98th Auction
2018/11/10
Lot 361
Attributed to Les Frères Huaut, 32 mm, 26 g, circa 1630
A charming gold enamel verge pocket watch "Heracles and Omphale"
Case: gold and polychrome enamel. Dial: gold, white and polychrome enamel. Movm.: later bridge movement approx. 1840, keywind, three-arm brass balance.
The tiny pocket watch is decorated on the back with a polychrome enamel painting showing Heracles and Omphale. The edge has four vignettes with castles and farmsteads in mountain landscapes separated by ornamental flower bands. The inside is decorated with a maiden walking along the bank of a river towards a hamlet. In the centre of the dial sits an enamel cartouche with a painting of Cupid and a pair of lovers.
The cases painted by Les deux Frères Huaut on enamel were among the finest examples of their kind from the Geneva School and were not only highly valued when originally made, but remained as art treasures in the centuries that followed; a perfect example is this watch case, which was deemed of such excellent quality that it merited a custom made movement, at the beginning of the 19th century. Apparently several examples of cases enamelled by members of the Huaud family were still available at the period, for many watches with later movement by other makers, are known to have been specially made to be housed in Huaud cases.
Pierre was the founder of the Huaud dynasty and born in 1612 in Geneva as the son of French goldsmith Jean Huaud. He settled in Geneva in 1630 and three of his 11 children became famous enamelists like their father: Pierre II (1647-1698), Jean-Pierre (1655-1723) and Ami (1657-1724). The brothers were most likely trained by their father and worked with him; Pierre II started his own business around 1680. Jean-Pierre and Ami became partners in 1682 and were appointed painters to the Prussian court in 1686, when they moved to Berlin and started working for Elector Frederick William of Brandenburg (1620-1688).
Among their most well-known works are: Diana and Actaeon, The Judgement of Paris, The Holy Family, St. John the Baptist, The Nativity, The Adoration of the Shepherds.
A charming gold enamel verge pocket watch "Heracles and Omphale"
Case: gold and polychrome enamel. Dial: gold, white and polychrome enamel. Movm.: later bridge movement approx. 1840, keywind, three-arm brass balance.
The tiny pocket watch is decorated on the back with a polychrome enamel painting showing Heracles and Omphale. The edge has four vignettes with castles and farmsteads in mountain landscapes separated by ornamental flower bands. The inside is decorated with a maiden walking along the bank of a river towards a hamlet. In the centre of the dial sits an enamel cartouche with a painting of Cupid and a pair of lovers.
The cases painted by Les deux Frères Huaut on enamel were among the finest examples of their kind from the Geneva School and were not only highly valued when originally made, but remained as art treasures in the centuries that followed; a perfect example is this watch case, which was deemed of such excellent quality that it merited a custom made movement, at the beginning of the 19th century. Apparently several examples of cases enamelled by members of the Huaud family were still available at the period, for many watches with later movement by other makers, are known to have been specially made to be housed in Huaud cases.
Pierre was the founder of the Huaud dynasty and born in 1612 in Geneva as the son of French goldsmith Jean Huaud. He settled in Geneva in 1630 and three of his 11 children became famous enamelists like their father: Pierre II (1647-1698), Jean-Pierre (1655-1723) and Ami (1657-1724). The brothers were most likely trained by their father and worked with him; Pierre II started his own business around 1680. Jean-Pierre and Ami became partners in 1682 and were appointed painters to the Prussian court in 1686, when they moved to Berlin and started working for Elector Frederick William of Brandenburg (1620-1688).
Among their most well-known works are: Diana and Actaeon, The Judgement of Paris, The Holy Family, St. John the Baptist, The Nativity, The Adoration of the Shepherds.
estimated
12.000—40.000 €
Price realized
-