The masterpieces of the Centennial international exhibition of 1876 .. . mere utilityto purely ornamental Embroidered Chair: Koyal School of Needlework. obicctS of the highest artistic excellence. The Elkington exhibit at the Centennial may be conveniently divided intofour classes—artistic silver-work proper; rcpousse-vfork in silver, iron or steel,with enrichments of gold and silver in damascening, inlaying and niello; com-binations of these methods with silver; and enamels—cloisonne and these are added electrotype reproductions of several of the famous examplesfrom the South Ken
The masterpieces of the Centennial international exhibition of 1876 .. . mere utilityto purely ornamental Embroidered Chair: Koyal School of Needlework. obicctS of the highest artistic excellence. The Elkington exhibit at the Centennial may be conveniently divided intofour classes—artistic silver-work proper; rcpousse-vfork in silver, iron or steel,with enrichments of gold and silver in damascening, inlaying and niello; com-binations of these methods with silver; and enamels—cloisonne and these are added electrotype reproductions of several of the famous examplesfrom the South Kensington Museum, in silver and copper bronze. Our engraving on page 125 belongs to the second class. It is the latestwork of the celebrated artist M. Moril Ladeuil, and in the opinion of compe- 128 THE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION, i8j6. tent judges, as a specimen of artistic metal-work of the highest class, it hasnever been surpassed either in conception of design or in delicacy ofmanipulation. The diameter of the Pompeian Toilette—as the Plaque is called—is some. Bronze Vases : yapanese Court. twenty inches. Fhe centre is oxidized silver; the rim is of steel of two colors,enriched with gold damascening and rcponsse-yNOxV.; yet it is almost impossibleto bjlieve that the scene which gives the name to the plaque also has beenhammered out by the repousse process. Looking at the engraved picture, one INDUSTRIAL ART. 129 would say it was after some fine painting—say by Alma Tadema—and was thelabor of the brush and pencil rather than the mallet and chisel. An inspectionof the piece itself rather increases than diminishes the wonder. The textureof the fiesh, the drapery, the plants, the effect of distance, each and all areexpressed with truly marvelous fidelity to nature; in brief, the tecnique isperfect. Looked at as an artistic conception, the work is not less is a Pompeian lady, fresh from the bath, attended by her female toilet is nearly complete
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Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, bookpublisherphila, bookyear1876
