Painting of the Day: A Miniature of King Louis XV of France, 1740-50

Miniautre of Enamel on Copper
John Adam Mathieu, c. 1740
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This oval portrait miniature on copper depicts Louis XV, King of France, looking quite pleased with himself, wearing armor, a purple velvet cloak and the blue sash of the Royal French Order of the Holy Spirit. The miniature is set in a gold frame which is punctuated with diamonds and golden flower-heads.

The reverse is signed “Mathieu.” John Adam Mathieu was a pupil of the important enameller Charles Boit, whose work we’ve looked at in the past. John Adam Mathieu found great success in France after traveling there from his native Sweden. He was celebrated for his oil paintings as well as his goldsmithing and enamel painting on porcelain and metal. During the period in which this miniature was created, Mathieu was given the leadership of the painting department at the Royal Porcelain Factory, Vincennes (this is the factory which later moved to Sèvres).

Painting of the Day: A Miniature of King Louis XV of France, 1740-50

Miniautre of Enamel on Copper
John Adam Mathieu, c. 1740
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This oval portrait miniature on copper depicts Louis XV, King of France, looking quite pleased with himself, wearing armor, a purple velvet cloak and the blue sash of the Royal French Order of the Holy Spirit. The miniature is set in a gold frame which is punctuated with diamonds and golden flower-heads.

The reverse is signed “Mathieu.” John Adam Mathieu was a pupil of the important enameller Charles Boit, whose work we’ve looked at in the past. John Adam Mathieu found great success in France after traveling there from his native Sweden. He was celebrated for his oil paintings as well as his goldsmithing and enamel painting on porcelain and metal. During the period in which this miniature was created, Mathieu was given the leadership of the painting department at the Royal Porcelain Factory, Vincennes (this is the factory which later moved to Sèvres).

Precious Time: A Gorgeous Sèvres Clock and Garniture, 1770-1780

Clock and Garniture
1770-1780
French
The Victoria & Albert Museum

In 1740, in the royal château of Vincennes, the world’s most important porcelain company—at the time--was founded, enticing master craftsmen from the nearby factory at Chantilly. By 1745, Louis XV had granted the makers of this porcelain the privilege of producing designs “in the manner of Saxony, painted and gilded, with human figures.”


The patronage and protection of King Louis XV and his famed mistress, Madame de Pompadour, enabled Vincennes to produce objects of the highest quality. In 1756, the factory was so successful that it had outgrown its workshops in the château. They were moved to a new high-tech location at Sèvres (south-west of Paris). So enamored of the porcelain, in 1759 the king purchased the factory himself, producing works of unprecedented luxury specifically for the French court and the King's apartments at Versailles. Highly costly, the items manufactured for this group were only the stuff of the court and the upper-classes.

This clock and garniture set is the perfect example of the work of Vincennes. Glorious blue porcelain mounted in ormolu characterizes this unusual clock and garniture of covered vases. The clock features moveable dial bands set in an oviform vase which has been adorned with an ornate pattern in blue, black and gold. It is surmounted by a gilt-bronze figure of an armed cupid. The handles resemble floral festoons.

Precious Time: The Sunflower Clock, 1752

The Sunflower Clock, 1752-1820
Vincennes and others
ALL IMAGES:
The Royal Collection
Crown Copyright
Image Courtesy of
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

This curious clock is said to have once belonged to Madame de Pompadour, the mistress of French King Louis XV though that can’t truly be verified. It is, however, decidedly French in origin.

A porcelain vase which is painted with romantic scenes and adorned with sculpted insects has been filled with a bouquet of china flowers (held aloft on green wire stems). The central flower is a disguised clock-face with the hands cleverly mounted in the middle of a great sunflower. The clock’s case was created by the porcelain-makers, Vincennes.

British King George IV acquired this peculiar timepiece in France in 1819 while he was still Prince Regent. Upon bringing the clock to England, he had it altered rather dramatically. Twin handles of gilt serpents were added, a base with flanking branch candelabra was attached to the urn and a variety of new porcelain flowers were incorporated into the display. Not only that, but much of the original work by Vincennes was covered-over with jewels. No one’s quite sure why these changes were made, except for the fact that styles change with time.

Painting of the Day: A Miniature of King Louis XV of France, 1740-50

Miniautre of Enamel on Copper
John Adam Mathieu, c. 1740
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This oval portrait miniature on copper depicts Louis XV, King of France, looking quite pleased with himself, wearing armor, a purple velvet cloak and the blue sash of the Royal French Order of the Holy Spirit. The miniature is set in a gold frame which is punctuated with diamonds and golden flower-heads.

The reverse is signed “Mathieu.” John Adam Mathieu was a pupil of the important enameller Charles Boit, whose work we’ve looked at in the past. John Adam Mathieu found great success in France after traveling there from his native Sweden. He was celebrated for his oil paintings as well as his goldsmithing and enamel painting on porcelain and metal. During the period in which this miniature was created, Mathieu was given the leadership of the painting department at the Royal Porcelain Factory, Vincennes (this is the factory which later moved to Sèvres).

Precious Time: The Sunflower Clock, 1752

The Sunflower Clock, 1752-1820
Vincennes and others
The Royal Collection
Crown Copyright
Image Courtesy of
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

This curious clock is said to have once belonged to Madame de Pompadour, the mistress of French King Louis XV though that can’t truly be verified. It is, however, decidedly French in origin.

