Masterpiece of the Week: July; Vincennes; The Months; The Royal Residences, 1670-1700

Les Maisons Royales:  Vincennes
Tapestry, 1670-1700
This and all related images from:
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Made between 1670 and 1700, this tapestry is one of a series which represented twelve of the royal residences of France’s Louis XIV—each depicted during a different month of the year. While the subjects were the palaces themselves, these were set in the backgrounds of the compositions while scenes of the luxury and wealth of Royal life took center stage.

The initial concept for the series of “Les Maisons Royales” was the idea of Le Brun, however, the tapestries were made and designed by a variety of artists in the workshop of Lefebvre and Jans. Seven complete sets were made until 1713.

This one, a tapestry of woven wool and silk, shows a woman surrounded by ripe fruit and two large, blue parrots. Elegant outdoor furnishings, exotic birds, an unidentifiable animal with a snout, and a curious dog complete the scene which is meant to frame a depiction of King Louis XIV and his courtiers hunting at the Château de Vincennes. This work was meant to represent “July.”

Precious Time: The Apollo Clock, Late Seventeenth Century



Clock
French
Late Seventeenth
Century
The Royal Collection



King George IV—even as a young prince and Prince Regent—had an insatiable desire to collect objects, especially those related to King Louis XIV of France and Versailles. His lust took Charles Foster Kane-like proportions, so much so that he often never even displayed the items which he collected, but kept them in storage after spending thousands of pounds on them. Was he a Royal hoarder or just passionate? We’ll never know. However, looking at his huge assemblage of items, we do know that he had very good taste.

George IV had such a desire to collect that he was known, as one does, to send his staff members out shopping for him. A favorite was His Majesty’s pastry chef, François Benois who often shopped for the Prince Regent/King. On one of his shopping expeditions in Paris, Benois came upon this important tall-case clock which had belonged to King Louis XIV as evidenced by Louis’ emblem, the mask of Apollo, which is nestled into the elaborate cresting of the case. Of course, Benois knew he had to return with this rather enormous timepiece and took great pains in doing so.

Upon arrival at Carlton House, this late Seventeenth Century clock—which George IV was said to greatly admire—was packed away in storage, never being displayed. Unlike Louis XIV, George IV had space issues in his residences. Presumably Louis never ran out of room at Versailles, but Carlton House wasn’t without its limits. Why George IV didn’t use this clock at the Brighton Pavillion, we’ll never know. However, it’s long life in storage has preserved it quite well so that future generations will be able to enjoy its magnificence. 

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

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

Precious Time: A French Ebony, Glass and Ormolu Cabinet Clock, 1650-1824

Cabinet Clock
Mosaics by Gobelins 1650-1700
Case by Robert Hume, 1824
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This clock and cabinet is a marriage of almost two hundred years worth of parts. The ornate cabinet was made by Robert Hume in London in 1824. This architecturally grand cabinet is set with mosaics which were made in Paris between 1650-1700 in the Gobelins workshops.

The unfortunately named Gobelins was officially called, “The Manufacture des Gobelins” and was not in the business of manufacturing goblins, but rather, was a dye works founded in the mid-Fifteenth Century by Jean Gobelin.

In 1662, French King Louis XIV purchased the Gobelins Factory, as one does. Under new direction, a series of Royal artisans were joined together. Therein, a new royal tapestry and furniture works was established.

By the Nineteenth Century, works by Gobelins were falling out of style as a whole, but individual components of some pieces were still quite in vogue, and, therefore stripped and reused. Such is the case of the mosaics in this clock which were made by Florentine craftsmen working at the Gobelins . The main recycled items are the six rectangular panels of flowers and birds which are quintessentially late Seventeenth Century in style. These six panels were reset by Robert Hume in England as he designed this clock cabinet for Hamilton Palace--the Lanarkshire home of Alexander, 10th Duke of Hamilton.

I’m unable to find any explanation of the ornamental ormolu pieces which sit atop the cabinet. These, obviously, are removable. I suppose they can be added to give the clock case a little extra flare. After all, it’s so plain without them.

Her Majesty's Furniture: Commode à Vantaux, 1778-1788

Commode
Martin Carlin, c. 1778
Pietre Dure Panels, c. 1670
Purchased for King George IV

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

Martin Carlin (1730-85) served as the cabinet maker for this gorgeous work of marquetry and pietre dure which was completed between 1778 and 1788. This commode was crafted of oak, ebony, gilt bronze and marble with the lush pietre dure panels set-in at the very last.

The piece was originally made for the wild Parisian opera singer Marie-Josephine Laguerre from whose estate it was purchased in Paris for King George IV in May of 1828 by François Benois, the King’s personal baker, for £375. Laguerre’s famously dissolute life led her to an early grave and left her posh collection of furnishings to be picked over by the curious wealthy. 

