There are regions whose artistic history cannot be confined to a single school or era. Alsace is one such place.
A cultural crossroads as much as a land of deep-rooted attachment, it has given birth to artists whose work, deeply rooted in their
origins, very early on transcended regional boundaries to engage with the major European movements. It is this richness, both
coherent and diverse, that the ALEXANDRE LANDRE ~ STRASBOURG Auction House has chosen to
celebrate through the ALSATICA department.
Our auction on 28 June 2026 celebrates Alsatian art through over a hundred carefully selected lots. The sale is structured around three main themes: fine art, folk art and antique engravings.
The latter are represented by a lot of original lithographs – printed by Frédéric Émile SIMON, a
19th-century Alsatian artist, a pioneer of chromolithography (colour lithography) and lithographic wash-and-watercolour –
depicting grand and magnificent panoramas of Strasbourg, viewed from the cathedral forecourt.
The art objects are highlighted by a varied selection of glazed earthenware by Théodore DECK, one of which is a
true rarity: two statues depicting a couple dressed in traditional costumes in dazzling colours.
The furnishings are enhanced by a set of designer furniture, sufficient to furnish an entire living room, by Pierre CHAPO.
A large part of the sale consists of modern art paintings from the 19th to the 20th century, highlighting the importance
of this pivotal period for Alsatian art, which was then in full swing. Several major artists are represented here. To name
but a few; Honoré UMBRICHT, honoured by an extraordinary oil on canvas measuring nearly a metre
in width, entitled L’Alsace délivrée, which the artist painted at the end of the Great War in 1918. This work, published in various books and periodicals of the time and as a lithograph, was widely circulated in the region and beyond, contributing to the development of the region’s collective imagery and the Alsatian people’s sense of belonging; Auguste ZWILLER, with an elegant yet daring interior scene, steeped in intimacy, in which a woman offers a glimpse of
a breast whilst reading; Léo SCHNUG, with a gouache entitled Land Schaden, of exceptional quality and dating from his
early artistic period, which, although small in size, exudes a condensed and complex quality through the artist’s virtuoso brushwork.
This work depicts the "damage to the country" inflicted by the war, which has repercussions on the people. Given Schnug’s
notorious reputation and his many troubles linked to his excessive alcohol consumption, the figure depicted, armed
to the teeth and intoxicated, could be a reference to the artist’s own life. Lothar VON SEEBACH is represented by a beautiful
oil portrait of an elegant woman in a hat, named Miss Mary (probably his favourite muse, whom he depicted in numerous
canvases) and Charles SPINDLER by his most famous marquetry piece, ‘D’r Hans im Schnokeloch’, which exists in two formats; we will be presenting the larger and rarer version.
Finally, a significant section dedicated to contemporary Alsatian art will take centre stage at the end of the sale. Here you will find original works by Camille CLAUS, Raymond-Émile WAYDELICH and Christophe MEYER, amongst others.
Through this department, our ambition is clear: to contribute to a rigorous and legitimate reassessment of the place of Alsatian artists
in art history. ALSATICA thus aims to be a place of recognition and transmission, where these works regain
their full aesthetic, historical and heritage significance.
See original version (French)