A porcelain vase which is painted with romantic scenes and adorned with sculpted insects has been filled with a bouquet of china flowers (held aloft on green wire stems). The central flower is a disguised clock-face with the hands cleverly mounted in the middle of a great sunflower. The clock’s case was created by the porcelain-makers, Vincennes.

British King George IV acquired this peculiar timepiece in France in 1819 while he was still Prince Regent. Upon bringing the clock to England, he had it altered rather dramatically. Twin handles of gilt serpents were added, a base with flanking branch candelabra was attached to the urn and a variety of new porcelain flowers were incorporated into the display. Not only that, but much of the original work by Vincennes was covered-over with jewels. No one’s quite sure why these changes were made, except for the fact that styles change with time.

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: A Miniature of King Louis XV of France, 1740-50

Miniautre of Enamel on Copper
John Adam Mathieu, c. 1740
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This oval portrait miniature on copper depicts Louis XV, King of France, looking quite pleased with himself, wearing armor, a purple velvet cloak and the blue sash of the Royal French Order of the Holy Spirit. The miniature is set in a gold frame which is punctuated with diamonds and golden flower-heads.

The reverse is signed “Mathieu.” John Adam Mathieu was a pupil of the important enameller Charles Boit, whose work we’ve looked at in the past. John Adam Mathieu found great success in France after traveling there from his native Sweden. He was celebrated for his oil paintings as well as his goldsmithing and enamel painting on porcelain and metal. During the period in which this miniature was created, Mathieu was given the leadership of the painting department at the Royal Porcelain Factory, Vincennes (this is the factory which later moved to Sèvres).

Precious Time: A Gorgeous Sèvres Clock and Garniture, 1770-1780

Clock and Garniture
1770-1780
French
The Victoria & Albert Museum

In 1740, in the royal château of Vincennes, the world’s most important porcelain company—at the time--was founded, enticing master craftsmen from the nearby factory at Chantilly. By 1745, Louis XV had granted the makers of this porcelain the privilege of producing designs “in the manner of Saxony, painted and gilded, with human figures.”


The patronage and protection of King Louis XV and his famed mistress, Madame de Pompadour, enabled Vincennes to produce objects of the highest quality. In 1756, the factory was so successful that it had outgrown its workshops in the château. They were moved to a new high-tech location at Sèvres (south-west of Paris). So enamored of the porcelain, in 1759 the king purchased the factory himself, producing works of unprecedented luxury specifically for the French court and the King's apartments at Versailles. Highly costly, the items manufactured for this group were only the stuff of the court and the upper-classes.

This clock and garniture set is the perfect example of the work of Vincennes. Glorious blue porcelain mounted in ormolu characterizes this unusual clock and garniture of covered vases. The clock features moveable dial bands set in an oviform vase which has been adorned with an ornate pattern in blue, black and gold. It is surmounted by a gilt-bronze figure of an armed cupid. The handles resemble floral festoons.

Object of the Day: A Louis XV Style Parquetry Table

I have always really liked the look of French Louis XV style furniture with its ormolu mounts and clever, attractive parquetry. When I was looking for the perfect dining room table for my house, I had a specific image in mind and was prepared to search until I found it. Fortunately, I found it.


Technically, this table is not a dining table, but rather a center table. It’s taller than the usual dining table, but that’s quite all right. A large urn-shaped base rises up from three turned legs which sport ornate ormolu mounts. The edge of the table is lines with a delicate pattern of ormolu which mirrors the inlaid pattern on the tabletop. Styled after the furniture of Louis XV, I’d say this table dates to about 1910 when a resurgence of this style was all the rage.

Though I use it so infrequently, I do love my table. This style offers a lot of visual weight and importance without being pretentious. And, best of all, It’s another elegant surface under which Bertie can hide his toys.

Object of the Day: An Antique Fauteuil Chair

A fauteuil is an open-armed style of chair which rose to prominence during the Eighteenth Century in France and is most often associated with the furniture style of French King Louis XV. With an upholstered seat, back and arms (in roundels called “manchettes’), a fauteuil’s wooden frame is usually ornately carved, often with natural motifs such as flowers or shells.


This maple French fauteuil dates to the 1840-1860 and features fluted Sheraton legs, a deeply carved crest, dentil carving around the base and scrolled arms. While the chair has been reupholstered in a gold and green damask, it still retains its original horsehair stuffing. The chair’s back hints at the balloon-back shape which would soon dominate French furnishings in the 1870’s and 1880’s.

It’s likely that this chair was made for export from France to the U.K. where a demand for French-style furnishings was rapidly growing. The chair was purchased in London and brought to Texas for resale. It was the first in my collection of “chairs I don’t sit in.”

Precious Time: The Sunflower Clock, 1752

The Sunflower Clock, 1752-1820
Vincennes and others
The Royal Collection

This curious clock is said to have once belonged to Madame de Pompadour, the mistress of French King Louis XV though that can’t truly be verified. It is, however, decidedly French in origin.

A porcelain vase which is painted with romantic scenes and adorned with sculpted insects has been filled with a bouquet of china flowers (held aloft on green wire stems). The central flower is a disguised clock-face with the hands cleverly mounted in the middle of a great sunflower. The clock’s case was created by the porcelain-makers, Vincennes.

British King George IV acquired this peculiar timepiece in France in 1819 while he was still Prince Regent. Upon bringing the clock to England, he had it altered rather dramatically. Twin handles of gilt serpents were added, a base with flanking branch candelabra was attached to the urn and a variety of new porcelain flowers were incorporated into the display. Not only that, but much of the original work by Vincennes was covered-over with jewels. No one’s quite sure why these changes were made, except for the fact that styles change with time.