Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Figure 1: Carved Walnut Center Table. Probably German, circa 1710. Carlton Hobbs LLC.
The tortoise has been represented in art throughout history and across the globe, from its depiction on ancient household objects, to it’s representation in literature, all the way up to 20th century pizza-eating, crime-fighting cartoons (named after Old Masters, no less1). Here we look at a few ways in which turtles have been used in the decorative arts and architecture.
Figure 2: Virtuous woman atop a tortoise. Johan van Beverwijck, 17th century.
Read more... (425 words, 4 images, estimated 1:42 mins reading time)
Figure 1: Bust of Antinous. Carlton Hobbs LLC.
Antinous was a Bithynian youth and the favorite of the Roman Emperor Hadrian. Little is known about his early years, nor is it certain whether he was born free or a slave. We do know, however, that he was considered to possess extraordinary “beauty of form”1 and, joining the emperor’s entourage, became Hadrian’s beloved companion. Read more... (568 words, 2 images, estimated 2:16 mins reading time)
Doll's house in the collection of Carlton Hobbs LLC.
The manufacture of European dolls’ houses, or “baby houses” as they were first called, began as early as the 16th century, with the first known house being built for Duke Albert V of Bavaria. Germany, Holland, and the Netherlands were the most prevalent producers and collectors and, after the Revolution of 1687, Dutch King William brought the trend to Britain. It was the English dolls’ houses that were, from the beginning, built with genuine façades. This doll’s house in the Carlton Hobbs collection, believed to be from the first half of the 18th century for its construction in oak, was built in the Palladian style using various architectural manuals of the period. Read more... (485 words, 2 images, estimated 1:56 mins reading time)
In her recent book, Penwork: A Decorative Phenomenon, Noël Riley explores the techniques, influences, and social contexts from which the art developed. An invention of the 17th century, penwork, was a technique of painting initially meant to imitate the lacquer of the Far East but which grew to include painted simulation of ivory inlay, scagliola and papier-mâché.1 We were excited to see a photo of one of our cabinets in the Chinoiserie chapter of the book on page 129!
Read more... (314 words, 2 images, estimated 1:15 mins reading time)
Photo credit: St. Petersburg, Gatchina
Photo credit: St. Petersburg, Gatchina
If you remember our blog on June 10, 2008, we wrote about our German Secretaire à Abattant, whose polished mahogany interior is disguised as a ruin by a painted cork façade. We’ve gotten a lot of great feedback on the piece and were recently informed of another instance where a lavish interior is concealed beneath a rough façade–the Birch House in the park of Gatchina Palace, near St. Petersburg, Russia.
Read more... (342 words, 3 images, estimated 1:22 mins reading time)
- Figure 1
Our recent acquisition of a set of chairs after a model by an Italian female carver, has piqued our interest in the activity of 18th century female artisans in the male-dominated field of furniture making. This particular intagliatore, or carver, was named Lucia Landucci and her set of ten giltwood neoclassical klismos chairs was just one of several important commissions that she executed for the Villa Borghese, Rome (see our blog of June 11, 2009). Read more... (575 words, 4 images, estimated 2:18 mins reading time)
