Perfume Burner
1784 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This perfume burner is one of a pair (Loan:Gilbert.742-2008) made in the workshops of Giovanni Battista Boucheron, Director of the Royal Goldsmiths in Turin. Boucheron's training in Rome as a sculptor strongly influenced his work. The swags, and the plinths on which they rest, are typical of the 'Gout-Grec' (Greek taste) popular in Paris from the early 1760s, but the unusually crowded ornament owes more to the designs of Venetian architect Giovanni Battista Piranesi (1720-1778). Together with a pair of candlesticks, also in the V&A collection (897&A-1882), these perfurme burners were most likely part of a diplomatic gift from Victor Amadeus III, the King of Sardinia (whose territories incorporated Turin) to Ferdinand IV, King of Naples during the latter's visit to Turin in June 1785.
Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world's great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes. Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996.
On long-term loan to Los Angeles County Museum from 2010.
Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world's great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes. Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996.
On long-term loan to Los Angeles County Museum from 2010.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
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| Materials and techniques | Silver-gilt, cast, chased, pierced |
| Brief description | Silver-gilt perfume burner of tripod form, Turin, 1784; one of a pair |
| Physical description | Silver-gilt perfume burner of tripod form and circular section on a circular base chased with a laurel wreath and a band of acanthus. The three tapering supports rest on scroll-and -foliage feet and are chased with imbricated discs. Three ram masks and laurel swags are applied to the cylindrical burner, with small lion masks and sprays of foliage between and a band of key pattern above. A tapering, reeded pendant is applied beneath the burner. The slightly domed cover is pierced with fluting and discs and has a finial in the form of a pair of lovebirds above a sheaf of arrows, a torch and flowers; one of a pair |
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| Credit line | The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London |
| Object history | Provenance: Sale, Christie's, New York, lot 53, 14 March 1984; acquired by Arthur Gilbert from S.J. Phillips Ltd, London, 1984. Together with two candlesticks also in the V&A collection (897&A-1882), this pair of perfume burners were most likely commissioned by Victor Amadeus III, King of Sardinia (1726-1796) on the occasion of the visit of Ferdinand IV, King of Naples (1751-1825), in June 1785. |
| Summary | This perfume burner is one of a pair (Loan:Gilbert.742-2008) made in the workshops of Giovanni Battista Boucheron, Director of the Royal Goldsmiths in Turin. Boucheron's training in Rome as a sculptor strongly influenced his work. The swags, and the plinths on which they rest, are typical of the 'Gout-Grec' (Greek taste) popular in Paris from the early 1760s, but the unusually crowded ornament owes more to the designs of Venetian architect Giovanni Battista Piranesi (1720-1778). Together with a pair of candlesticks, also in the V&A collection (897&A-1882), these perfurme burners were most likely part of a diplomatic gift from Victor Amadeus III, the King of Sardinia (whose territories incorporated Turin) to Ferdinand IV, King of Naples during the latter's visit to Turin in June 1785. Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world's great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes. Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996. On long-term loan to Los Angeles County Museum from 2010. |
| Associated objects | |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | LOAN:GILBERT.743:1-2008 |
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| Record created | June 26, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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