DE BAECQUE & Associés - €3M for Francesco Bordoni's bust

On Wednesday 20 November 2019 the sale of this previously unknown bronze, attributed to Francesco BORDONI (1574-1654), of superior quality and in remarkable condition, became one of the art market’s star successes. The portrait of Paul Phélypeaux, Seigneur de Pontchartrain, sold for €3,048,000 (including premium) under the hammer of auctioneer Géraldine d’Ouince from the auction house of DE BAECQUE & Associés, at Drouot.

 

The fierce bidding war, played out before a packed salesroom, began at €500,000, the low estimate for this larger than life size sculpture. Two telephone bidders battled all the way to €1,200,000 before giving up in favor of three others in the room. The sparring carried on between two bidders who had come in person to assist at the sale. The bust made €3,048,000 (including buyer’s commission) an unprecedented price in a hallmark sale - the first time that a 17^th century portrait bronze of this quality has appeared on the auction market. The winning bid was from a private collector. Géraldine d’Ouince, DE BAECQUE & Associés states: “the vendors are thrilled to know that this bust will be joining a very beautiful private collection. The collector in question was as taken by this oeuvre as we were and this result is a crowning achievement for our work”. 

Only a dozen portraits of important statesmen – kings or ministers – in bronze dating from the 17^th century that can be found in museums and private collections in France have survived until today. It was with a certain emotion that Alexandre Lacroix, from Cabinet Sculpture & Collection, presented the work before it went under the hammer: “for the team that is formed by an auctioneer and an expert, this is one of the most beautiful sculptures that one could possibly find. It is enthralling and incredibly satisfying to make such a discovery, such an important addition to what comprises French statuary in the “Grand Siècle”. It is a very large bust in its dimensions, the portrait of an important statesman, created by a great sculptor, and from an important French collection. This bust tells the illustrious history of France and gives us a masterpiece of incredible rarity; it is one of the greats of what we call the “arts du feu” that is to say bronze statuary. There is such pride, such emotion.
 

Attributed to FRANCESCO DI BARTELOMEO BORDONI (Florence circa 1574 - Paris 1654) Also known as Francisque Bourdonny
Paul Phélypeaux, seigneur de Pontchartrain (Blois 1569 – Castel-Sarrazin 1621)
Bust in bronze with a brown patina
On a turquin blue marble socle
Dimensions of the bust: H.70.5 cm W. 66 cm D. 32 cm 
Inscribed on the reverse with the title on a pewter plate « PAUL PHELYPEAUX- SEIGNEUR DE - PONTCHARTRAIN - SECRETAIRE DESTAT- 1610 »
 

This multimillion result shows that the art market has recognized the importance of the sculpture. The recent rekindling of interest in classical art that we are observing is here confirmed, in this case specifically with a work of classical sculpture.

Beyond the historic result, this recently rediscovered masterpiece not only represents an important discovery for art history but has also allowed us to bring attention to Paul Phélypeaux de Pontchartrain, minister to Henri IV who also served Henri III, then the Regent Marie de’ Medici and Louis XIII. It was he who managed to stabilize royal power following the assassination of Henri IV and to maintain peace. This remarkable bronze cast, at once theatrical and embodying the values of moral rectitude and the humility of its subject, was conserved for 400 years by the descendants of Paul Phélypeaux de Pontchartrain. Discovered by Géraldine d’Ouince of DE BAECQUE & Associés, this sculpture has been the subject of scientific and technical analyses as well as important archival research done by the experts Alexandre Lacroix and Elodie Jeannest de Gyvès. This long endeavor is what enabled the offices of the expert to attribute this virtuoso bronze to Francesco Bordoni (1574-1654), an artist originally from Florence who became the official sculptor to the king of France. As Élodie Jeannest de Gyvès points out: “we were given the wonderful opportunity to work on an oeuvre that was completely inscribed in the history of French patrimony, to make our own contribution and to advance art historical research.