Plaque
1903 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Object Type
This small plaque was probably made to embellish a casket, or to be framed and hung as a picture in its own right. The Museum bought it for £6.30, a considerable sum, especially for a student, indicating that Miss Hart was proud of her work, that the design and execution are extremely skilful, and that the enamelling process is labour intensive.
Materials & Techniques
Many medieval and Renaissance crafts techniques were researched and revived in the later 19th century. The technique of painting in enamel colours on a copper base, which was then fired in a kiln, had been a speciality of the French city of Limoges. In the 19th century enamelling was practised in a more painterly manner, but the techniques, complete with gilded highlights, were identical to those used in the past.
People
Birmingham School of Art introduced courses in enamelling in 1893 with the employment of a Swiss teacher, Louis Joseph. He may have learnt the technique in Switzerland, or at Sèvres, near Paris, or at Limoges itself, where enamelling was also revived and taught. By 1903, when this plaque was made, the department was headed by John Paul Cooper, a celebrated Arts and Crafts practitioner in several materials but most especially in silver. Miss G. M. Hart is not known for any work other than this delicate piece. A Miss Dorothy M. Hart was known to have made stained glass at the school in the late 1890s.
This small plaque was probably made to embellish a casket, or to be framed and hung as a picture in its own right. The Museum bought it for £6.30, a considerable sum, especially for a student, indicating that Miss Hart was proud of her work, that the design and execution are extremely skilful, and that the enamelling process is labour intensive.
Materials & Techniques
Many medieval and Renaissance crafts techniques were researched and revived in the later 19th century. The technique of painting in enamel colours on a copper base, which was then fired in a kiln, had been a speciality of the French city of Limoges. In the 19th century enamelling was practised in a more painterly manner, but the techniques, complete with gilded highlights, were identical to those used in the past.
People
Birmingham School of Art introduced courses in enamelling in 1893 with the employment of a Swiss teacher, Louis Joseph. He may have learnt the technique in Switzerland, or at Sèvres, near Paris, or at Limoges itself, where enamelling was also revived and taught. By 1903, when this plaque was made, the department was headed by John Paul Cooper, a celebrated Arts and Crafts practitioner in several materials but most especially in silver. Miss G. M. Hart is not known for any work other than this delicate piece. A Miss Dorothy M. Hart was known to have made stained glass at the school in the late 1890s.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Translucent painted enamel on copper, with gilding |
| Brief description | Enamel Medallion of Virgin and Child |
| Dimensions |
|
| Gallery label | British Galleries:
Enamelling became a popular subject at the Birmingham School of Art, where the maker of this plaque was a student. Many art schools specialised in the trades and crafts already practised in their area and Birmingham was a famous centre of metalwork.(27/03/2003) |
| Object history | Made by Miss G. M. Hart |
| Summary | Object Type This small plaque was probably made to embellish a casket, or to be framed and hung as a picture in its own right. The Museum bought it for £6.30, a considerable sum, especially for a student, indicating that Miss Hart was proud of her work, that the design and execution are extremely skilful, and that the enamelling process is labour intensive. Materials & Techniques Many medieval and Renaissance crafts techniques were researched and revived in the later 19th century. The technique of painting in enamel colours on a copper base, which was then fired in a kiln, had been a speciality of the French city of Limoges. In the 19th century enamelling was practised in a more painterly manner, but the techniques, complete with gilded highlights, were identical to those used in the past. People Birmingham School of Art introduced courses in enamelling in 1893 with the employment of a Swiss teacher, Louis Joseph. He may have learnt the technique in Switzerland, or at Sèvres, near Paris, or at Limoges itself, where enamelling was also revived and taught. By 1903, when this plaque was made, the department was headed by John Paul Cooper, a celebrated Arts and Crafts practitioner in several materials but most especially in silver. Miss G. M. Hart is not known for any work other than this delicate piece. A Miss Dorothy M. Hart was known to have made stained glass at the school in the late 1890s. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 1569-1903 |
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| Record created | June 28, 1999 |
| Record URL |
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