Date: Fri 09-Oct-1998

Publication: Ant

Author: LAURAB

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Paris

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Paris XIX Biennale

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By Michael Connors

PARIS -- The Paris Biennale -- billed as "offering its visitors the

opportunity of exploring the history of all art" -- has the reputation of

being the very best antiques show in the world. This year it truly lived up to

that ideal. The variety and beauty of the objects on display by 122 dealers

and exhibitors from ten countries was incredible.

The Biennale was housed in the Carrousel du Louvre, underneath I.M. Pei's

glass triangle. Two weeks before the opening, some 300 workers and craftsmen

worked around the clock to transform it into a magnificent showplace, complete

with over one hundred living trees. An estimated 90,000 to 100,000 visitors

descended on the Biennale over 17 days. This year, the Biennale ran from

September 19 through October 4.

Each work or object exhibited was vetted by the Object Admission Commission,

made up of 80 specialists. Interestingly, the committee not only examined the

question of authenticity but also the aesthetic value of each piece. These

high standards of quality could be seen in every booth.

A special exhibit entitled "Collectors' Passions" acted as a prologue for the

Biennale. It hung in the reception hall of the Carrousel du Louvre, in the

area known as Charles V moat. This show united 30 works of art that reflected

a range of collectors' passions for sculpture, tapestry, furniture, and

ceramic tiles and set the tone for the theatrical Biennale. These pieces were

also for sale.

Included was a set of Eighteenth Century iron and bronze gates attributed to

Jean Montigny, a French sculptor. The chairs were from Chesterfield House, a

London structure that was demolished in the 1930s. They were offered through

Pelham Galleries for $490,000.

A 1950 table by French designer Jean Prouve was displayed by Galerie

Jousse-Sequin of Paris. It was part of their permanent collection and not for

sale.

While furniture and decorative objects remained one of the focal aspects of

the event, there was an increase in the number of art dealers specializing in

Old Master through Modern paintings, drawings, and sculpture.

These dealers exhibited museum-quality works of Renoir, Balthus, Canaletto,

Braque, Rubens, and Pissarro, to name a few. While the demand remained strong

for Seventeenth and Eighteenth Century objects, there were 20 new dealers this

year specializing in Twentieth Century objects and furniture. Grand-style

pieces included a Louis XV lacquer secretary with scenes of Japan for

$680,000, and a Seventeenth Century harpsichord with gilt carved legs and

interior painted with a musical allegory and putti. The musical instrument was

offered by Pelham Galleries for $2.4 million.

Dealer Albert Vandervelden featured an elaborate walnut cabinet made in

France, circa 1620, with carved panels of battle scenes and knights on

horseback. Twentieth Century items on display included several examples of

Jacques-Emil Ruhlmann pieces. A bar-vitrine from the collection of Karl

Lagerfeld was presented by Vallois Gallery.

In addition, jewelry and rare books and manuscripts, a sector which had

diminished in past years, were back in full force this year. Several pieces of

Art Deco jewelry by Cartier could be found at Balian Castiglione. Illuminated

manuscripts from the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries were featured by

Heribert Tenschert.

Asian art is gaining a foothold at the Biennale, where five Oriental art

specialists now exhibit. Teresa Coleman of Hong Kong displayed a richly

embroidered robe known as a 'chi fu'. It was made for the Chinese Imperial

family in the Nineteenth Century. Dealer Vincent L'Herrou exhibited a number

of Japanese porcelains and oriental bronze statuary.

Not all dealers were unfamiliar with the American market. Didier Aaron's booth

seemed to always have American visitors, as did Axel Vervoordt and Bernard

Steinitz. All three show in the United States. Steinitz mentioned that he was

particularly looking forward to the San Francisco Fall Antiques Show. Axel

Vervoordt, Vallois, and Ariane Dandois are exhibitors at the International

Fine Art and Antique Dealers in New York.

With the display of fine and important articles from every epoch, the Paris

Biennale remains the finest show in the world. In its breadth, beauty, and

quality, it is superior.