Back to the 17th century with the “Tapisseries du Roy.” Tapestries of the king made by Gobelin which represent the four elements and the four seasons. 1697, published in Augsburg by Jacob Koppmayer.

Frontispiece, page 3. Collections of and digitalized by the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/tapisseriesduroy00krau/page/n3/mode/1up

“Pour la piété dans le piece l’element du feu un encensoir, avec ce mot, et sacro carpitur igni,” Page 14. Collections of and digitalized by the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/tapisseriesduroy00krau/page/14/mode/1up

“Pour la magnanimité dans la piece l’élément du feu: une fusée volante avec ces paroles splendid et ascendit.” Page 16. Collections of and digitalized by the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/tapisseriesduroy00krau/page/16/mode/1up

“Pour la bonté dans la piece l’élément du feu un phare, avec ces paroles in publica commoda fulget,” Page 17. Collections of and digitalized by the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/tapisseriesduroy00krau/page/17/mode/1up

‘Pour la valeur, dans la piece l’element du feu un foudre abattant un grand arbre, and qui a pour mot micat exitiale superbus.” Page 19. Collections of and digitalized by the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/tapisseriesduroy00krau/page/19/mode/1up

More coming, these are the ones concerned with the element of fire. Note that these are captioned in the original in French, Latin, and at the bottom in German. I would assume it was published to be sold in various countries for this reason but I don’t actually know why.

Up in the mountains and covered with snow. Austrian artist Alfons Walde. Living from 1891 to 1958, he traveled in he traveled in some of the same Viennese artistic circles as Gustav Klimt. Tyrolean Expressionist painter.

“The rise of the skiers.” ca. 1927. Austrian. Oil on cardboard. © Estate of the artist. Image © Lotsearch.de and Dorotheum GmbH & Co. KG. Fair use license. via https://www.lotsearch.de/lot/oberndorf-1891-1958-kitzbuehel-der-aufstieg-der-schifahrer-um-1927-53766902?utm_source=auction-newsletter-email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Auktionsnewsletter&utm_content=Email:%20Auktionsnewsletter

“Almen im März.” ca. 1935. Austrian. Oil on board. Signed ‘A. Walde” on the lower right and inscribed ” Kitzbuhel, Tiro…” on a partial label on the back. © Estate of the artist. Image © Bonhams 2001-2021. Fair use license. via https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/21676/lot/30/?category=list

“Winteridylle.” ca. 1930. Austrian. Oil on board. Signed “A. Walde” on the lower right. © Estate of the artist. Image © Christie’s 2021. Fair use license. via https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6152650

Designs featuring animals, sketches done for Minton Pottery. A selection from the archives of Minton Pottery, Stoke-on-Trent, England.

Bird with golden plumage. Undated. Image © Minton Archives. Fair use license. via https://www.themintonarchive.org.uk/some-further-folio-frivolity/

Butterfly. Undated. Image © Minton Archives. Fair use license. via https://www.themintonarchive.org.uk/some-further-folio-frivolity/

Bird with a blue background. Undated. Image © Minton Archives. Fair use license. via https://www.themintonarchive.org.uk/some-further-folio-frivolity/

Insect with a red and black body. Undated. Image © Minton Archives. Fair use license. via https://www.themintonarchive.org.uk/some-further-folio-frivolity/

On a little holiday with French painter André Hambourg who painted seascapes and lots of beach scenes. Living from 1909 to 1999, he studied at the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Arts Decoratifs.

“A Trouville marée haute temps couvert.”ca. 1965. French. Oil on canvas. Signed “A. Hambourg” on the lower left. Signed with the artist’s initials and inscribed “a. h.” © Estate of the artist. Image © Bonhams 2001-2021. Fair use license. via https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/26669/lot/22/?category=list&length=96&page=1

“Avant le Depart pour Les Voiliers.” Undated. French. Oil on canvas. Signed “a. Hambourg” on the lower right. Initialed “a. h.” and inscribed as titled on the reverse. © Estate of the artist. Image ^© 2021 William Doyle Galleries, Inc. Fair use license. via https://doyle.com/auctions/20pt01-important-paintings/catalogue/22-andre-hambourg

“A marée basse le matin (Trouville).” Before 1968. French. Oil on canvas. Signed “A Hambourg” on the bottom left. Also signed with the artist’s initials and titled on the back. © Estate of the artist. Image © Freeman’s 2021. Fair use license. via https://www.freemansauction.com/auction/lot/535-andr-hambourg-french-1909-1999/?lot=543876&sd=1

