Pair Of Ivory Portrait Medallions, Signed E. Bellet

■ Pair of round miniature portraits painted on ivory, mounted in brass frames (portrait of a lady and portrait of a gentleman).
■ Each medallion is signed “E. Bellet” in the lower right corner.
■ The signature likely attributes these works to Auguste Émile Bellet (1856–1912), a French painter trained in Alexandre Cabanel’s studio and later at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, who exhibited at the Salon des Artistes Français beginning in 1884 (receiving an honorable mention in 1885) and was made a Knight of the Legion of Honor in 1900. Attribution is proposed based on style and the signature, though without absolute certainty.
■ An “E. Bellet” is documented as a miniaturist active around 1905: In 2023, Sotheby’s presented (Hubert Guerrand-Hermès Collection, online auction, Paris) a miniature portrait of King Charles I of Portugal signed “E. Bellet, circa 1905." This reference supports the dating and the profile of the signatory on this pair as a high-society portraitist.
■ Portrait of a lady: updo adorned with a gem-set aigrette, light-colored lace dress, floral brooch on the bodice—attire and jewelry characteristic of the Belle Époque (circa 1890–1905).
■ Portrait of a gentleman: dark suit, white waistcoat, bow tie, mustache, wearing a small red insignia in his buttonhole, likely a rosette of the Legion of Honor—evening attire from the same period.
■ Diameter: 8.5 cm each.
■ Condition: The portrait of the gentleman shows signs of professional restoration on the right side of the head. The portrait of the lady appears to be in good condition.
■ A beautiful, high-quality pair, in the style of late 19th-century high-society wedding or engagement portraits.