Antique Lamps - A Classic Paris Accent Lamp

When we speak of early 19th century "Paris" porcelain, we think, smart.  For smart indeed, was this period of smart, sharp design.

A period of neoclassic design, the return to the classic, or, “with a high regard for classical antiquity”   Historically speaking, the period finds its origins at a much earlier date, in 1765, with the move towards the great symbol of classic, ancient Greece and Rome, with inspiration especially derived from Roman copies of Hellenistic sculptures and particularly through engravings, for instance, in Wood's The Ruins of Palmyra. Even Greece was all-but-unvisited, seen as a rough backwater of the Ottoman Empire and dangerous to explore.

This 18th century neoclassicism was really derived from the "idea" of the ancient classic period. The "classic" period is generally understood as the apex of Greek civilization circa 500 BC, with its emphasis on proportion and harmony. 

Enormous interest was also generated for this smart neoclassical style by the beginnings of archaeology and the excavation of Greek vases in the south of Italy, which became models for new types of ceramics, i.e., Wedgwood’s jasperware in England (for which John Flaxman did many designs) and Sèvres porcelain in France.

This very smart period of design is spread across a time line from 1765 until its decline, about 1830. However, throughout this period of approximately 65 years, constant revivals of the style developed.

From 1796, the chaos resulting from the French Revolution began to subside giving way to the equally, politically unstable period known as the Directoire. It was from this period of design, still with its emphasis on the classic that the French Empire style evolved.

The period is known as Empire, due to its identification with the first French Empire and the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of France (1795 - 1815). The Napoleonic style was agrandiosised by symbols of Roman imperial power. The Empire style originated in the desire of Napoleon to revive the luxurious majesty of Imperial Rome, even Interiors, such as at Fontainebleau were redesigned  to include classical columns, molding, and other Greek and Roman motifs.

All French art, architecture, painting, furniture, dress and design, including silver and porcelain, evolved into one of the most smart and stylish periods of designs ever seen, the style swept Europe with its influence seen from London to St Petersburg.  The style has never been surpasses, characterised by its understated simplicity, restraint and purity of form.

An outstanding example of this stylish period is “Paris porcelain”. Rarely, if ever, has the form and decoration of European porcelain reached such standards of quality.

Many are the names of the famous Paris factories, many owned by French aristocratic families. These factories were mostly situated in, or near the city of Paris; however, there were a number of small factories in addition, all making hard-paste wares that are generally known as 'Paris Porcelain'. These were all started after about 1770, and some twenty or so different makers came and went between that date and 1830.

Much of the actual porcelain was, in fact made at Limoges and sent to Paris to be decorated.  Paris is more renowned for its small porcelain decorating studios than for the production of porcelain itself.

The Antique and Vintage Table Lamp Co illustrate a Paris porcelain accent lamp from this classic period of French design.

                                             

A very smart, early 19th century, French, Paris porcelain, neo-classic, Empire style accent lamp. The lamp, with a Bleu Soufflé ground, or dry, powder blue ground.

      The powder blue decorated with tooled gilding with subjects of interlinked wreathes of ivy leaf, the center of each wreath with a large gilded flower head.The neck, conical base and square shaped plinth, gilded as a solid ground.

The sides of the lamp with moulded and applied neo-classic angelic heads with high arched gilded wings.

This elegant shape current in France c1800-1825 and comparable to the English Regency style, often called, English Empire.

The lamp standing on a custom designed, gold plated, bronze base, stepped with an inverted curve. This elegant Empire style has never been surpassed, characterised by its simplicity and purity of form. The lamp illustrated with an ivory pleated silk shade.

            Circa 1820              Overall height (including shade) 18" / 46 cm

 

 It was on 16 June – 19 June 1815 that the Empire of Napoleon Bonaparte fell at Waterloo and the Bourbon monarchy was restored under Louis XVIII.

This period, known as the “Restauration” period, was for the most part closely aligned with the former Empire styles, formal, fine lined, elegant neoclassic.

We see the final days of the classic French Empire style towards 1830, with the close of the reign of Louis XVIII

The appeal of this French Empire, classic style, has never subsided. It is constantly revisited to provide new inspiration to all aspects of design, both interiors and fashion.

 

The Antique & Vintage Table Lamp Co specialise in antique lamps with an on-line range of over 100 unique, antique lamps.  Lamps are shipped ready wired for the US the UK and Australia.

 For more information you are invited to visit their web site at:-

 www.antiquelampshop.com

 © The Antique & Vintage Table Lamp Co 2009

 

 

 

About the Author

Maurice Robertson, principal of The Antique and Vintage Table Lamp Co , has had a lifetime’s association with antique porcelain and pottery,with his commercial experience spaning a period of 40 years,including as a valuer to the Australian Government’s Incentive to the Arts Scheme. His long experience with antique ceramics and glass also includes dealing with leading museums and numerous international private collections. He has extended his ceramics expertise into the quality table lamps seen on the company’s site, he is well known to local and international interior designers who have included many of his table lamps in their projects and has also supplied items of national interest to the official Sydney residence of the Australian Prime Minister.

