December 2014 | Vancouver Antiques & Vintage Furniture

An Art Deco Christmas Eve

It was around 3 o’clock on Christmas Eve when we pulled into Brussels. We’d been on the road for over 7 days touring the Christmas markets in France and Germany, and visiting Larry’s family. Our final leg of our trip was to spend Christmas Eve with our friends who’d recently moved to Brussels. When I say recently, I mean that same day!

Jeff and his family have been the subject of many of my blogs. I have to say he’s unequivocally my best friend in Europe and I was sad when I learned Jeff and his family were moving to Brussels. For economic reasons, they left Paris like so many other Parisians after Francois Hollande took control and imposed so many unreasonable taxes.

Jeff, Helene, Louis and Constantine on the staircase of their new home

But I could see that his move to Brussels was going to be a happy one. His new house, was nothing short of breathtaking with it’s 5000 sq. ft. of Art Deco detail. From 14ft. ceilings to 4 ft wide crown moulding details, every turn delighted the eye. There’s a large backyard garden for the boys to play in. Their Parisian apartment, while large (100m or 1000 sq. ft) what a fraction of the size of this house and certainly didn’t have a full backyard.

Art Deco details were breathtaking. Look at the grillwork spaning the main salon from petite salon

The house has four floors, an immense garage for four cars, and a large backyard. In European standards this is privileged living.

Photo of me on the sofa in the main living room or salon.

The next photo gives you some idea of the scale of the height of the ceilings in this place.

Larry is over 6’2 to give you some idea of the height of the celings.

Art Deco details were everywhere in this house. The house was originally built in the late 19th Century, with the Art Deco additions done in the early 20th Century. (there were influences of Art Nouveau in the Art Deco details). In the ‘Biz’ we’d call this transitional.

From the grill work to the light fixtures, everything was intact from it’s last restoration. Above the fireplace was a stained glass Art Nouveau/Deco scene of a mermaid in the ocean.

The fireplace was 19th Century and made from solid marble. The above stained glass was added later.

Note the intricated moulding on the ceiling.

I wish I had brought a good camera to capture more of the beauty of this house. As it was an Iphone 5 had to suffice.

It was after 1 in the morning when we wrapped up our visit. Our friends were so excited about their new home, they didn’t want us to go.

Fabulous Wall Sconce measuring over 16″ Tall.

I spotted a fabulous ceiling fixture that was at least 4 ft. long in the main entrance of the house. I would have given anything to find something like this to bring back to Canada.

More Art Deco detail in the entrance of the house.

I hope you enjoyed the tour of this magnificent house. We have an open invitation to stay with them anytime we’re in Brussels. This is one invite I intend to take them up on!

Happy Holidays.

Mark LaFleur
The Antique Warehouse
226 SW Marine Drive,
Vancouver, BC

http://www.antiquewarehouse.ca

Hyatt Regency in Cologne Loves Antiques

In the ultra chic 5* Hyatt Regency in Cologne Germany we spotted this beautiful 19th Century farm table in the entrance foyer of the business class lounge. We’ve always said it…antiques in an ultra modern interior work beautifully. Evidently the designers of this hotel thought so too!

A beautiful 19th Century Farm table graced the foyer of the business class lounge at the 5* Hyatt Regency in Cologne Germany

Happy Holidays!

Mark LaFleur
The Antique Warehouse
Vancouver, Canada.

http://www.antiquewarehouse.ca

Was the Mona Lisa a Chinese Slave, and Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mother?

The elusive identity of the Mona Lisa, one of art history’s most enduring and well-loved mysteries, might have just been solved. Well, sort of. According to art historian Angelo Paratico, the woman portrayed in Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece might be, simultaneously, a Chinese slave and the painter’s mother, the South China Morning Post reports.

However, Paratico is not yet exactly positive about the details of his potentially groundbreaking theory. “I’m sure to a point that Leonardo’s mother was from the Orient, but to make her an oriental Chinese, we need to use deductive method,” he told SCMP.

The Hong-Kong-based historian is giving the final touches to a book entitled Leonardo da Vinci: A Chinese Scholar Lost in Renaissance Italy. “One wealthy client of Leonardo’s father had a slave called Caterina,” Paratico told SCMP. “After 1452, Leonardo’s date of birth, she disappeared from the documents. She was no longer working there.”

Apparently, Caterina (da Vinci’s mother is widely thought to have been named Caterina) was taken to the town of Vinci, outside Florence, to give birth. Paratico’s angle is that she had to be removed from the household due to her improper relationship with her master, Leonardos’ father.

Does the theory sound like a bit of a long shot? Perhaps. But Paratico argues that, already a hundred years ago, the venerable Sigmund Freud claimed that the iconic painting was inspired by da Vinci’s mother, in his 1910 essay, “A Childhood Reminiscence of Leonardo da Vinci.”

Paratico substantiates his thesis further by insisting some aspects of da Vinci’s life suggest an oriental connection. For example, he was left-handed as well as a vegetarian, both of which were uncommon at the time. The art historian also says that Italy was full of oriental slaves during the Renaissance.

He believes that the painting’s background depicts a Chinese landscape, and that the Mona Lisa’s face looks Chinese.

Does it all still sound a little tenuous? Francisco Vizeu Pinheiro, an architect and assistant professor at the University of St Joseph, thinks so, telling SCMP that Paratico is “jumping quickly to conclusions since there’s no concrete evidence.”

Meanwhile, according to the Telegraph, users of the Chinese social media platform Sina Weibo have launched a Chinese-Mona Lisa meme parade, replacing her features with hilarious alternatives, for example the face of the Chinese comedian Zhao Benshan.

“I now understand why her smile looks so mysterious and concealed,” joked a Sina Weibo user. “It’s typically Chinese.”

The Mona Lisa with the superimposed face of Chinese comedian Zhao Benshan.