Painting of the Day: “Silence!” By Jean-Baptist Greuz, 1759

Silence!
Jean-Baptist Greuz, 1759
Acquired by King George IV, 1817\
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Images Courtesy of Her Majesty
Queen Elizabeth II

This French painting was acquired by King George IV in 1817. It was a peculiar purchase for the King who wasn’t prone to picking domestic genre scenes. He was, however, enchanted by all things French, and perhaps this intimate painting with its frank depiction of raising children, put him in mind of French attitudes toward life.


This handsome piece comes from the hand of Jean-Baptist Greuz who achieved considerable fame with his paintings of Eighteenth-Century, French domestic life. This work from 1759 who created, along with a companion piece for one of Greuz’s most loyal patrons who allowed the works to be displayed that year at the Paris Salon.

The following was displayed on a card alongside the painting:

A Painting representing Rest, characterized by a Woman who obliges her son to be silent by pointing to her other sleeping children.

The rather disheveled little boy has been up to considerable mischief. We can see that he’s been irritating his mother by making noise on his toy trumpet. We can assume that he’s responsible for the broken drum which hangs from the back of the chair of the slumbering child. His mother urges him, “Silence,” by pointing at the other little boy who is fast asleep.

The companion painting to this work showed the same mother with the disheveled boy. That painting, entitled “The Spoilt Child,” depicted a scene of paternal indulgence as the mother watches her son feed his dinner to a happy dog.

Gifts of Grandeur: The Fabergé Border Terrier, 1907-1908

Border Terrier of Agate and Rose Diamonds
1907-1908, part of the Sandringham Commission
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

This Fabergé figure is part of King Edward VII’s Sandringham Commission which ordered the creation of a menagerie of animals made of gold and precious stones for Queen Alexandra. The animals depicted in these figures reflected the many which lived at Sandringham House.

Made between 1907 and 1908, this sculpture of agate is set with rose-cut diamonds, and depicts a Border terrier. Border Terriers were just one of the many breeds kept in the kennels at Sandringham. The sculptor, now unknown, has done an excellent job capturing the playful character and inquisitive nature of the dog.  

This Week's Schedule

Bertie's cake is looking at you.

I apologize for the spotty posting this week.  Sometimes, reality intrudes on my search for the beauty in life.  

We do have a lot of beautiful things coming up, and, when I can get myself back on track, I'll be posting them.

Among the posts in store for you are upcoming new chapters of A Recipe for Punch as we continue to follow Punch's ordeal in Yorkshire.  And, we have two Treats of the Week.  The second treat of the week is the unveiling of Bertie's annual birthday cake which regular readers will know as being quite the event.  The picture above gives you a teaser of what's ahead.

Object of the Day: A Westie Cigarette Card from Player’s Cigarettes

Click image to enlarge.

In 1875, the Allen and Ginter Tobacco Company started producing cigarette cards. These chromolithographs, printed on card stock, depicted a wide range of subjects from celebrities and historical figures to animals and plants. By 1877, the phenomenon had come to the U.K. when W.D. and H.O. Wills began printing similar collectible cards. These precursors to “bubble gum” and “baseball cards” were a nifty marketing gimmick, and, soon, people all over the world were collecting them.

In the last year, I’ve amassed a rather sizeable collection of antique cigarette cards—most of which you’ve seen on this site, and mostly relating to the British Royal Family. However, every now and then, there’s one which just stands out. For obvious reasons, this Player’s Cigarette card is a favorite.

The front of the card depicts a jaunty West Highland White Terrier—some ancestor of my Bertie. He is labeled as what he is, and, is engaged in the sort of earth sport which terriers enjoy.

The reverse of the card, from a series showcasing handsome canines, reads:

DOGS 

A SERIES OF 50

----------------

47 

West Highland White 

Terrier. 

White Scottish Terriers have 

Been carefully bred by the 

Malcolm family at Poltalloch 

for a hundred years or more, 

and the modern West Highland 

White Terrier has been evolved 

from that game and “varmint” 

old stock. They are very closely 

related to the Cairn Terrier, 

differing only in colour and 

being slightly larger. They 

should have harsh coats about 

2 ins. Long and be pure white in 

colour, any other colour being 

strongly objected to. Weight: 

dogs, 17 lbs., bitches, 16 lbs. 

Height at shoulder 9 to 11 ins. 

ISSUED BY 

JOHN PLAYER & SONS 

BRANCH OF THE IMPERIAL TOBACCO Co. 

