictions of animals, particularly dogs, which he portrayed with the soft expressions and emotional resonance associated with the great Sir Edwin Landseer. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Douglas enjoyed considerable success during his lifetime, attracting distinguished patrons including Sir Charles Tennant and Queen Victoria, who purchased one of his setter paintings as a birthday gift for the future King Edward VII. His works remain admired for their refined technique, affectionate observation and enduring vision of British rural life. Today, Douglas’ paintings are represented in notable collections, including Tate Britain and the Royal Collection. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Dated 1907 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Canvas: 37 1\/8” high x 24 1\/8” wide (94.30 x 61.28 cm)\u003cbr\u003e Frame: 112.40” high x 78.74“ wide x 3 1\/2\" deep (112.40 x 78.74 x 8.89 cm) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Provenance:\u003cbr\u003e Private Collection, Australia\u003cbr\u003e Private Collection, United States\u003cbr\u003e M.S. Rau, New Orleans","brand":"M.S. Rau","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45155647914119,"sku":"32-2893","price":98850.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/2471\/0466\/files\/32-2893_1.png?v=1783516815"}],"url":"https:\/\/rauantiques.com\/collections\/7-26-shop-main-salon.oembed","provider":"M.S. Rau","version":"1.0","type":"link"}