Notebook
1780-1785 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Johann Christian Neuber was the most innovative and talented goldsmith at the Dresden court of Frederick Augustus III, Elector of Saxony (1750–1827). He perfected the technique called zellenmosaik (or cell mosaic, hardstone mosaics set in gold) for boxes and other luxury objects. His celebrated creations proudly display native stones and were used as diplomatic demonstrations of Saxon wealth.
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.
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.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 3 parts.
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| Materials and techniques | Hardstones, chased and reeded gold, miniature on ivory, silk and paper |
| Brief description | Hardstones, chased and reeded gold, Dresden, about 1780-85, by Johann Christian Neuber, later set contemporary miniatures on ivory, later silk and paper notebook |
| Physical description | A gold rectangular notebook, each side with hardstone lozenges set within goldwork (zellenmosaik), later added with two oval, gold framed miniatures: Marie-Antoinette on one side, Louis XVI on the other, both circa 1780. It closes with a gold pencil placed through loops to the right-hand side, the inside has a later red silk lining and contains a later red silk paper notebook. |
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| Marks and inscriptions | Dutch tax mark, after 1831 (On mounts) |
| Credit line | The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London |
| Object history | An astute businessman, Neuber employed a few techniques to enhance the materials he used, so that none of his creations were identical. One trick he often used was to intensify the stones’ natural colours, as seen here in the green stone panels on the notebook where a coloured cement is applied to transparent agates. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | Johann Christian Neuber was the most innovative and talented goldsmith at the Dresden court of Frederick Augustus III, Elector of Saxony (1750–1827). He perfected the technique called zellenmosaik (or cell mosaic, hardstone mosaics set in gold) for boxes and other luxury objects. His celebrated creations proudly display native stones and were used as diplomatic demonstrations of Saxon wealth. 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. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | LOAN:GILBERT.351:3-2008 |
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| Record created | September 1, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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