“Marée haute beau temps, Deauville.” 1990. French. Oil on canvas. Signed “A. Hambourg” on the lower right. Inscribed and dated “Deauville 1990.” Also inscribed and titled on the reverse. ^© Estate of the artist. Image ^© 2021 William Doyle Galleries, Inc. Fair use license. via https://doyle.com/auctions/0205211-european-and-american-paintings-sculpt/catalogue/164-andre-hambourg

Cattle with a person here and there, painted by French artist Adolphe Charles Marais, who lived from 1856 to 1940.

“Cows and Calf in a Field in Late Afternoon Sun.” Undated. French. Oil on canvas. Signed “Ad. Marais” on the lower right. Image © 1999 – 2021 Skinner, Inc. Fair use license. via https://www.skinnerinc.com/auctions/3655B/lots/25

“Market Day.” Undated. French. Oil on canvas. Signed “Ad Marais” on the lower left. Image © Christie’s 2021. Fair use license. via https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-5101892

“Weidelandschaft.” undated, before 1940. French. Oil on canvas. Signed “A C Marais on the lower right. In the public domain in the United States because the artist died over 70 years ago. via https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Adolphe_Charles_Marais_Weidelandschaft.jpg

Hand-fans with painted scenes. From Fans d’Eventail, Paris. Some may still be available for purchase.

Giant theatre fan with painted with a scene from Voltaire’s “Brutus.” ca. 1790. Printed and painted paper leaf. Image © Fans d’Eventails, Paris. Fair use license. via https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/18th-century-fans/3011-brutus-by-voltaire-giant-theater-fan-circa-1790.html

Love at the sound of the tambourine. A ivory and bone brisé fan pierced and painted like Vernis Martin and varnished. ca. 1690. Image © Fans d’Eventails, Fair use license. via https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/18th-century-fans/3002-love-at-the-sound-of-the-tambourine-fan-circa-1690.html

Tortoiseshell fan with a painted black gauze leaf decorated with the nymphs of the four seasons. ca. 1880-1890. Signed ” Andréas”. With its box from A. Weyl Paris. Image © Fans d’Eventails, Fair use license. via https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/19th-century-fans/2996-nymphs-of-the-four-seasons-fan-circa-1880-1890.html

Mother-of-pearl fan with a vellum leaf painted with roses. ca. 1880-1890. Image © Fans d’Eventails, Fair use license. via https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/19th-century-fans/3007-roses-fan-circa-1880-1890.html

Hand-fan with wooden sticks and guards and a printed and painted paper leaf depicting Heloise and Abelard, the cursed lovers. Image © Fans d’Eventails, Fair use license. via https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/18th-century-fans/3008-the-cursed-lovers-heloise-and-abeilard-fan-circa-1785.html

Ivory hand-fan with pierced and carved sticks and guards with a painted vellum leaf painted with “The Sincere and Faithful Love.” 1862. Signed “Hamon.” Jean-Louis Hamon (1821-1874) having been a French painter representative of the neo-Greek movement who exhibited several times at the Salon and at the 1855 and 1867 Universal Exhibitions. Image © Fans d’Eventails, Fair use license. via https://www.fandeventails.fr/en/19th-century-fans/3009-the-sincere-and-faithful-love-fan-by-hamon-1862.html

Portraits of Native American chiefs. “The aboriginal portfolio : a collection of portraits of the most celebrated chiefs of the North American Indians.” Published in Philadelphia in 1835, it is the work of James Otto Lewis (1799-1858).

“Kee-O-Kuck or the Watching Fox: The present chief of the Sauk tribe and Successor to Black Hawk.” Page 1. Painted by J. O. Lewis at the great treaty of Prairie du Chien in 1825. Lehman and Duval, Philadelphia, engravers. Gregory Javitch Native Peoples of the New World Collection, University of Alberta Libraries. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/bp_1389667/mode/1up

“Nabu-Naa-Kee-Schick or The One Side of the Sky. A Chippewa chief.” Page 2. Painted at the Treaty of Fond du Lac (on Lake Superior) by J. O. Lewis in 1826. Lehman and Duval, Philadelphia, engravers. Gregory Javitch Native Peoples of the New World Collection, University of Alberta Libraries. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/bp_1389667/page/n1/mode/1up

“Waa-Na-Taa or the Foremost in Battle: Chief of the Sioux Tribe.” Page 3. Painted by J. O. Lewis at the Treaty of Prairie du Chien in 1825. Lehman and Duval, Philadelphia, engravers. Gregory Javitch Native Peoples of the New World Collection, University of Alberta Libraries. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/bp_1389667/page/n2/mode/1up

“The Little Crow: A celebrated Sioux Chief.” Page 12. Page 3. Painted by J. O. Lewis at the Treaty of Prairie du Chien in 1825. Lehman and Duval, Philadelphia, engravers. Gregory Javitch Native Peoples of the New World Collection, University of Alberta Libraries. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/bp_1389667/page/n12/mode/1up

James Otto Lewis started out as an engraver in Philadelphia around 1815. Fascinated by what he learned of the western territories, as a young man he went west in 1819. Traveling with the governor of the Michigan Territory Lewis worked for the United States government painting official portraits of Native Americans in the course of his employment which included attending numerous treaties and ceremonies so these are painted from life. Learn more about him here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Otto_Lewis. Quite a few so more for later posts, too.

Silver centerpieces by Alphonse Debain who came from a family of French silversmiths. The first Debain hallmark was registered in 1847 by Alphonse’s grandfather with Alphonse succeeding from his father in the family business in 1883.

Rotunda form silver and marble centerpiece comprising three elements with six silver Corinthian capitals and bases on fluted marble columns mounted on a stepped circular base enclosing an altar with silver mounts and a bronze flame, the entablature with an open-work frieze of folate scrolls. Removable domed cover with pierced diaper-work surmounted by an urn-shaped finial with flame. The centerpiece flanked by two separate plateaux with gallery. 1878. French. Silver with marble columns and a bronze flame. Made by Alphonse Debain. Maker’s marks: Mark for A. Debain and hallmarked on the done, altar rim and plateaux “A D/ 1878 export mark.” Image © 2021 Bidsquare Inc. and New York City Estate Auction. Fair use license. via https://www.bidsquare.com/online-auctions/showplace/a-debain-french-silver-marble-centerpiece-19th-c-1507175

Silver centerpiece in the style of Louis XV. ca. 1900. French. Alphonse Debain, maker. Maker’s marks: Maker`s mark of Alphonse Debain. Image © 2021 Masterart.com and Koopman Rare Art. Fair use license. via https://www.masterart.com/artworks/8948/alphonse-debain-a-french-silver-louis-xv-style-centrepiece

Watercolors of flowers. American. Annie Gooding Sykes, artist. Living from 1855 to 1931, she was the daughter of a silversmith. Studied at the Cincinnati Art Academy.

“Still Life with Chrysanthemums.” Undated. American. Watercolor and gouache on artist’s board. Signed in watercolor on the lower left. Image © Swann Auction Galleries. Fair use license. via https://catalogue.swanngalleries.com/Lots/auction-lot/ANNIE-GOODING-SYKES-Still-Life-with-Chrysanthemums?saleno=2575&lotNo=71&refNo=778303

“Gladiolus Garden.” ca. 1900. American. Watercolor on cream wove paper. Signed in pencil over red ink on the lower left. Image © Swann Auction Galleries. Fair use license. via https://catalogue.swanngalleries.com/Lots/auction-lot/ANNIE-GOODING-SYKES-Gladiolus-Garden?saleno=2575&lotNo=72&refNo=778301

“Lillies in Bloom.” 20th c. American. Watercolor. Signed on the lower right. Image © 1stDibs.com, Inc. 2021. Fair use license. via https://www.1stdibs.com/art/drawings-watercolor-paintings/landscape-drawings-watercolors/annie-gooding-sykes-lillies-bloom/id-a_421482/

Pochoir prints from Eugène Grasset’s 1896 portfolio “La Plante et ses Applications Ornementales sous la Direction.” Make your hallway look like heaven.

“Snowdrop.” Plate 31, page 59. Collections of the Smithsonian Libraries. Biodiversity Heritage Library, digitalizing sponsor. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/planteetsesappl00Gras/page/n59/mode/1up

“Solomon’s Seal.” Plate 34, page 65. Collections of the Smithsonian Libraries. Biodiversity Heritage Library, digitalizing sponsor. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/planteetsesappl00Gras/page/n65/mode/1up