Cornelis Paulus van Pauwvliet
An Important Dutch Collection

Discover the spectacular collection of Cornelis Paulus van Pauwvliet—featuring furniture, fine clocks, paintings and works of art, all rooted in the Dutch tradition—available for bidding on 21 November. Here, our Specialists highlight their favourite lots from the sale.

Lot 174

Théo van Rysselberghe, Quai à Veere

Frederick Millar, Head of Sale, Impressionist & Modern Art: Théo van Rysselberghe’s Quai à Veere is one of the leading highlights in the forthcoming sale of the collection of eminent Dutch collector, Cornelis Paulus van Pauwvliet. A superb example of the artist’s extensive grasp of Neo-Impressionist principles, it is a rich and vibrant addition to this wonderful collection. 

Van Rysselberghe may have been the most daring Neo-Impressionist after Georges Seurat himself, with his use of bold colours and the three-dimensional layering of paint. The wonderful impasto shown in Quai à Veere, and overall excellent condition, make the work a total joy for the senses. It is a celebration of the artist’s use of evocative colour, which is key in conjuring the atmosphere of serenity. We participate in this moment of stillness as Van Rysselberghe masterfully captures the tranquil calm of the evening light through his rich pinks and luminous oranges. An energetic but nonetheless peaceful and beautiful painting, Quai à Veere serves as a true highlight of this collection, as it would undoubtedly do in many others. 

Lot 56

An important Dutch commode, attributed to Matthijs Horrix (1735-1809)

Charlie Thomas, UK Group Director, House Sales and Private & Iconic Collections, Furniture, Works of Art and Carpets: In this job you are constantly learning, and this was certainly the case when we were entrusted to sell this fabulous collection. I knew of Matthijs Horrix, but in my 20 years as a furniture specialist at Bonhams I had never sold any furniture by or attributed to him. It has been a particular thrill to be able to study not just one, but three fabulous examples of furniture attributed to this marquetry master.

Born in Germany, Horrix (1735–1809) moved to Holland where he was admitted to the furniture makers guild in 1764. He was highly regarded, becoming the stadtholder and the principal provider of veneered furniture to Prince Wiliam V of Orange and his bride, Princess Wilhelmina of Prussia, supplying them with ‘Commodes, Tables etc’ for their residence in the city, as well as further furnishings for Het Loo. Interestingly, virtually all of Princess Wilhelmina’s annual accounts reveal deliveries of marquetry furniture from Horrix. With his reputation growing, his workshop grew too becoming the largest in the Hague, suppling furniture to not only Royalty but to the aristocracy, foreign embassies and governments, specialising in luxurious ormolu-mounted furniture with inlaid marquetry decoration. 

His style is unquestionably in the French Transitional taste, and he even named his workshop: de commode van Parijs – ‘in the commode of Paris’. It can be assumed that he spent time working in Paris, where many of the leading ébénistes were, like Horrix, of German origin. In naming his workshop ‘in the commode of Paris’ he was perhaps referencing his probable apprenticeship in the French capital, as well as highlighting his principal speciality. All over Europe in the 1760s, a floral marquetry commode in the Parisian style became the fashionable piece of furniture to own, and Horrix was undoubtedly the master of this trend in Holland, with Lot 56 being the perfect combination of outstanding craftmanship, proportion and style! 

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Lot 203

An important mid 18th century French ormolu-mounted kingwood and rosewood centre seconds longcase clock

James Stratton, Director, Clocks: Arguably the most impressive clock in the collection is Lot 203, the mid-18th century French ormolu-mounted kingwood and rosewood longcase clock by Julien LeRoy. The exquisite dial design manages to convey a huge amount of information including: the age and phase of the moon; the times of sunrise and sunset; the current sign of the zodiac; an annual calendar, and even ambient temperature, all presented in a format that is both very easy to read, and supremely attractive to the eye. Behind the dial, a movement of the highest precision runs for a month on a single winding. The best design never grows old, and this clock performs its role in life as well today as it did when first made over 250 years ago.

Lot 23

Johan Barthold Jongkind, Sortie du port de Honfleur (Leaving the port of Honfleur)

Peter Rees, Director and Head of Sale, Victorian and 19th Century European Art: Often described as the Father of Impressionism, Johan Jongkind never quite secured the praise and recognition he deserved during his lifetime. Lauded by Claude Monet as ‘my true master… it is to him that I owe the definitive education of my eye’, the two artists worked alongside each other in and around the ancient, picturesque port of Honfleur, where this work was painted.

Here, Jongkind has depicted a busy shipping channel, with both steam and sail, the dark outline of the boats set against a sparkling sea and a cloud scattered sky. Jongkind would make sketches en plein air, working them up into finished compositions back in his studio. It is easy to see why his work was so captivating to the Impressionists.

Lot 25

A rare pair of Louis XV ormolu mounted patinated bronze models of recumbent horses

Francois Rothlisberger, Specialist, English and European Furniture: When looking at these sculptural patinated and ormolu groups, I can’t help thinking about the exceptional collector who acquired them. I can understand so well what he must have felt looking at them. Interestingly, while my colleagues admire and discuss the dramatic equine figures for their attractive patina, and deciding whether they are horses or unicorns, something else attracts me: the ormolu bases.

The bases were the creation of the Parisian marchands-merciers (guildsmen), the talented visionaries who came up with the brilliant idea of further embellishing earlier masterpieces. 275 years ago, Paris was more fashionable than ever! Only the best, latest, and highest quality prevailed among the connoisseur circles. ‘La Rocaille’, what a great invention, more naturalistic than reality, the bronziers-founders-engravers-gilders were producing the best of the best, they had painstakingly mastered the techniques, and these were never surpassed. For me, these ormolu bases epitomise the absolute perfection of what the bronziers could produce in 1750, no wonder it was called ‘The Age of Enlightenment’. I adore it.

Lot 84

A fine 18th century Dutch silver tankard

Ellis Finch, Head of Department, Silver: This fabulous collection of works includes an extremely fine and varied collection of Dutch silver and predominately from the 18th century. One such piece from the collection is an 18th century Dutch silver tankard, made by master silversmith Johannes Schiotling, in Amsterdam in 1767. I was attracted to this for its simplicity; this discreet piece has been adorned with rococo ornamentation, a particular style which Schiotling adopted in his early career and a style he used during his first ten years in Amsterdam.

Schiotling became very successful in Amsterdam and was known for the quality of his work, receiving very important commissions. His silver is now in numerous museum collections, including the Rijksmuseum. The tankard on offer here was exhibited in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, in 2001–02.

Register to bid in Cornelis Paulus van Pauwvliet
An Important Dutch Collection

Browse all lots in our sale, including silver, furniture, fine clocks, paintings and works of art. Bidding opens on 21 November.