The sumptuous pietre dure panels were just the sort of thing that King George IV loved most of all. The seven panels are carved in deep relief, creating realistic still-life scenes of fruit. It’s speculated that the pietre dure panels pre-date the creation of the commode. In fact, it’s believed that the panels were originally made in the Royal workshops at the Gobelins for a massive set of cabinets commissioned by French King Louis XIV. Two of the panels are signed by Gian Ambrogio Giachetti, a Florentine lapidary working at the Gobelins between 1670 and 1675. At the start of the Eighteenth Century, those cabinets were destroyed as the palaces were altered. The pietre dure panels, however, were saved as precious curiosities in their own right. Some were sold to collectors. That seems to be what’s happened with these panels who, like many others from the French Royal palaces, ended up being sold over and over until they were introduced into a neoclassical piece of furniture. 

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

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

The Home Beautiful: July; Vincennes; The Months; The Royal Residences, 1670-1700

Les Maisons Royales:  Vincennes
Tapestry, 1670-1700
This and all related images from:
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Made between 1670 and 1700, this tapestry is one of a series which represented twelve of the royal residences of France’s Louis XIV—each depicted during a different month of the year. While the subjects were the palaces themselves, these were set in the backgrounds of the compositions while scenes of the luxury and wealth of Royal life took center stage.

The initial concept for the series of “Les Maisons Royales” was the idea of Le Brun, however, the tapestries were made and designed by a variety of artists in the workshop of Lefebvre and Jans. Seven complete sets were made until 1713.

This one, a tapestry of woven wool and silk, shows a woman surrounded by ripe fruit and two large, blue parrots. Elegant outdoor furnishings, exotic birds, an unidentifiable animal with a snout, and a curious dog complete the scene which is meant to frame a depiction of King Louis XIV and his courtiers hunting at the Château de Vincennes. This work was meant to represent “July.”

Precious Time: A French Ebony, Glass and Ormolu Cabinet Clock, 1650-1824

Cabinet Clock
Mosaics by Gobelins 1650-1700
Case by Robert Hume, 1824
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This clock and cabinet is a marriage of almost two hundred years worth of parts. The ornate cabinet was made by Robert Hume in London in 1824. This architecturally grand cabinet is set with mosaics which were made in Paris between 1650-1700 in the Gobelins workshops.

The unfortunately named Gobelins was officially called, “The Manufacture des Gobelins” and was not in the business of manufacturing goblins, but rather, was a dye works founded in the mid-Fifteenth Century by Jean Gobelin.

In 1662, French King Louis XIV purchased the Gobelins Factory, as one does. Under new direction, a series of Royal artisans were joined together. Therein, a new royal tapestry and furniture works was established.

By the Nineteenth Century, works by Gobelins were falling out of style as a whole, but individual components of some pieces were still quite in vogue, and, therefore stripped and reused. Such is the case of the mosaics in this clock which were made by Florentine craftsmen working at the Gobelins . The main recycled items are the six rectangular panels of flowers and birds which are quintessentially late Seventeenth Century in style. These six panels were reset by Robert Hume in England as he designed this clock cabinet for Hamilton Palace--the Lanarkshire home of Alexander, 10th Duke of Hamilton.

I’m unable to find any explanation of the ornamental ormolu pieces which sit atop the cabinet. These, obviously, are removable. I suppose they can be added to give the clock case a little extra flare. After all, it’s so plain without them.

Precious Time: The Apollo Clock, Late Seventeenth Century



Clock
French
Late Seventeenth
Century
The Royal Collection



King George IV—even as a young prince and Prince Regent—had an insatiable desire to collect objects, especially those related to King Louis XIV of France and Versailles. His lust took Charles Foster Kane-like proportions, so much so that he often never even displayed the items which he collected, but kept them in storage after spending thousands of pounds on them. Was he a Royal hoarder or just passionate? We’ll never know. However, looking at his huge assemblage of items, we do know that he had very good taste.

George IV had such a desire to collect that he was known, as one does, to send his staff members out shopping for him. A favorite was His Majesty’s pastry chef, François Benois who often shopped for the Prince Regent/King. On one of his shopping expeditions in Paris, Benois came upon this important tall-case clock which had belonged to King Louis XIV as evidenced by Louis’ emblem, the mask of Apollo, which is nestled into the elaborate cresting of the case. Of course, Benois knew he had to return with this rather enormous timepiece and took great pains in doing so.

Upon arrival at Carlton House, this late Seventeenth Century clock—which George IV was said to greatly admire—was packed away in storage, never being displayed. Unlike Louis XIV, George IV had space issues in his residences. Presumably Louis never ran out of room at Versailles, but Carlton House wasn’t without its limits. Why George IV didn’t use this clock at the Brighton Pavillion, we’ll never know. However, it’s long life in storage has preserved it quite well so that future generations will be able to enjoy its magnificence.