Paintings

Napoleon's bivouac on the battlefield of Wagram during the night of 5-6 July 1809, (1921)

Napoleon's bivouac on the battlefield of Wagram during the night of 5-6 July 1809, (1921). 'Napoleon la veille de Wagram'. Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821), silhouetted against the campfire, is surrounded by his generals and military staff including Marmont, Davout, Oudinot, Macdonald and Massena. In the background, Berthier writes the orders. The battle, fought at Wagram (Austria), ended in a costly but decisive victory for Napoleon's French and allied army against the Austrian army under the command of Archduke Charles of Austria-Teschen. Engraving by Guttenberg after the drawing from life by Benjamin Zix, and the painting by Roehn in the palace of Versailles, France. From "Napoleon", by Raymond Guyot, [H. Floury, Paris, 1921]

© The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Still Life with Pipe and Matches and Still Life with Herring, Bread, and Cheese (pair), 1858

Still Life with Pipe and Matches and Still Life with Herring, Bread, and Cheese (pair), 1858. The artist was a smoker. In this composition the place of honor is given to a pipe made in Austria around the middle of the 19th century. It is made of precious materials--meerschaum, silver, amber, horn or lacquered wood--that are carefully fashioned, all lovingly rendered by the artist. The cord with a tassel (perhaps of horsehair) is not just a decorative element, it is a security measure in case the precious bowl of the pipe becomes detached from the pipe stem. The pipe is surrounded by ordinary smoker's accessories--a cigar case, a snuffbox, and a match holder in porcelain--all placed on a Turkish rug. The Latin inscription translates: "Use, not abuse." In 1858 Decamps was 55 years old and not in the best of health. Perhaps a doctor had advised him to reduce his consumption of tobacco.

© Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Young girl asleep surrounded by her toys by Irene Probst

Young girl asleep surrounded by her toys - painting by child artist Irene Probst (aged 14), student at the Vienna School for Arts and Crafts (Professor Cizek's course). Frantz Cizek was an artist teacher and reformer of art education-he opened his Juvenile Art Class (Jugendkunstklasse) in Vienna in 1897 and encouraged his students aged 5-14 years old to express themselves freely in an unencumbered atmosphere -some of the results are outstanding, such as this example. Date: circa 1920