Auction introduction: Sotheby’s is pleased to present our Important European Art Sale featuring a large array of Belle Epoque masterpieces, such as the magnificent The Proposal by James-Jacques-Joseph Tissot from the collection of Ralph and Terry Kovel, and a number of rediscovered works, such as William Adolphe Bouguereau’s La sérieuse and Federico Zandomeneghi’s The Two Sisters. Other highlights of the sale include an important group of four works by Bouguereau from the Estate of Lois Fields. The sale also includes a group of marble and bronze sculpture highlighted by Jean-Léon Gérôme’s ravishing life-size tinted marble entitled La Joueuse de Boules, or The Ball Player.