MURAT KING OF NAPLES Ewer and its basin, important... Lot 166

MURAT KING OF NAPLES Ewer and its basin, important set, work of Martin Guillaume Biennais for Joachim Murat, King of Naples. -Ewer Large spout in shuttle decorated with palms, foliage, feathers and small flowers on a background amati, underlined by a frieze of stripes of heart. Shoulder decorated with palms and flowers on moving feet enriched with alternating leaves and water leaves. Body richly decorated with a frieze of laurel, winged caryatids linked by garlands of laurel leaves with ribbons and flowers, enriched at the base with winged griffins. Handle with swan and chiselled laurel branch, ending with a scroll decorated with columns. The base is surrounded by a series of heart-shaped stripes and decorated with a series of stylized feathers on an amatized background. Pedestal decorated with a series of cut ovals, surmounting a string of small pearls and decorated with foliage, surrounded by water leaves at the base. The foot is engraved with the large arms of King Joachim Murat. -Basin Large basin in vermeil, circular, on piedouche, decorated and chiseled on the edge of a series of water leaves, engraved inside the base, in the center of the large arms of King Joachim Murat, surrounded by a crown of laurel leaves engraved and enriched with a large decoration of scrolls, foliage and reeds. Pedestal enriched with a decoration of three friezes, the first one with pearled decoration, the second one with acanthus and arrows alternating and the third one with interlacing decoration. B.E. First Empire period, around 1809 for both pieces. Traces of use and rubbing. Slight beginning of crack on the foot of the handle of the ewer. Ewer: Hallmark 950 Coq 1 (Paris, 1809-1819) Hallmark of medium guarantee (Paris, 1809-1819) Hallmark of goldsmith Biennais, with monkey. Signature under the foot : " Biennais Goldsmith of LL MM Imperial and Royal and of His Majesty the King of Holland in Paris ". Height : 41 cm. Maximum width : 20 cm. Width at the foot : 11 cm. Net weight : 2 842 g. Basin: Hallmark 950 Coq 1 (Paris, 1798-1809) Hallmark of average guarantee (Paris, 1798-1809) Hallmark of goldsmith Biennais, with monkey. Hallmark of the association of goldsmiths. Signature under the foot : " Biennais Goldsmith of LL MM Impériales et Royales in Paris ". Height : 22 cm. Maximum width : 51 cm. Width at the foot : 21 cm. Net weight : 4 486 g. Provenance : -Italian branch of the descent of Joachim MURAT, King of Naples. -Christies private sale, September 2014. -Private collection. Biographies : Martin-Guillaume Biennais (1764-1843), tabletier received master in 1788, bought the same year the modest background of the tabletier Claude-Louis Anciaux which he developed. Under the Consulate, he agrees to supply the 1st Consul Bonaparte on credit. The latter, now Emperor, was grateful and made him his goldsmith. The Revolution having abolished the guild system, Biennais took advantage of it to extend his activity to goldsmithing, thus offering his customers luxury objects of which he mastered all the manufacturing stages. Under the Empire, his business grew considerably and under the Restoration, his attachment to the Emperor deprived him of royal orders, but he received several orders from abroad. In 1821, he sold his business to Jean-Charles Cahier. Joachim Murat (1767-1815). Marshal of France, king of Naples Officer (1792) and aide-de-camp to Bonaparte in Italy (1796), he then participated in the 18-Brumaire and married Caroline Bonaparte (January 1800). Member of the Corps Législatif (1803), governor of Paris (1804), marshal (1804), grand admiral and prince of the Empire (1805), grand duke of Berg and Cleves (March 1806-July 1808), he took part in the German campaign of 1806-1807 (capitulation of Lübeck, Eylau, capture of Königsberg). As commander-in-chief of the Spanish army, he suppressed the Madrid insurrection (May 2, 1808). He became king of Naples (July) under the name of Joachim Napoleon, he seized Capri and carried out important reforms in his kingdom: tax relief, abolition of feudalism. Although he conspired with Talleyrand and Fouché (1809), he escaped disgrace and took part in the Russian campaign, where he distinguished himself at the Moskova. Put at the head of the army after Napoleon's departure (December 1812), he left his post to Prince Eugene (January 1813) to return to Naples. After having fought in Dresden and Leipzig, he signed a treaty with Vienna and London guaranteeing him his States (January 11, 1814). He tried to rally to Napoleon during the Hundred Days and, after Waterloo, took refuge in Corsica, from where he tried to reconquer his kingdom. Captured in Calabria, he was shot (October 13). History: This exceptional set was intended for an Athenian woman. The models of these pieces of silverware were drawn by Percier for Biennais. The preparatory drawings for these Athenians can be found in the collections of the Decorative Arts, with basins with or without feet, and ewers of