Mastery of Design: A Gold Box with a Bust of a Medieval Emperor, c. 1824

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Made in Vienna between 1824 and 1866, this oval, gold, hinged box boasts a lis with a cast and enameled relief bust of a medieval King/Emperor.  He's wearing a crown and a regal cloak adorned with roundels emblazoned with imperial eagles. The entire box is decorated with elaborate enamel decoration overall--scrolls, swags, and husks on a matted ground. The base is appointed with a funerary urn in relief.

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

The box was given to King George V, King of the United Kingdom (1865-1936) by the Earl of Iveagh on His Majesty's birthday on June 3, 1924.

Saturday Sparkle: The Georges Fouquet Brooch, 1903

Brooch
Georges Fouquet
1903
The Victoria & Albert Museum

We wrap up our week-long celebration of beautiful brooches with this amazing French piece by Georges Fouquet. The brooch, which dates t 1903, is a work in gold and silver with a subtle relief of young women, framed by diamonds and decorated with a sprig of mistletoe in enameled gold and pearls. 

This is the perfect example of Edwardian era jewelry as designs transitioned from the florid pieces of the Victorian era to the more stylized Art Nouveau and Art Deco. This piece is firmly in the middle of these design trends and shows both the sentimentality of the past century and the stylization of the Twentieth. 

Mastery of Design: The Van der Straeten Pendant, 1901

Today's sparkly thing is a pendant of gold set with diamonds that also doubles as a locket. The front of the locket features the head and shoulders of a woman. Instead of a photo, the locket conceals a handy mirror.

The Victoria & Albert Museum


The female form was an important theme in Art Nouveau jewelry and the entire movement glorified the idea of idealized feminine beauty. This is personified here with this depiction of a graceful woman with flowing, upswept hair.

The gold relief is the work of Georges van der Straeten who was a sculptor born in Ghent in 1856 and who worked mainly in Paris until his death in 1928. It is inscribed on the reverse 'Monte Carlo 13 March 1901' around a sprig of mistletoe.

Sculpture of the Day: A Wax Relief Plaque of Queen Anne, early 19th C.

Polychrome Wax Relief
Samuel Percy, early 19th C.
The Victoria & Albert Museum

We’ve looked at other bas relief wax tablet portraits before.  There’s something interestingly odd about this one which is said to depict Queen Anne.  We see the Queen, rendered in polychrome wax, wearing an alarmingly low-cut gown trimmed with ermine and bands of gold across the corsage. The dress is further adorned with the representation of a chemisette of lace.  Queen Anne’s ebony hair falls in curls on her shoulders, and she wears a crown with applied loose pearls on the front arch as well as an applied string of pearls around her neck,

The wax is set within folded drapery of real puce velvet within an oval black frame.  The collection notes’ call the velvet, “purple,” and it may have been at one time, but it seems to have faded to a puce-like taupe.   The curators of the V&A state that, “The purple velvet mounting and possibly the oval frame are modern. The velvet probably replaces the wax draperies generally used by Samuel Percy.”

And, this makes sense.  Originally, when this portrait in wax was created, the background was surely also in wax.  For some reason—probably due to damage—when the tablet was re-framed, the original polychrome wax background was replaced by actual fabric drapery.

This is almost certainly the work of Samuel Percy (1750-1820) who seems to be responsible for the majority of these wax relief portrait plaques.  His style seems to have become more confident over time and this figure from later in his life and career is far more successful than some of the crude portraits of his early life.  

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: Relief: A Piece of Flowers, c. 1750

"A Piece of Flowers," c. 1750
E.M. Diemar, Germnay
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Relief tableaus in wax, in the Eighteenth Century, were a novel way of introducing a dramatic decorative touch into a room. This oval relief in colored wax, depicts a variety of flowers (in somewhat natural colors) including roses, lilies, tulips, convolvulus, a foxglove and a hyacinth.

The piece is signed at the bottom, “E.M. Diemar.”  Diemar (1720-c. 1790) was one of a family of artists and craftsmen in Germany. Unlike his relatives, he concentrated on the production of small works of art, principally in wax.

Gifts of Grandeur: Portrait medal of Isotta degli Atti, 1453-1455

Click on image to enlarge
Portrait Medal of Isotta degli Atti
Italy, 1453-1455
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This is interesting. This cast bronze object, dating to 1453-1455, is an early example of a Renaissance portrait medal. The piece was commissioned to commemorate an Italian beauty called Isotta degli Atti who was celebrated for her incredible gorgeousness. Isotta was the mistress, and, later the third wife of the theatrically named Sigismondo Malatesta, Lord of Rimini.

The obverse depicts a portrait profile of Isotta while the reverse shows an elephant. This may seem to be an odd choice, but when considered in heraldic terms, the elephant was a fitting symbol of the Malatesta family which was meant to convey their strength and power. In this case, it’s an especially fitting choice as it is a definitive link between Isotta and the Malatesta family—created during a time when the woman was still the aristocrats mistress and not his wife. It was a daring proclamation indeed. 

Though the medal was made later, it is inscribed with the date 1446. What’s the significance? 1446 was the year that Isotta became the Lord of Rimini’s mistress as well as the year that she began to encourage him to consolidate his political power.

What was the medal for? Well, it was a way for Lord Rimini to proclaim to the world that this woman—an object of desire for many—was his. Isotta yearned for fame—and this was it. And, to ensure her enduring fame and to forever preserve his conquest, Malatesta had copies of these medals buried within the walls and foundations of the many, many buildings which he commissioned—following the classical Roman tradition of doing such self-conscious things. I’m glad he did. Because of it, many examples of such medals survive to this day, having been uncovered over centuries of remodeling.

According to my pals at the V&A, this design was created by the Veronese medalist Matteo de'Pasti. It’s probable that this was actually meant to be part of a pair of medals—one showing Malatesta and one depicting his mistress. Example of a medal of Malatesta have been found and seem to be by the same artist. The reverse of those shows the palace that he called home.

Sculpture of the Day: A Wax Relief Plaque of Queen Anne, early 19th C.

Polychrome Wax Relief
Samuel Percy, early 19th C.
The Victoria & Albert Museum

We’ve looked at other bas relief wax tablet portraits before.  There’s something interestingly odd about this one which is said to depict Queen Anne.  We see the Queen, rendered in polychrome wax, wearing an alarmingly low-cut gown trimmed with ermine and bands of gold across the corsage. The dress is further adorned with the representation of a chemisette of lace.  Queen Anne’s ebony hair falls in curls on her shoulders, and she wears a crown with applied loose pearls on the front arch as well as an applied string of pearls around her neck,

The wax is set within folded drapery of real puce velvet within an oval black frame.  The collection notes’ call the velvet, “purple,” and it may have been at one time, but it seems to have faded to a puce-like taupe.   The curators of the V&A state that, “The purple velvet mounting and possibly the oval frame are modern. The velvet probably replaces the wax draperies generally used by Samuel Percy.”

And, this makes sense.  Originally, when this portrait in wax was created, the background was surely also in wax.  For some reason—probably due to damage—when the tablet was re-framed, the original polychrome wax background was replaced by actual fabric drapery.

This is almost certainly the work of Samuel Percy (1750-1820) who seems to be responsible for the majority of these wax relief portrait plaques.  His style seems to have become more confident over time and this figure from later in his life and career is far more successful than some of the crude portraits of his early life. 

Sculpture of the Day: The Duke of Cumberland, 1770-1820

Wax Relief, 1770-1820
Depicting the Duke of Cumberland
Samuel Percy
The Victoria & Albert Museum

 

During the Eighteenth and Nineteenth centuries, low relief portraits in wax, such as the one pictured above, became quite popular in Britain.  These sculptures were often exhibited at the Royal Academy, the Society of Artists and elsewhere, but most importantly, they found their way into many wealthy homes after having been commissioned by eager patrons who wished for their images to be made more permanent.  These items served not only as records, but as portable mementos. 

This half-length, three quarter relief depicts Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, in his naval uniform, shown smiling, facing to the right.  It was made between 1770 and 1820 by Samuel Percy (1750-1820), a notable sculpture of the day. 

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: Relief: A Piece of Flowers, c. 1750

"A Piece of Flowers," c. 1750
E.M. Diemar, Germnay
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Relief tableaus in wax, in the Eighteenth Century, were a novel way of introducing a dramatic decorative touch into a room. This oval relief in colored wax, depicts a variety of flowers (in somewhat natural colors) including roses, lilies, tulips, convolvulus, a foxglove and a hyacinth.

