A rediscovered masterpiece of Francesco BORDONI - at auction on November 20, 2019
THE BRONZE BUST OF PAUL PHELYPEAUX DE PONTCHARTRAIN (1569-1621), A REDISCOVERED MASTERPIECE ATTRIBUTED TO FRANCESCO BORDONI SCULPTOR TO THE KING (1574-1654)
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FRANCESCO DI BARTELOMEO BORDONI - Portrait of Paul Phélypeaux de Pontchartrain 17/09/2019
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Masterpiece of Francesco BORDONI - The bronze bust of Paul Phélypeaux de Pontchartrain 25/07/2019
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Technical report by Marie-Emmanuelle Meyohas, Restorer in Paris 04/09/2019
At auction in Paris at Drouot - 20 November 2019
Expert Cabinet Sculpture et Collection 69, rue sainte Anne 75002 Paris contact@sculptureetcollection.com +33 (0)1 83 97 02 06
Attributed to FRANCESCO DI BARTELOMEO BORDONI (Francisque Bourdonny) (Florence circa 1574 - Paris 1654)
Paul Phélypeaux, seigneur de Pontchartrain (Blois 1569 – Castel-Sarrazin 1621)
A bronze bust with a brown patina on a turquin blue marble socle
Height with base: 87.7cm, 34 ½ in Dimensions: 70.5 cm x 66 cm, 27 ¾ x 26 in Height of the base: 17.2 cm, 6 ¾ in
On the verso a brass plaque with the inscription: « PAUL PHELYPEAUX – SEIGNEUR DE PONTCHARTRAIN - SECRETAIRE DESTAT- 1610 »
Provenance Commissioned from BORDONI for the chapelle des Trépassés, Church of Saint-Germain-l’Auxerrois, Paris • Louis II Phélypeaux, comte de Pontchartrain (1643 - 1727) before 1714 • Jérôme Phélypeaux, comte de Pontchartrain (1674-1747) • Jean-Frédéric Phélypeaux, comte de Maurepas et de Pontchartrain (1701-1781) • Diane-Hortense Mancini-Mazarini, (1742-1808) spouse of Louis-Hercule de Cossé-Brissac, duc de Brissac (1734-1792) • Adélaïde de Cossé-Brissac (1765-1818), spouse of Jean-Baptiste de Rochechouart, duc de Mortemart (1752-1812) • Thence by descent
Five key facts
1 -This major work of sculpture shows the historical importance of Paul Phélypeaux de Pontchartrain (1569-1621), minister to Henri IV who brought stability to the kingdom following the assassination of the king.
2 - Never before at public auction has there been such an important 17th century bronze of this superb quality representing a key figure of the history of France. The sale of this unique bust by DE BAECQUE & Associés is an important event for the art market.
3 - Scientific and technical analyses, as well as important archival research undertaken by the experts of Sculpture et Collection have allowed for the attribution of this exceptional cast to Francesco BORDONI (1574-1654), an artist of Italian origin who became the official sculptor to the king of France.
4 - Today, only a dozen such royal portraits in bronze are known and they are all held in private collections and museums, notably at the Louvre. This bronze will now enrich the extremely small number of existing busts of dignitaries.
5 - Intended for the church of the Louvre – Saint-Germain L’Auxerrois - the sculpture has remained for 400 years with the descendants of Pontchartrain himself.
Estimation 500 000 / 800 000 €
The bust in videos
Teaser
Presentation of Francesco BORDONI's bust by Géraldine d'Ouince
Presentation of Francesco BORDONI's bust by Alexandre Lacroix
Presentation of Francesco BORDONI's bust by Elodie Jeannest de Gyvès
Presentation of Francesco BORDONI's bust by Marie-Emmanuelle Meyohas
Discover Francesco BORDONI's bust in preview
Would you like to admire the original masterpiece attributed to Francesco BORDONI with your own eyes? The auction house de BAECQUE et Associés offers several solutions :
1 - The sculpture can be seen in Paris by appointment or during public exhibitions in Drouot from Saturday 16 to Tuesday 19 November 2019.
2 - A conference is organised in Versailles on Thursday 3 October at 6.30 pm.
Versailles - Download the invitation
Invitation to the conference presenting the BORDONI masterpiece 03/10/2019
3 - A conference and a cocktail are organised in Lyon on Thursday 14 November at 6.30 pm.
Lyon - Download the invitation
Invitation to the conference and cocktail presentation of the BORDONI masterpiece 14/11/2019
