From the estate and collection of European works of prominent Dallas-based philanthropist Toni Chapman Brinker came the sale’s top lot, a 1783 painting by Claude-Joseph Vernet depicting the grand cascade at Tivoli. The painting, which was being offered to the public for the first time in 40 years, sold for $287,500.

Review by W.A. Demers

DALLAS — Heritage Auctions’ December 6 Fine European Art Signature auction featured works from several notable collections and estates and was anchored by great paintings, including works by Claude-Joseph Vernet, Pierre Bonnard and Charles-François de Lacroix, among others. The sale realized $1,462,075 with 83 lots offered.

A few of the auction’s leading lots came from the estate of prominent Dallas-based philanthropist Toni Chapman Brinker. It was her collection of European works that brought forth the sale’s top lot, a 1783 painting by Vernet (French, 1714-1789), depicting the grand cascade at Tivoli selling for $287,500.

The painting was being offered to the public for the first time in 40 years, along with a burgeoning record of provenance, according to Dr Marianne Berardi, Heritage’s director of European art. This particular landscape “is rather sentimental in its tender treatment of such a grandiose force of nature, turning focus instead towards the subtle observation of those locals who interact with and draw their livelihoods from it,” said Berardi.

The painting had been commissioned by Guillaume-Léon du Tillot, Marquis de Felino (1711-1774) along with its pendant, a shipwreck scene. In a 1797 sale the pair was split; the pendant, “The shipwreck (Le naufrage),” making its way into the holdings of the Louvre, from whom it has been on long-term loan to the Musée Calvet in Avignon where it is still on view today.

“Portrait d’Alfred Edwards, sur sa péniche,” circa 1912, by Pierre Bonnard, from a private Chicago collection, went out at $175,000. Edwards, looking every bit the well-fed millionaire businessman, was portrayed aboard his yacht in this spirited portrait emblematic of the artist’s good-natured humor toward his closest patrons.

Ultimately the Tivoli scene came to be in the possession of art dealer, collector and advisor, Philip Hewat-Jaboor, from whom it was acquired by this sale’s consignor in 1985.

Pierre Bonnard’s (French, 1867-1947) “Portrait d’Alfred Edwards, sur sa péniche,” circa 1912, from a private Chicago collection, elicited a winning bid of $175,000. The oil on canvas portrayed Alfred Charles Edwards (1856-1914) aboard his yacht; a well-fed millionaire businessman, who, together with his third Russian-born wife Misia (Maria Sophia Godebska, 1872-1950), was among Bonnard’s patrons during the first two decades of the Twentieth Century. The spirited portrait by Bonnard exemplified the artist’s good-natured humor toward his closest patrons. “Notice how Bonnard’s focus runs from Edwards in the foreground sharply into the distance along the length of the yacht to the pilot at the wheel, where others have congregated,” noted Berardi. “Yet Edwards sits alone, his little dog perched aboard his master’s obviously expansive belly — the kind of detail that points to Bonnard’s legendary good humor.”

Catalog notes observe that Bonnard and his companion Marthe, whom he later married, made several trips aboard the Aimée as guests of the Edwardses beginning in 1904. As with Degas and the ballet, these adventures gave him entrée into new locales to paint and also led him to explore the subject of boating in his art.

In addition to the Vernet, the Brinker estate offered paintings by Vernet’s mentee Charles-François de Lacroix. From 1761, titled “Calm” and “Storm” came a pair of pendant seascapes, a signature form for the artist. Fetching $62,500, the lot showed that Lacroix had established himself as a master of seascapes with a particular fondness for pairing calm seaports in contrast with dramatic tempests.

Martín Rico y Ortega’s oil on canvas painting “Santa Maria della Salute and the Dogana, Venice,” from the collection of prominent wine maker and art dealer-collector Frederick H. Schrader and brought $57,500.

Heritage offered property from the collection of prominent wine maker and art dealer-collector Frederick H. Schrader, with some dozen works from his prodigious collection coming to the podium. “These beautifully detailed expanses along the Grand Canal and a sparkling scene of the Piazza San Marco painted from the water are featured in the work of Jose Villegas y Cordero, Rafael Senet y Perez, Martin Rico y Ortega and Antonio Reyna Manescau,” said Berardi. A highlight was Martín Rico y Ortega’s oil-on-canvas painting “Santa Maria della Salute and the Dogana, Venice,” which brought $57,500.

Rembrandt van Rijn’s (Dutch, 1606-1669) famous etching on paper, “Self-Portrait with Saskia,” 1636, left the gallery at $55,000. The sheet was signed and dated in the plate upper left: “Rembrandt / 1636.” Rembrandt and his wife were depicted wearing clothing of the period, Rembrandt sporting a fanciful Sixteenth Century style plumed hat.

A languorous oil on canvas scene by Henry Siddons Mowbray (American, 1858-1928) depicting two drowsy women pensively seated at a banquette was titled “Siesta,” and ordered up $45,000. Provenance for the work, which measured 10-3/8 by 22-1/8 inches, included M. Knoedler & Co., New York, 1897, and a private Vermont collection. It had been exhibited in Mowbray’s solo exhibition, “Exhibition of Paintings and Drawings by H. Siddons Mowbray,” by M. Knoedler & Co., in February 1897. Mowbray was born to English parents in Alexandria, Egypt, according to catalog notes, and enjoyed a distinguished artistic career on both sides of the Atlantic, as a decorative painter of classical murals for public and private spaces. Equally adept at an easel, he “favored scenes of idealized women lounging in mysterious environments with exotic and often Orientalist overtones,” per the auction catalog.

Le Pho’s “Les iris,” an oil on canvas. 26 by 18¼ inches, which went out at $37,500, came from a private Dallas collection and will be included in the Findlay Institute’s Le Pho catalogue raisonné currently in preparation.

Still life paintings got their due with Le Pho’s (French/Vietnamese, 1907-2001). “Les iris,” an oil on canvas, 26 by 18¼ inches, which changed hands for $37,500. From a private Dallas collection, the painting was accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from the Findlay Institute and will be included in its Le Pho catalogue raisonné currently in preparation.

Also fetching $37,500 was an oil on canvas laid on board by Jean Dufy (French, 1888-1964). His “Promenade près du Bois de Boulogne,” 18-1/8 by 24 inches, was a fanciful and colorful depiction of horses, carriages and boulevard strollers in the French capital’s large public park that is the western half of the 16th arrondissement. Property from the estate of Anne R. Bromberg, a respected art scholar who worked at the Dallas Museum of Art as a lecturer, educator and curator for nearly six decades, this work will be included in the next volume of the Jean Dufy catalogue raisonné currently being prepared.

Prices given include the buyer’s premium as stated by the auction house. For information. 214-409-1341 or www.ha.com.