Oil on Board, "Zinnias in a Pewter Pitcher", by Maurice Duvalet

#9924PP. 1949. France/America. This beautiful still life evokes visions of going to the garden on a warm summer day and cutting zinnias to brighten up the house. It was painted by Maurice Duvalet in 1949 (signed right lower corner). Mr Duvalet emigrated from France to the United States right after World War I. He was a very talented high-end jewelry designer who worked successively for Charlton, Cartier, John Rubel, and finally VanCleef & Arpels. He is renowned for his designs of Vancleef & Arpels' ballerina pins that today sell for hundreds of thousand dollars.. In the history of fine jewelry in the 20th Century it is said that Maurice Duvalet “brought chic to everything he touched”. In later years his applied his considerable artistic talent to oil paintings that are highly prized today. The current gold leaf frame was added about 25 years ago. Framed dimensions: 29.5" wide x 25.5" tall. $1,200.00.