The Grand Tours of the Fifth Count

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

In 1866, Offenbach creates one of his most famous comic operas, "La Vie Parisienne". We still enjoy today his characters of aristocrats from all over the world coming to spend their money in libertinism and social events in Paris.

To those who do not believe in the realism of the story told by Offenbach, let me introduce now the fifth Count Preziosi.

A Maltese aristocrat, he discovered an irresistible vocation as an artist while studying in Paris, which he left to settle permanently in Constantinople. He was very close to the influential British community in this city, for which he assembled sketchbooks of watercolors, and which sponsored his trips to explore the West for arts and leisure.

Comparing two albums provides a fascinating information on how was working this interesting artist, lover of monuments and of animated scenes.

On March 18, 2004, Christie's sold at Paris the album of his 1872 trip, including 79 watercolors. Leaving Constantinople in May, he visited Italy and arrived on June 23 in Paris where he only produced 23 images in ten weeks' stay for his album. Probably not to disappoint his sponsor, he completed it with watercolors of Romania and Constantinople, which he did not date.

On September 16 in London, Bonhams is presenting the 1875 album, which includes 81 watercolors. This time, he started by the Danube, and then spent ten weeks in Paris. After two weeks in London, he embarked at Marseilles for the return journey, whose views are not dated.

Both albums are conceptually very similar. The 1872 realized 230 K€ fees included on an estimate of 70 K €. Bonhams is expecting 320 K£ for the album of 1875. This estimate seems ambitious.

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

Despite the obvious quality of this lot, I thought it would not sell. I was wrong: It realized exactly the low estimate: £ 320 K hammer price (378 K £ including fees).