Louyse Moillon (vers 1610-1696)

It was positively peachy to see the fine results harvested by the delightful Louyse Moillon and her comrades.

These strawberries, cherries, currants and plums look good enough to eat.

A family living in the center of France was the long-time owner of this splendid, newly discovered still life by French painter Louyse Moillon (1610-1696).

With religious and mythological scenes, still lifes, portraits and allegories, there is something for everyone in a sale devoted to Old Masters.

After Chardin's Basket of Strawberries, sold for €24.4M on Wednesday, it was 17th-century painter Louyse Moillon's turn with her red berries. This specialist in the genre of the still life - seduced the taste buds of bidders at €1,647.100M with Aguttes at Drouot! A record for the artist.

We featured the stunning still life by the 16th-century Antwerp-based painter Christian Luycks in an article on March 17th. Today it smashed its estimate: €30,000/40,000, fetching €96,200 with Aguttes at Drouot.

Around 1928, the architect brought back from his trip to Greece with the Duke of Luynes a drawing representing the Tavole Palatine in Metaponte. It will join the collection of the French National Library (BnF). The same sale included a Still Life with Globe by Christian Luyckx that doubled its high estimate.

With total sales revenue of €295.7M, the Drouot Group recorded a 7% increase in the first six months of 2022 compared with the same period in 2021, confirming its central position in the art market.

The rediscovery of this work by Murillo was a red-letter event for the art market, triggering a fervor that matched the anticipation simmering for several weeks. But it was not the only piece that inspired a battle.

Though not part of the Riechers collection, sold during the same sale by Ader, a Nature Morte aux quetsches (Still life with damsons) by Louise Moillon (1610-1696) still fetched the highest bid in the catalogue when it soared up to €588,800 on 24 June at Drouot.