The design on which these remarkable mirrors are based was officially registered by the cabinet maker George Sims of 50-152 Aldersgate Street, London, in March 1878 and survives in the National Archives at Kew. Standing at just over 7 feet tall, the mirrors follow the design very closely, although they are given a stricter architectural quality by the decision to leave out the ornamental crest and swag on the drawing.
The Italian fashion for Eastern decoration, manifest in the present pair of mirrors, began with the expansion of trade with China, leading to intensified taste for chinoiserie throughout Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries. Designers and architects to the courts created interiors that drew heavily on exotic styles based on the ceramics, furniture, and paintings imported from the East, and by the 18th century these items were being produced in a number of European centers.
Jean François Hache represents the fourth generation in a family of famed cabinetmakers from Grenoble, France, who worked throughout the end of the 17th century and the entirety of the 18th century. The dynasty began with Noël Hache (1630-1675), the son of a master baker who chose not to enter the family business, but rather studied veneering in the workshop of a Calais master. This northern region of France was directly influenced by the marquetry of Belgium and The Netherlands. Eventually, Noël set up his own workshop in Toulouse and, upon his death, it was taken over by his son Thomas. Thomas Hache then moved the atêlier to Grenoble. His only son, Pierre, worked with him as did his grandson, Jean-François.
In mid-16th century Renaissance Italy, the production of panels and tabletops using inlays of semiprecious stone began, with materials and geometric designs deriving from classical Roman motifs.
However, the design of this particular tabletop, which is probably Roman circa 1680, represents a complete departure from this tradition in that it is a pure interpretation in mosaic of ancient marble, possibly Egyptian alabaster or giallo antico. We know of no other comparable example and, as such, believe this top to be probably unique.
You might remember our Halloween blog, “Trick or Treat,” in which we focused on a number of artworks that feature skeletons. The last work we mentioned was full of quotes and symbolism, and we’re back to tell you a bit more about this curious picture.
This engraving is titled Life and Death Contrasted, or, An Essay on Woman. It belongs to the genre of symbolic still life painting known as Vanitas (Latin for “vanity”) intended to remind us of our own mortality and the transience of earthly possessions and vices. Like Memento Mori painting (from the Latin “Remember you will die”), the most popular symbols found in these works are skeletons or skulls, but they may also include symbols of vanity (such as mirrors and musical instruments), expressing the emptiness and worthless nature of worldly goods.
Giuseppe Maggiolini (1738-1814) is one of the most renowned Italian cabinetmakers of the 18th and early 19th century. Particularly famed 
is his work in marquetry, on commodes, chests, writing desks and tables. Neoclassical in design, his pieces employ a variety of richly-colored woods, geometric shapes, and intricate patterns.
Josiah Wedgwood (1730-1795) is perhaps the most distinguished English potter, whose work spread throughout Europe and to the United States and Canada. Wedgwood was the youngest son in a family of potters of Burslem, Staffordshire. By 1749 he completed his apprenticeship with the family pottery works and went on to form partnerships with John Harrison and Thomas Alders at Cliff Bank, Stoke, between 1752 to 1754, and with Thomas Whieldon, another notable Staffordshire potter, from 1754-1759. In 1759, Wedgwood terminated this partnership in order to found his own pottery works, making this year the 250th anniversary of the celebrated factory!
We can’t wait for the new Sherlock Holmes movie to be released!
The film looks to promise the same action, adventure, and intrigue found in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s beloved tales, which total four novels and fifty-six short stories! The books are particularly special to us at Carlton Hobbs, and here are a couple of reasons why:
Carleton Hobbs as Sherlock Holmes
Deriving from the French word jardin, meaning garden, the jardinière is a stand or container for flower pots, used to decoratively and discreetly incorporate plants into an interior. Jardinières were first used in 18th century France. The idea spread to England soon after 1750 and then to the Americas in the 19th century. Designed to fit harmoniously into their respective interiors, jardinières were constructed in all shapes and sizes, and made from a variety of materials including wood, marble, ceramic and metal. To protect the piece, liners of copper, zinc, or lead were often fitted within.
Figure 1
We recently read a post on the Indianapolis Museum of Art’s blog about the depiction of fruit in painting. This inspired us to consider all of the pieces of furniture in our building that incorporate fruits and vegetables. In anticipation of the Thanksgiving holiday, we’ve selected three delectable pieces from the Carlton Hobbs collection that feature these motifs to whet your decorative arts appetites!
