Gilded Interiors: French Masterpieces of Gilt Bronze
Luxurious exhibition at the Wallace Collection looking at the 18th century art of gilt bronze work. As well as looking at the material gilt bronze, which is in fact gold on brass not bronze, the show also looked at the neoclassic design of the objects. The works were shown against dark grey slate walls which really showed off the colour and outlines of the design. I loved a pair of Lapis Lazuli vases set in gilt bronze and other pieces incorporated Sevres china. There was a candlestick with dolphins commissioned by Marie Antoinette on the birth of her son, the Dauphin. Any of the works had been sold at the time by Dominic Daguerre and it was interesting to not only about the objects but also their supply. The objects were shown alongside beautiful drawings by the French architect Pierre-Adrien Paris, made when he lived in Rome for three years. There were wonderful details of Roman columns and details of grotesques from the Raphael paintings at the Villa Farnesina. ...