Collector's Pocket Watches, Wristwatc...

Noga Hilton, Geneva, Apr 12, 2003

LOT 472

Geneva, enamel painted by Jean-Louis Richter circa 1815, the painted on enamel scene is after De La Rive, represents the Vallée de l'Arve.Very fine 18K gold and painted on enamel musical snuff box.

CHF 45,000 - 55,000

EUR 31,000 - 38,000 / USD 33,000 - 41,000

Sold: CHF 55,200

C. Three-body, rectangular with oval corners, the lid finely painted with Alpine scene with rare twist of fighting bulls, small river, mountains in the background, edges in champlevé enamel with foliage and floral pattern, side panels engine turned in unusual repeated circular pattern, champlevé corners, base en suite to the lid butthe center engine turned with the same pattern as the side, inscription in the bottom of the compartment.M. 80 x 48, brass, No. 1383, pinned cylinder mechanism with 25 sets of two tuned vibrating blades, fly governor with worm gear. Dim. 83 x 52 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3
Movement: 3*
Dial: -

Notes

Jean-Louis Richter (1766-1841)He learned his art under David-Etienne-Roux and Philippe-Samuel-Théodore Roux, becoming a most renowned enamel painter. His speciality was the painting of landscapes and particularly lake-side scenes and marine-scapes, often representing ships in a harbor or battles with fighting Men-of-War, but, on occasion, also portraits and hunting scenes. He did not often sign his work, but it is clearly recognizable from the style and quality of the painting. He applied his art principally to watch cases ad snuff boxes and these were largely destined for the Chinese, Turkish, British and Italian markets. In 1828 he was in partnership with Aimé-Julien Troll (1781-1852) and one can find work signed Richter et Troll.Richter, like other great enamel painters of the time, often found inspiration for his work from paintings or engravings by the artists then in fashion, Van der Myn (1684-1741), Giovanni Battista Cipriani (1727-1785), John Francis Rigaud (1742-1820), John Hoffner (1748-1810) and Francesco Bartolozzi (1727-1815), or even from particularly famous scenes such as the "Rape of Helen" from the engraving by Guido Reni (1575-1642), now in the Cabinet des Estampes, Paris.Pierre-Louis de la Rive (1753-1817)Was a Swiss lanscape painter, whose style bridged the gap between the rationalism and neo-classicism of the 18th century and the budding romantic sensibility of his times.