The piece is signed at the bottom, “E.M. Diemar.”  Diemar (1720-c. 1790) was one of a family of artists and craftsmen in Germany. Unlike his relatives, he concentrated on the production of small works of art, principally in wax.

Mastery of Design: The Van der Straeten Pendant, 1901

Today's sparkly thing is a pendant of gold set with diamonds that also doubles as a locket. The front of the locket features the head and shoulders of a woman. Instead of a photo, the locket conceals a handy mirror.

The Victoria & Albert Museum


The female form was an important theme in Art Nouveau jewelry and the entire movement glorified the idea of idealized feminine beauty. This is personified here with this depiction of a graceful woman with flowing, upswept hair.

The gold relief is the work of Georges van der Straeten who was a sculptor born in Ghent in 1856 and who worked mainly in Paris until his death in 1928. It is inscribed on the reverse 'Monte Carlo 13 March 1901' around a sprig of mistletoe.

Sculpture of the Day: A Relief of King George V, 1924

The Victoria & Albert Museum

Made in London in 1924, this medal features relief sculptures by Percy Metcalfe on the reverse and Sir Bertram Mackennal on the obverse and was produced by the Royal Mint in bronze. The medal was made for the British Empire Exhibition which opened on St George’s Day, 1924 at Wembley Park in north-west London.


The British Empire Exhibition was to promote trade within the countries of the Empire and to pay homage to those who had fallen during the Great War. This medal, with its handsome bust of King George V, was the winning entry of the competition which was sponsored by the Goldsmith's Company for a medal commemorating the exhibition. Subsequently, it was used as the official award medal for all exhibitors.


It is inscribed:

'GEORGIVS V BRITT: OMN: REX ET IND: IMP:'
'BRITISH EMPIRE / EXHIBITION / 1924'

Saturday Sparkle: The Georges Fouquet Brooch, 1903

Brooch
Georges Fouquet
1903
The Victoria & Albert Museum

We wrap up our week-long celebration of beautiful brooches with this amazing French piece by Georges Fouquet. The brooch, which dates t 1903, is a work in gold and silver with a subtle relief of young women, framed by diamonds and decorated with a sprig of mistletoe in enameled gold and pearls.
This is the perfect example of Edwardian era jewelry as designs transitioned from the florid pieces of the Victorian era to the more stylized Art Nouveau and Art Deco. This piece is firmly in the middle of these design trends and shows both the sentimentality of the past century and the stylization of the Twentieth.

Sculpture of the Day: Relief of an Unknown Man, 1790-1820

Relief of an Unknown Man
possible Sir Francis Burdett
1790-1820
Polychrome Wax
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Prior to photographs, portraiture was the only way to preserve an image. Whether the portrait was in paint or a three-dimensional sculpture, to sit for such a piece of art was considered a symbol of status and financial comfort.


In the late Eighteenth and Early Nineteenth Centuries, the use of wax as a medium became more popular. Wax portraits—especially in low relief—were often created as a tribute to a person who has passed.

This bas relief wax plaque of an unknown man was created between 1790 and 1820. Some believe that this curly-headed gentleman is Sir Francis Burdett, but there’s little evidence to support that claim. Regardless of his identity, it’s a beautiful portrait. Still brightly colored and crisp after two centuries, this gentleman’s visage continues to charm us long after his body has gone to dust.

Term for the Day: Bas Relief

“Bas Relief” refers to the sculptural technique of carving or modeling a subject to appear is if it is rising from a flat plane. The figure is not fully three dimensional as it would be in a free-standing sculpture. Bas relief can either be carved from a flat surface, modeled on top of that surface, or be the result of a casting from a mold. This technique has been used for centuries as a means of giving depth to a work of art without the difficulties of the mechanics of a three dimensional sculpture.

Object of the Day: Art Nouveau Bas Relief Plaque

She appears to be emerging from a mist, the drapery of her robes clinging to her—almost holding her back. This cast spelter bas relief Art Nouveau plaque represents its time period well. Borrowing heavily from the Rococo, with its arced edges and volutes, the plaque depicts a favorite subject of the Art Nouveau—the female form in its most voluptuous. This style defined itself by reimagining the female body in a series of curves and tendrils, playing with tension and weight to depict the body as a fluid, natural entity. The figure appears to be alive, gently writhing to escape the background.

I suspect that this plaque was initially part of a larger piece or grouping of similar objects. However, she is the only one that remains. Mysterious and energetic, this sculpture seems to have a life of its own.