A PAIR OF VERY LARGE CORAL-RED-GROUND SILK EMBROIDERED FLORAL CURTAINS...
THE PROPERTY OF A LADY 女士藏品
A PAIR OF VERY LARGE CORAL-RED-GROUND SILK EMBROIDERED FLORAL CURTAINS
19th century
Each panel finely embroidered in varying shades of blue, red, ochre and green with a variety of floral shrubs including narcissi, lotus and peonies, set amidst flittering butterflies, the Eight Auspicious Emblems and branches of large peaches and pomegranates, all on a vibrant coral-red ground, the reverse green.
One curtain, 302cm (119in) high x 222.5cm (87 3/8in) wide; the second, 297cm (117in) high x 224cm (88 1/8in) wide. (2).
十九世紀 紅地緞繡花蝶圖掛屏一對
Provenance: Marie Joséphine Eugénie Brégère-Kromer Violet (1864 - 1921) and thence by descent
來源： Marie Joséphine Eugénie Brégère-Kromer Violet (1864 - 1921)，並由後人保存迄今
Marie Joséphine Eugénie Brégère-Kromer Violet, a wealthy French lady, married Lambert Violet in 1899. Lambert was the son of Simon Violet, a prominent wine producer who, in 1873, created Byrrh, a renowned aromatised wine aperitif blending wine with mistelles and botanicals. Initially marketed as a health tonic, Byrrh faced challenges competing with established local aperitif producers. However, the business thrived, growing from a modest operation to one of significant scale.
The business began modestly with just a few small barrels of wine, but as demand grew, so did the size of the wine barrels. Following Simon's passing in 1891, his son Lambert assumed control of the family business and embarked on the construction of vast cathedral-like cellars in Thuir. These cellars housed 70 oak vats with a combined capacity exceeding 15 million litres of wine, making them the largest in the world upon their inauguration in 1892. By 1910, the company boasted 750 employees and distributed over 30 million litres of Byrrh annually. In 1914, Mary assumed leadership of her husband's enterprise and oversaw its significant expansion, a legacy continued by her children Jacques and Simon in 1920. By 1934, Byrrh had emerged as France's premier aperitif brand, with annual sales reaching approximately 35 million litres.
Exquisitely embroidered with a vibrant array of multicoloured threads, the present curtains are replete with symbols that convey auspicious wishes. Butterflies hudie, symbolise happiness, while peaches are emblematic of longevity, drawing inspiration from the fabled garden of the Queen Mother of the West where they flourished. Lotus flowers, emerging gracefully from muddy waters, symbolise purity but also fertility, evoked by their abundant petals. Similarly, pomegranates, with their abundance of seeds, are associated with progeny, representing fertility and prosperity.
Compare with a related but much smaller pair of green-ground silk embroidered curtains, 19th century, which was sold at Christie's New York, 24 October 2022, lot 906.
Bid on this lot
THE PROPERTY OF A LADY 女士藏品
A PAIR OF VERY LARGE CORAL-RED-GROUND SILK EMBROIDERED FLORAL CURTAINS
19th century
Each panel finely embroidered in varying shades of blue, red, ochre and green with a variety of floral shrubs including narcissi, lotus and peonies, set amidst flittering butterflies, the Eight Auspicious Emblems and branches of large peaches and pomegranates, all on a vibrant coral-red ground, the reverse green.
One curtain, 302cm (119in) high x 222.5cm (87 3/8in) wide; the second, 297cm (117in) high x 224cm (88 1/8in) wide. (2).
十九世紀 紅地緞繡花蝶圖掛屏一對
Provenance: Marie Joséphine Eugénie Brégère-Kromer Violet (1864 - 1921) and thence by descent
來源： Marie Joséphine Eugénie Brégère-Kromer Violet (1864 - 1921)，並由後人保存迄今
Marie Joséphine Eugénie Brégère-Kromer Violet, a wealthy French lady, married Lambert Violet in 1899. Lambert was the son of Simon Violet, a prominent wine producer who, in 1873, created Byrrh, a renowned aromatised wine aperitif blending wine with mistelles and botanicals. Initially marketed as a health tonic, Byrrh faced challenges competing with established local aperitif producers. However, the business thrived, growing from a modest operation to one of significant scale.
The business began modestly with just a few small barrels of wine, but as demand grew, so did the size of the wine barrels. Following Simon's passing in 1891, his son Lambert assumed control of the family business and embarked on the construction of vast cathedral-like cellars in Thuir. These cellars housed 70 oak vats with a combined capacity exceeding 15 million litres of wine, making them the largest in the world upon their inauguration in 1892. By 1910, the company boasted 750 employees and distributed over 30 million litres of Byrrh annually. In 1914, Mary assumed leadership of her husband's enterprise and oversaw its significant expansion, a legacy continued by her children Jacques and Simon in 1920. By 1934, Byrrh had emerged as France's premier aperitif brand, with annual sales reaching approximately 35 million litres.
Exquisitely embroidered with a vibrant array of multicoloured threads, the present curtains are replete with symbols that convey auspicious wishes. Butterflies hudie, symbolise happiness, while peaches are emblematic of longevity, drawing inspiration from the fabled garden of the Queen Mother of the West where they flourished. Lotus flowers, emerging gracefully from muddy waters, symbolise purity but also fertility, evoked by their abundant petals. Similarly, pomegranates, with their abundance of seeds, are associated with progeny, representing fertility and prosperity.
Compare with a related but much smaller pair of green-ground silk embroidered curtains, 19th century, which was sold at Christie's New York, 24 October 2022, lot 906.
