Louis Valtat (1869-1952)

They were the Nantes session’s two leading artists, along with Louise Abbéma for her quick sketch of Sarah Bernhardt.

On Friday, November 4, Chatons de noisetiers (Hazelnut Tree Kittens), a 1920 oil-on-canvas by Louis Valtat (1869-1952), is expected to fetch between €18,000 and 25,000 at the Drouot Estimations auction in room six at Drouot.

Landscapes from Southern France to the Chevreuse Valley and Normandy greatly inspired this artist, whose works always featured thick colors and a brisk drawing style.

The painter, famous for his vivid landscapes, was celebrated through two works typical of his approach to form and use of fragmented brushstrokes.

Claude-François Julliot (1727-1794) probably commissioned these two pieces of furniture stamped Joseph, which were in the Comte de Merle’s collection. They are beautiful examples of the resurgence of copper and tortoiseshell "Boulle" marquetry early in the Louis XVI period.

The only piece of furniture made by cabinetmaker Charles Cressent (1685-1768) for the French King, this commode is listed with the Garde-Meuble and has belonged to the same collection since 1934.

Unsurprisingly, this pair of Egyptian porphyry vases was the pinnacle of a sale featuring top-quality objets d'art.

The reign of Louis XV was a golden age for bronze fixtures and furnishings, which were marked with a crowned "C".

Members of the French Infantry, the Cavalry, the King's Household and the Dragoons are all present here in battle order.

Remarkable antique furniture and sun-drenched 19th-century paintings shared the spotlight at a fine sale in Marseille.