Auction
LA MAISON SÉMONVILLE
BY JOHN COURY & FLORENT MAILLARD

On November 8, 2023, Aguttes will auction the contents of the Sémonville House in Neuilly-sur-Seine, an apartment within a private mansion in Paris IV. This interior has been transformed and reimagined by John Coury and Florent Maillard, interior architects and decorators. This unique and lived-in space brings together objects, furniture, and artworks ranging from antiquity to the present day.
"In our exciting mission as dream creators, we place special importance on the quality of details. We prioritize the rhythm and symmetry of architecture, the poetry of decor, and the sensuality of materials and finishes." John Coury & Florent Maillard
Masterfully integrated into a private mansion dating back to 1630 in the 4th arrondissement of Paris, this collection of 150 lots estimated between €100 and €300,000 will be auctioned off on November 8, 2023, at Aguttes.
The Orient as a Common Thread By inhabiting the former residence of the Marquis de Sémonville, a French diplomat who lived in the Ottoman Empire, the two interior designers have ensured the preservation of the place's soul and have infused multiple Oriental touches. This includes 92 engravings by Charles de Ferriol, a French ambassador sent by Louis XIV to the Sublime Porte, as well as the Allegory of the Orient by Jan Boeckhorst and a pair of paintings by Andrea Vicentino, an Italian Renaissance painter.


Important set of 92 prints, all taken from the collection of one hundred prints representing the various nations of the Levant executed from nature in 1707 and 1708 on the orders of Mr. de Ferriol, ambassador of the King.
A remarkable suite, nearly complete, all the prints are framed by the Maison L'Oiseau Bleu with a painted mat.
Height: 35 cm - Width: 25 cm (sight)
Estimate: €15,000 - €20,000


Jan Boeckhorst Born in Münster, 1604 - 1668,
Antwerp Allegory of the Orient Oil on canvas,
126 x 106 cm
Estimate: €20,000 - €30,000



Andrea Vicentino or Andrea Michieli Vicence,
1542 - 1617 Venice, Ottomans and Venetians
Oil on canvas (pair)
49.2 x 249 cm (each)
Estimate: €20,000 - €30,000

Eclecticism and Harmony of the Sémonville House
Assembled over five years, this collection is characterized by a carefully balanced eclecticism, which serves as its guiding principle. For example, two statues in carved and polished sandstone by Stefan Rinck, depicting two frogs playing with balls, are juxtaposed with a bargueño (16th - 17th century).

Stefan Rinck (born in 1973) Ballplayer #5 #6
Sandstone sculptures - 2014
Dimensions: 50 x 30 x 27 (35) cm
Estimate: €15,000 - €18,000

"The first time I entered the Sémonville House, I truly felt that everything had always been there, every object, every artwork in its rightful place. This is the great talent of John Coury and Florent Maillard: creators of harmony."

Grégoire de Thoury, Head of the Furniture and Decorative Arts Department

Large "VARGAS" bargueño, made of walnut wood partly gilded and inlaid with bone.
The drop-front of the upper cabinet is equipped with hardware revealing an interior with numerous drawers and compartments.
The cabinet stands on a base with four drawers in two rows, and the top. Spain - 16th or 17th century.
Height: 153 cm - Width: 110 cm - Depth: 43 cm (Accidents, losses, and restorations)
Estimate: €10,000 - €15,000

Here, each of the carefully chosen art objects and artworks, sourced from auction houses, antique dealers across Europe, or collected during travels, has found its place. Through their personal selection, the two connoisseurs have infused poetry and sensuality while also respecting the history and spirit of the place. As a result, one can observe that the 17th century, the era when this private mansion was created, predominates in the Sémonville House.

A Frozen Moment
A portrait of Charles II de Lorraine, Duke of Mayenne, captured the attention of John Coury and Florent Maillard due to its realistic treatment (16th century - estimate: €6,000 - €8,000). The two aesthetes reveal that, a week after acquiring this portrait, they found the portraits of Charles II de Lorraine's father and uncle: François de Lorraine, Duke of Aumale and later Guise, and Cardinal Charles de Lorraine, at a renowned antique dealer in Place des Sablons (Brussels). With a certain sense of emotion and satisfaction, these two enthusiasts were able to reunite the three members of this illustrious family in the salon of the Sémonville House.


French School from the early 17th century
Portrait of François de Lorraine, Duke of Aumale and then of Guise (1519-1563)
Oil on canvas, Monogrammed in the lower left corner "IAO"
201.5 x 111 cm
Estimate: €50,000 - €60,000 for the pair


French School from the early 17th century
Portrait of Cardinal Charles de Lorraine (1524-1574)
Oil on canvas 193 x 106.5 cm
Estimate: €50,000 - €60,000 for the pair

"This auction, which will take place at Aguttes on November 8, 2023, allows us to immortalize the Sémonville House." John Coury and Florent Maillard
The auctioning of this unique collection allows it to leave a mark in time, while the two interior designers are already dedicating themselves to a new personal project... As founders of CM Studio Paris, John Coury and Florent Maillard also offer their expertise to individuals who wish to renovate and decorate a place steeped in history.

Other notable lots.


Large rectangular "aux Mavelots" mirror with a core of blackened wood, the stepped frame adorned with highly elaborate applications of embossed gilded copper depicting Mavelots at each of the corners.
Louis XIV period.
Height: 120 cm - Width: 100 cm
Estimate: €10,000 - €15,000


Attributed to Giusto Sustermans Antwerp, 1597 - 1681,
Florence Portrait of Gilberto Pio de Savoy in armor (1639-1676)
Oil on canvas 134.6 x 98.7 cm.
PROVENANCE Sotheby's Auction (London), November 2, 2000,
Lot #353 Jean-Louis Remillieux Auction, Christie's (Paris),
September 28-29, 2015, Lot #488.
Estimate: €8,000 - €10,000

Public Auction
Wednesday, November 8, 2023, at 2:30 PM

Public Exhibition
Thursday, November 2, and Friday, November 3,
then Monday, November 6, and Tuesday, November 7: 10 AM – 1 PM and 2 PM – 6 PM Wednesday, November 8: 10 AM – 12 PM

Contact
Sophie Perrine
+33 (0) 1 41 92 06 44
perrine@aguttes.com