Lot 126. André Jerzy MNISZECH (Wischnowitz, 1823 – Paris, 1905). The goldsmith Hendrik Clootens. TRYPTIC PANEL 113.5 x 90.5 cm. Central panel: 113.5 x 90.5 cm / Side panels: 119.5 x 44 cm. On the closed trompe l’oeil panel on the left, which reads (translation): “the doors opened and the Ghysult saw the work of the famous Handrick Clootens, who, according to him, was also an experienced goldsmith. See him here with his work and high praise for his long life. He was born in 1602 and was still in good health to this day.” Label on the back of the painting (translated from Polish): “National General Exhibition in Lviv, 1894 section XX, group XXVI A. Art Department Full name: Mniszech (Andrey) Exact address: 47 rue Boissière Paris Title of work: Seventeenth-century Zrotmik (triptych) Return address: 47 rue Boissière Paris”. (old restorations and missing parts) Provenance: Personal collection of the artist, who died in 1905, passed on to his wife Anne-Charlotte MARRIER de LAGATINERIE ( 1840 – 1910 ), then by descent through marriage to the Brochant de Villiers collection.
Exhibition: Lviv, 1894, the painting won a bronze medal at this exhibition.
Count Andzrej-Jerzy Mniszech, a Polish painter who had settled in Paris in 1852, became a sought-after portraitist, thanks in particular to the large Polish community. A great lover of early painting, he revered 17th-century Dutch artists, especially Frans Hals. He retained a lifelong passion for antique costumes, refined objects, draperies and theatrical settings. His models are often dressed in 17th-century Dutch fashion, like the goldsmith depicted in the central panel of the triptych. The identity of the figure who may have inspired Mniszech is unknown: was he a celebrated goldsmith of his time? Seated, he looks at the viewer, as if to present the piece of goldsmithing on a table. The side panels display superb gold and silver objects, proof of his talent and success. On the back of these panels are large draperies on one of which is a trompe l’oeil handwritten document, which seems to compare our triptych with one sold in Paris on April 21, 2023 (sold for €15,000), depicting the bootmaker Hendrick Clootens, known in Flanders in the 17th century. The goldsmith shows Mniszech’s talent for characterizing his model. The sober, restrained color scheme indicates his status as a respectable bourgeois, the smiling face expresses obvious satisfaction, while the lively eyes reveal the perceptive, shrewd and self-confident merchant. The side shutters framing two rich, luminous still lifes energize the whole and give the portrait great visual presence. Mniszech appreciated triptychs, a format uncommon in the 19th century except for religious subjects. It corresponded to the painter’s original temperament, allowing him both to draw attention to the central figure seen against a neutral background, and to imaginatively reveal, on the side panels, objects of significance or value to the goldsmith. This tripartite, structured layout, combining the respectability of portraiture with the fantasy of still life, appealed to Mniszech’s clients, who used it on several occasions.
Estimate 6,000 – 8,000 euro. Azur Encheres. 10/22/24
Malarstwo polskie z najwyższej półki, zupełnie niedocenione. Nie są to Informele, nie są to Wirujące koła, nie są to Reliefy …a zatem nie ma najmniejszych szans choćby na rozsądny wynik sprzedaży. Niedawno podobny tryptyk Mniszka został sprzedany za jedyne 15,000 euro (https://polishartcorner.com/2023/04/05/andrzej-jerzy-mniszech-mniszek-1823-1905-5/). Inaczej mówiąc dwa tryptyki Andrzeja Mniszka są warte np. jeden op-art Juliana Stańczaka z wczorajszej aukcji (którego cenię za niezwykłą konsekwencję).
Lot 124. André Jerzy MNISZECH (Wischnowitz, 1823 – Paris, 1905). Still life with Chinese vase. PANEL, 100 x 74.5 cm. Louis XVI-style wood and gilded stucco frame. Signed twice, lower center and lower left MM 1890. Provenance: Personal collection of the artist, who died in 1905, passed on to his wife Anne-Charlotte MARRIER de LAGATINERIE ( 1840 – 1910 ), then by descent and marriage to the Brochant de Villiers collection. Estimate 4,000 – 6,000 euro
Lot 125. André Jerzy MNISZECH (Wischnowitz 1823 -1905 Paris). Young woman languid in an alcove. PARQUET PANEL, 83 x 116 cm (restorations). Provenance: Acquired in the Paris trade by the current owner’s parents in the 1930s (as attributed to Winterhalter); Private collection in South-West France. Estimate 8,000 – 12,000 euro
