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from Christie's auction in late September the sale of Hélène Rochas' personal property caught my attention. How could one miss this?
Japanese+woman+with+red+table3Christies+-+Copy.jpg)
This Balthus painting is one I've long favoured and admired-that takes in a great deal-and there are a number of his paintings I am drawn to. I recently read the Balthus memoir-Vanished Splendors as told to Alan Vircondolet. Like most memoirs-it gives us what one wants seen-but for me-this is ideal. It gives up Balthus as he saw himself. Let others think what they will about us-I say.
The painting reflects the apartment-an exquisite craving - a passionate torture-slaked with the pale coolness of white.That pale- punctuated by a fog of grey and blush following strict lines controlling a cinched feminine bow.
About the paintings- and the woman that owned them?
Hélène Rochas, wife of Marcel Rochas-heir to the ROCHAS fashion fortune-had exquisite taste-her husband's. Only 18 when the pair married, Hélène was just 30 when ROCHAS died suddenly. It was Marcel Rochas-along with decorator George Geoffrey who set the apartment in motion and upon his death in 1955-she continued to define it-refine it and establish her own decorating style. Their daughter Sophie explains of her father in WWD, “He was an artist to his fingertips, which meant he decided what my mother wore, the tablecloths, the menus, the porcelain. He was omnipresent — probably too much so, even."
“It’s a form of taste that has practically died out, in which styles and eras are brought together with elegance and sobriety. The walls are white, the curtains are plain and what stands out is the beauty of the artworks,I think it’s extremely Parisian.” -François de Ricqlès of Christie's on the apartment's decoration
I see it as decoration at its best.Ruhlmann and Eileen Gray pieces dominated the Music Room-set off by deep lacquered walls-a portrait by Fabio Rieti- is a standout to my mind-even beyond the Warhol.
A few of my favourite things from the Sale, a pair of terra cotta sphinx, two handbags center,& at top r.-and a Pierre Le-Tan painting that depicts Daisy Fellowes in costume as the Queen of Africa, at the Beistegui Ball.
Madame's bedroom-with a standing mirror-as in the Balthus painting-and above the bed a portrait of her and her two young children by Lenore Fini painted in 1947.
Frédéric Mitterrand's preface for the Christie's auction reflects the sphere Madame Rochas orbited in: "Café society was taken over by the artistic dialogue present between some of man's most creative and brightest artists, and that of an unfettered woman, all of whom have since disappeared, and were in love with Hélène in their own way."
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from Christie's auction in late September the sale of Hélène Rochas' personal property caught my attention. How could one miss this?
image from Christie's
"presque fée"
“almost a fairy.” -Paul Éluard (referring to Hélène)
Japanese+woman+with+red+table3Christies+-+Copy.jpg)
Balthus' painting- Japonaise a la table rouge.
the model-Setsuko Ideta-the painter’s wife
the painting fetched $2,974,075
This Balthus painting is one I've long favoured and admired-that takes in a great deal-and there are a number of his paintings I am drawn to. I recently read the Balthus memoir-Vanished Splendors as told to Alan Vircondolet. Like most memoirs-it gives us what one wants seen-but for me-this is ideal. It gives up Balthus as he saw himself. Let others think what they will about us-I say.
The painting reflects the apartment-an exquisite craving - a passionate torture-slaked with the pale coolness of white.That pale- punctuated by a fog of grey and blush following strict lines controlling a cinched feminine bow.
About the paintings- and the woman that owned them?
this Warhol portrait of Mme.fetched $233,539.
Hélène Rochas, wife of Marcel Rochas-heir to the ROCHAS fashion fortune-had exquisite taste-her husband's. Only 18 when the pair married, Hélène was just 30 when ROCHAS died suddenly. It was Marcel Rochas-along with decorator George Geoffrey who set the apartment in motion and upon his death in 1955-she continued to define it-refine it and establish her own decorating style. Their daughter Sophie explains of her father in WWD, “He was an artist to his fingertips, which meant he decided what my mother wore, the tablecloths, the menus, the porcelain. He was omnipresent — probably too much so, even."
“A new style was created, and it was truly a revelation. I would even say it was a revolution in taste.” Hubert de Givenchy
a young Hélène juxtaposed with a Wassily painting from her collection, "Brown Silence" that sold for $2,753,952.
“It’s a form of taste that has practically died out, in which styles and eras are brought together with elegance and sobriety. The walls are white, the curtains are plain and what stands out is the beauty of the artworks,I think it’s extremely Parisian.” -François de Ricqlès of Christie's on the apartment's decoration
I see it as decoration at its best.Ruhlmann and Eileen Gray pieces dominated the Music Room-set off by deep lacquered walls-a portrait by Fabio Rieti- is a standout to my mind-even beyond the Warhol.
from the Architectural Digest archives here
along with many more photographs from the apartment
Fabio Rieti portrait of Mme.
the painting sold for $9,677
Christie's image
Mme., with sphinx on the mantle, sold for $30,644.
A few of my favourite things from the Sale, a pair of terra cotta sphinx, two handbags center,& at top r.-and a Pierre Le-Tan painting that depicts Daisy Fellowes in costume as the Queen of Africa, at the Beistegui Ball.
another Le-Tan drawing from the auction
image from French Vogue
Madame's bedroom-with a standing mirror-as in the Balthus painting-and above the bed a portrait of her and her two young children by Lenore Fini painted in 1947.
image from my clippings
Another view of the bedroom
from Architectural Digest
Frédéric Mitterrand's preface for the Christie's auction reflects the sphere Madame Rochas orbited in: "Café society was taken over by the artistic dialogue present between some of man's most creative and brightest artists, and that of an unfettered woman, all of whom have since disappeared, and were in love with Hélène in their own way."
The sale brought in
$20,340,905, double the auction’s presale estimate, with 95% of
the 268 lots sold.
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What a fabulous way to begin a Monday, your post on Madame Rochas. It is a keeper for me to view and view and view again.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
Judith, many thanks-though I am terribly behind in the news flash aspect of the story since the sale was 27 Sept!, but there is so much "content" there I could not resist. pgt
DeleteI am further behind than you; I have my notes gathered but have yet to write the post! I like your 'take' on it, however.
ReplyDeletethat makes me feel a little better tdc. I look forward to your story-as always. PGT
DeleteVanished Splendours! The memoir -the rooms, a way of life. Love the Balthus painting, and the real treat for me, personally, is the Pierre Le Tan illustrations!
ReplyDeleteAll of this a pleasure to see.
Pierre Le-Tan Perfection me thinks!
Delete