拍品专文
WEDGWOOD BLACK BASALT
"There is not a finer example of the qualities of black porcelain or basalts than this; its highly vitreous nature when fired, and its capability of acquiring an excellent polish with age and ordinary handling and dusting make it a very real rival to bronze, for which it has often been mistaken at first glance. No detail of modelling or minute tool finishing was lost in the process of firing, and the extreme hardness of the material rendered it free from any wearing out or deterioration of surface either from constant rubbing or the action of damp or atmosphere, it preserved its original texture as when it left the oven, and even after being buried it quickly revives when the surface accumulation of dirt has been washed away".
(H. Barnard, Wedgwood ware, 1924, in chats on Wedgwood ware, op.cit. in W. Mankowitz, Wedgwood, 1953, p. 119).
WEDGWOOD PORTRAIT SUBJECTS
A list of "modern" portrait subjects is additional to those listed in the 1779 Wedgwood catalogue. "Michiel de Ruyter" is mentioned in the series of statesmen and commanders. (W. Mankowitz, Wedgwood, 1953, p. 271).
WEDGWOOD AND HOLLAND
In 1775 Cooper, the Wedgwood agent in Amsterdam, proposed to produce Dutch-themed portrait busts especially for the Dutch market.
(Mededelingenblad Nederlandse Vereniging voor Vrienden van de Ceramiek, 106-107, 1982, p. 32).
The trade in busts continued to do well. In November 1778, Veldhuysen, another Wedgwood agent in Holland sent an order for 8 busts and 70 heads (portrait medallions) and later, in the following spring, