François Girardon (1628-1715)

The Apollo bronze, which decorated the Palace of Versailles in Louis XIV’s reign, was labelled an exceptional example of the French Baroque style and thus invaluable to British scholarship. The export licence application has been deferred to February 24, to be extended to June if an intention to raise funds is shown.

The curator at the Château de Fontainebleau since 2016 has no shortage of plans, from restorations to exhibitions and promoting the legacy of François I.

Painted when the artist was not yet famous, this seaside subject puts people at the center of the composition.

This portrait of Claude Le Blanc (1669-1728) reveals early 18th-century customs.

Bronzes by great modern sculptors had a central place in this sale, where 18th-century vedutismo also took the spotlight.

The prince of Rococo will be present at Rouillac's 33rd Garden Party sale at the Château d'Artigny, in the Val-de-Loire, with a major discovery: La Petite Laitière (The Little Milkmaid), painted a year before his death.

A dainty gold mount highlights the exquisite beauty of this small soft porcelain Vincennes milk jug with a scene based on a work by François Boucher.

The allure of this painting—with its hidden double meaning—is a marvellous illustration of chinoiserie in the age of Louis XV, which took delight in fantasizing about Asia.

This heartwarming bronze and concrete lamb, an iconic piece by the late 20th-century visual artist and designer, brings his very personal animal world to mind.

The master of French rococo gave free rein to his virtuosity and movement in this preparatory study.