Lot 22: Jean Baptist van der Meiren (Antwerp 1664-c. 1708)

A capriccio of a Mediterranean port scene with a four-master, a town and mountains beyond; and A Mediterranean coastal landscape with merchants and herdsmen with a capriccio of a port and a mountain beyond
the first signed 'Jb.vander meiren f' (lower right); and the second indistinctly signed (lower left)
oil on copper
8 1/8 x 9 3/4 in. (20.5 x 24.7 cm.); 8 x 9 7/8 in. (20.3 x 25.1 cm.)
a pair (2)

THE PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE MARQUIS DE CALVIÈRE (1693-1776)
(LOTS 22-30)
Though born under the reign of Louis XIV, Charles François, Marquis de Calvière (1693-1776), had more in common with the honnête homme of the 18th Century. In fact, Diderot's description of the model collector as a person who would have 'a heart open to all sorts of charms, a soul capable of an infinity of different enthusiasms' makes a fine introduction to the Marquis. His intellectual curiosity and thirst to acquire rare objects was shown in his abundant collection of paintings, drawings and objets d'art, as well as books and furniture and more besides.

A provincial nobleman from Languedoc, in 1711 he became page to Louis XIV and in 1714 first page to Louis XV. He later became a close friend of Madame de Pompadour, herself a great patroness of the arts. Like the Marquise, he developed a network of the most famous hommes de lettres, for example Voltaire, whom he met as a member of the Société des Antiquités de Cassel. He also developed friendships with painters (Charles Coypel), savants (Jacques Cassini), musicians (Jean-Philippe Rameau), dealers in objets d'arts (Edmé-François Gersaint) and collectors (Comte de Caylus). It was this network of friends and correspondents that enabled the Marquis to nurture his collection.

Despite being hindered by financial concerns, the Marquis de Calvière successfully managed to dedicate himself entirely to his two passions: firstly, the construction of the Château de Vézénobres in Languedoc; and secondly, the development of his collection. It is evident that he not only collected works by his contemporaries (see for example lot 29), but also kept up with the big sales of his time, carefully marking his catalogues with prices realised and lots he succeeded in obtaining.
After the death of the Marquis de Calvière, there were a number of private and public sales of his collection, notably that of 1779 at the print dealers, Joullain le Fils. The sale lasted a fortnight and included paintings, drawings, sculptures, prints and books. The Louvre, the Bibliothèque National in Paris and the Calvet d'Avignon all own objects with a Calvière provenance. Most recently, Christie's, Paris, offered a collection of old master drawings formerly belonging to the Marquis de Calvière (17 December 2003).

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium, which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.