Design
ca.1800 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
Designs for both sides of a silver medal, also stuck in ormolu (brass or bronze which is gilded or gold in colour). The front shows St. Michael, with sword and shield, and the back St. Ursula, with an arrow in her heart and holding a palm branch. They were drawn by an anonymous designer about 1800.
The designs are from an album of designs which date from about 1735-1820 and includes those for snuffboxes, scent holders, watches and watch cases, spoons, fans and fan mounts, small swords, and chatelaines (ornamental chains, pins, or clasps usually worn at a woman's waist, to which trinkets, keys, purses, or other articles are attached).
There is a close relationship between the contents of the album and known work by three Parisian goldsmiths, Jean Ducrollay (1710-1787), Pierre- François Drais (active 1761-1788), and Charles Ouizille (1744-1830) whose names appear on the first page of the album. This suggests that all the designs emanate from their workshops. Drais worked for the Court at Versailles as jeweller to both King Louis XV and Louis XVI. Ouizille worked in this capacity for Louis XVI. Most of the material dates from the period 1755-90.
The designs are from an album of designs which date from about 1735-1820 and includes those for snuffboxes, scent holders, watches and watch cases, spoons, fans and fan mounts, small swords, and chatelaines (ornamental chains, pins, or clasps usually worn at a woman's waist, to which trinkets, keys, purses, or other articles are attached).
There is a close relationship between the contents of the album and known work by three Parisian goldsmiths, Jean Ducrollay (1710-1787), Pierre- François Drais (active 1761-1788), and Charles Ouizille (1744-1830) whose names appear on the first page of the album. This suggests that all the designs emanate from their workshops. Drais worked for the Court at Versailles as jeweller to both King Louis XV and Louis XVI. Ouizille worked in this capacity for Louis XVI. Most of the material dates from the period 1755-90.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | Pencil, pen and ink on paper |
Brief description | Design form album of designs by Ouizille, French, eighteenth century. NOT TO BE ISSUED WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM THE HEAD OF DESIGNS |
Physical description | Designs for both sides of a silver medal, also stuck in ormolu, the front showing St. Michael with sword and shield and the back St. Ursula, with an arrow in her heart and holding a palm branch. Accompanied by a manuscript sheet formerly stuck to the design with one piece of red sealing wax. |
Dimensions |
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Marks and inscriptions | 'M. Froisar Rue Ste guilaume 12.25' (The design is inscribed with a note concerning prices and other notes.) |
Credit line | Purchased with the assistance of Wartski Limited |
Subjects depicted | |
Summary | Designs for both sides of a silver medal, also stuck in ormolu (brass or bronze which is gilded or gold in colour). The front shows St. Michael, with sword and shield, and the back St. Ursula, with an arrow in her heart and holding a palm branch. They were drawn by an anonymous designer about 1800. The designs are from an album of designs which date from about 1735-1820 and includes those for snuffboxes, scent holders, watches and watch cases, spoons, fans and fan mounts, small swords, and chatelaines (ornamental chains, pins, or clasps usually worn at a woman's waist, to which trinkets, keys, purses, or other articles are attached). There is a close relationship between the contents of the album and known work by three Parisian goldsmiths, Jean Ducrollay (1710-1787), Pierre- François Drais (active 1761-1788), and Charles Ouizille (1744-1830) whose names appear on the first page of the album. This suggests that all the designs emanate from their workshops. Drais worked for the Court at Versailles as jeweller to both King Louis XV and Louis XVI. Ouizille worked in this capacity for Louis XVI. Most of the material dates from the period 1755-90. |
Bibliographic reference | Heike Zech, 'Designs for Gold Boxes in the Album of the Workshop of Jean Ducrollay and his Successors', in Going for Gold: craftsmanship and collecting of gold boxes, ed. Tessa Murdoch and Heike Zech (Sussex academic press, 2014). |
Collection | |
Accession number | E.897:322-1988 |
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Record created | June 5, 2006 |
Record URL |
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