Wedgwood Jasperware making demo #1

Wedgwood Jasperware

Wax Mannequins and Wax Sculpting History

We are often amazed at how lifelike one can make a wax figurine. Some recall the number of wax museums you could visit when growing up. So what is the history of wax figurines and is wax still being used to create lifelike people?

Beeswax has historically always been an excellent medium for preparing figures and models, either through carving or by casting in molds. At ordinary temperatures, wax can easily be cut and shaped; it melts at a low temperature; it mixes with any coloring matter, and takes surface tints well.  Its texture and consistency may be modified by the addition of earthy matters and oils or fats and when molten, it is highly responsive to impressions from a mold. With wax, once it sets and hardens its form is relatively resilient against ordinary temperature variations, even when it is cast in thin laminae. This is possibly why we have seen wax used for modeling since the Middle Ages.

During the Italian Renaissance, modeling in wax took a position of high importance, and it was practiced by some of the greatest of the early masters. The bronze medallions of Pisanello and of the other famous medalists owe their value to the properties of wax: all early bronzes and metalwork were cast from wax models first. The famous wax bust attributed to Leonardo da Vinci acquired in 1909 by the Museum of Berlin is the work of an English forger who worked about 1840. The wax model of a head, at the Wicar Museum at Lille, belongs probably to the school of Canova, which robs it of none of its exquisite grace.

There are a number of very high quality wax figures from the 16th and 17th centuries, mostly portrait figures and religious or mythological scenes, often with many figures. Antonio Abondio (1538-91) pioneered the colored wax portrait miniature in relief, working mainly for the Habsburg and other courts of Northern Europe, and his son Alessandro continued in his footsteps.

Towards the close of the eighteenth century, modeling of medallion portraits and of relief groups, the latter frequently polychromatic, was in considerable vogue throughout Europe. Many of the artists were women. John Flaxman executed in wax many portraits and other relief figures which Josiah Wedgwood translated into pottery for his Jasperware. The National Portrait Gallery has forty wax portraits, mostly from this period.

Meanwhile, as storefronts were becoming popular as was the rise of the mannequin, the idea of using wax seemed the most apparent solution. With wax, models could be created in the most flattering way to the store’s clothing line. One of these great wax model designers was Pierre Imans a mannequin manufacturer from Paris. Imans was known for bringing a beautiful sense of human element to mannequins by capturing body expressions in wax.  He created interactive compositions of figures, as though they were in the process of living and unaware that they were also being observed.  Heads and torsos were sculpted as one. With a slight turn of the head, a hint of movement was achieved.  Hands were more delicately posed to create storytelling attitudes.

Miss Modesty, a wax mannequin of 1899 is a prime example of the development of storytelling attitudes. She stood in a store window, with hands and arms covering her face, stating reservation and shyness because she was wearing and selling corsets and undergarments.

At the turn of the century, the women's suffrage movement was gaining momentum, a definite influence on the female mannequin.  In fact, a particular Siegel mannequin that was set upon a turning base (she was without legs) translated into a determined, assertive female of that era.  With one arm held back and a hand slightly clenched, her head was high with vision focused straight forward. The other hand was more relaxed, showing a touch of softness. True to the accepted body language of her day, she portrayed the mature woman, with hips thrown back and heavy bosom thrust upwards.

After World War I, countries were plunged into the chaotic realm of picking up the pieces and getting back to the business of normal living. Concurrently, there was a major transition in the type of material used to sculpt mannequins, and there was a move from wax to plaster.

Plaster figures didn't melt in the show windows. They were much lighter in weight, and easier to handle. But at the same time, with plaster, it was more difficult to achieve the detailed features and anatomy that were possible with wax.

Wax figurines are still made today, but not wax mannequins. Today’s mannequin is typically made of fiberglass yet retains the very lifelike features of history’s wax mannequins. Despite the lack of need for mannequins made of wax, the medium of wax is still in high use and may always be due to its numerous qualities.

About the Author

About the Author: Ron Maier is the owner of OnlyHangers.com, a leading provider of high quality clothes hangers,including wooden hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyhangers.com

Does anyone know how to refill a Wedgwood Jasperware table lighter?

I can't see where to put lighter fluid and don't want to break the lighter in my hunt! Many thanks.

try this link, it was the only one that did not try to sell them, and had info in the link about refilling :

http://www.search.rubylane.com/collectibles/,id=79.3.html

Wedgwood Jasperware making demo #2

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