(OF GREAT BRITAIN & IRELAND) Ltd.

Happy Belated Birthday to Bertie!

We are told that he was born on June 11, 2000. But, we don’t know that for sure. His first vet visit was June 11, 2002. You see, the vet took one look at him and, knowing that he’s a Westie, decided that he was fully grown—arbitrarily assigning him an age of two years.

Ah, but my Bertie was not fully grown. Sure, maybe on that day in 2002, he appeared to be a full-sized Westie. But, no one accounted for him being a GIANT Westie. He grew—and grew—and grew some more. And, now, he’s the biggest Westie I’ve ever seen. But, that makes him all the better. So, today, he could be twelve. Or a little over ten. Who knows?

Regular readers already know Bertie’s story. Booted out of a chicken coop for chasing chickens as a puppy, found by a rescue organization and adopted by yours truly. Bertie is stubborn and intelligent. He likes to go to parties. He loves to open presents. He enjoys shopping trips. Rides in the car are the best! Bertie is sweet and loving. Some dogs tear apart their toys, Bertie kisses his. Bertie has definite opinions and is not shy about expressing them. He doesn’t like his feet touched, but, if you do, he won’t bite, he’ll lick your hand. That’s my Bertie. I love him.

He's also very loved by the rest of his family which now includes a rather rotund orange lady-cat named Oscar.  Here's further evidence of Bertie's good nature.  How many terriers would adopt a stray cat as their own?

Yesterday marks the assigned anniversary of Bertie's birth.  And, this past weekend, he enjoyed a celebration of our joy to have him in our lives.  You'll be seeing more of that in upcoming posts.
So, happy birthday to my Bertie—however old you are. I’ve enjoyed these past ten years more than you can comprehend. Here’s to ten more… Make sure to keep an eye out for this week’s “Treat of the Week” to see pictures from Bertie’s birthday party.

Mastery of Design: The Castellani Peace Necklace, 1870

Micromosaic and gold necklace
Castellani, 1870
The Victoria & Albert Museum

The Roman jewelry company of Castellani is considered as one of the first and finest makers of jewelry based on various ancient styles which had been uncovered through then-recent archaeological findings.

Alessandro Castellani remarked upon the firm’s introduction of micromosaic jewelry based on archaeological finds:  "At the time when we took up the subject the greater number of those who followed the occupation of working in mosaic at Rome were almost unemployed; […] We therefore applied mosaics to classical jewellery, imitating at first the antique scenic masks, and many Greek and Latin inscriptions, and our designs were very soon copied elsewhere."

This necklace of gold, made in 1870, shows Castellani’s fine micromosaic work with its woven chain of diverse-shaped pendants matching on each side. The medallions are arranged symmetrically on the chain and depict various symbols of peace, starting at hook clasp: a cherub, doves of peace, two crosses, another cherub and the Christian chi-rho motif; the central pendant with Cupid. The large pendants are hung with smaller pendants which show: roses, christian symbols, flowers, bunches of grapes and the moon and sun.

This necklace is part of an import parure which was once owned by Rosalinde Gilbert who, along with her husband, Sir Arthur, donated this suite along with their impressive collection of gems, gold, snuffboxes, enamels, portrait miniatures and other assorted treasures to the V&A.  

Her Majesty's Furniture: The Thomas Hopper Wardrobe, 1820-30

Wardrobe
Thomas Hopper, 1820-30
From Gosford Castle
The Victoria & Albert Museum

While this wardrobe appears rather unusual, the interior is quite typical for what it is. Made between 1820 and 1830, this is the work of Thomas Hopper (1776-1856) who first trained as a surveyor. Hopper’s first major commission was the Gothic Conservatory which he added to Carlton House, London in 1807, for the Prince Regent, later King George IV.

Hopper established himself as a designer of grand country houses, working in various styles. The most admired of his designs, however, were his Norman-style castles of Gosford and Penryhn, for which he also designed the copious amounts of furniture which were required. Among them, was this handsome wardrobe.

This wardrobe was probably made for Gosford Castle, since it does not resemble any of the Penrhyn furniture. The contents of Gosford were all sold off in the 1920s, allowing this piece to be liberated to the V&A.

The front of the wardrobe is marked by concentric rounded arches which are decorated with variations on zig-zag carving and roll moldings. These are supported by columns with incised decoration. Animal figures grace the spandrels and figurative decoration appears underneath the main arch which is also surmounted by an overhanging cornice and deep pediment.