Short-Lived Luxury at Berlin Court

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

Varnish manufacturer and designer coming from Spa in current Belgium, Gerhard Dagly was installed since 1686 in Berlin, where he developed a style of furniture and furnishing of great refinement in the baroque style.

The attribution to this master of a pair of large rectangular mirrors, 197 x 140 cm each, is likely.

At that time the Far East fascinates Europe. The decoration of the mirror frames is lush, but the motifs of Chinese courtiers, palm-trees and garlands of flowers emerge from the imagination of Westerners. The materials are precious: inlaid mother-of-pearl and gilt, Japanned lacquer locally manufactured, all of that in a nice contrast from a black background.

This lot is being sold by Christie's in London on October 28. Its rarity is certainly the cause of the very open estimate: 200 to 400 K£.

Dagly's sponsor, King Frederick I of Prussia, died in 1713. The history of art does not need to know the name of his son who succeeded him. Preferring war to luxury, the "Sergeant King" fired all the artists including Dagly who died shortly after.

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

Luxury and scarcity: the price, 290 K£ including premium, is very good.