St. Louis leading his army against the Saracens
Medallion
ca. 1850 (modelled)
ca. 1850 (modelled)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
In their narrative style and format this relief and its companion (2407-1852) follow the tradition of ivory reliefs or bronze plaquettes of the 1500s and 1600s rather than medieval ivory carvings or manuscript illumination.
The sculptor Justin Mathieu specialised in reliefs of historical and religious subjects, many shown in the Paris Salons between 1846 and 1864. The popularity of scenes such as episodes from the life of St. Louis (1215-1270) reflect both the enthusiasm of the French from about 1830 for their national past and the romantic taste for medieval subject matter.
This relief and its companion are characteristic of the small scale decorative sculpture shown at the 1851 Great Exhibition. Such a composition would from the start be intended for replication in considerable numbers; the relief could be reproduced from a mould in different materials, the surface of which would then have a layer of silver deposited on it by the newly developed process of electrolysis. This application of new techniques to 'art manufactures' was encouraged by the growing market of middle class consumers.
The sculptor Justin Mathieu specialised in reliefs of historical and religious subjects, many shown in the Paris Salons between 1846 and 1864. The popularity of scenes such as episodes from the life of St. Louis (1215-1270) reflect both the enthusiasm of the French from about 1830 for their national past and the romantic taste for medieval subject matter.
This relief and its companion are characteristic of the small scale decorative sculpture shown at the 1851 Great Exhibition. Such a composition would from the start be intended for replication in considerable numbers; the relief could be reproduced from a mould in different materials, the surface of which would then have a layer of silver deposited on it by the newly developed process of electrolysis. This application of new techniques to 'art manufactures' was encouraged by the growing market of middle class consumers.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | St. Louis leading his army against the Saracens (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Plaster, covered with an electro-deposit of silver |
| Brief description | Silvered plaster medallion of St. Louis leading his army against the Saracens, by Justin Mathieu, Paris ca. 1850. |
| Physical description | Elliptic medallion. St. Louis leading his army against the Saracens, in high relief. |
| Dimensions |
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| Gallery label | 'American and European Art and Design'
This relief and its companion are characteristic of the small scale decorative sculpture shown at the 1851 Great Exhibition. Such a composition would from the start be intended for replication in considerable numbers; the relief could be reproduced from a mould in different materials, the surface of which would then have a layer of silver deposited on it by the newly developed process of electrolysis. This application of new techniques to 'art manufactures' was encouraged by the growing market of middle class consumers.(1987-2006) |
| Historical context | This relief and its companion are characteristic of the small scale decorative sculpture shown at the 1851 Great Exhibition. Such a composition would from the start be intended for replication in considerable numbers; the relief could be reproduced from a mould in different materials, the surface of which would then have a layer of silver deposited on it by the newly developed process of electrolysis. This application of new techniques to 'art manufactures' was encouraged by the growing market of middle class consumers. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | In their narrative style and format this relief and its companion (2407-1852) follow the tradition of ivory reliefs or bronze plaquettes of the 1500s and 1600s rather than medieval ivory carvings or manuscript illumination. The sculptor Justin Mathieu specialised in reliefs of historical and religious subjects, many shown in the Paris Salons between 1846 and 1864. The popularity of scenes such as episodes from the life of St. Louis (1215-1270) reflect both the enthusiasm of the French from about 1830 for their national past and the romantic taste for medieval subject matter. This relief and its companion are characteristic of the small scale decorative sculpture shown at the 1851 Great Exhibition. Such a composition would from the start be intended for replication in considerable numbers; the relief could be reproduced from a mould in different materials, the surface of which would then have a layer of silver deposited on it by the newly developed process of electrolysis. This application of new techniques to 'art manufactures' was encouraged by the growing market of middle class consumers. |
| Bibliographic reference | Inventory of Art Objects Acquired in the Year 1852. In: Inventory of the Objects in the Art Division of the Museum at South Kensington, Arranged According to the Dates of their Acquisition. Vol I. London: Printed by George E. Eyre and William Spottiswoode for H.M.S.O., 1868, p. 27 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 2408-1852 |
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| Record created | April 13, 2000 |
| Record URL |
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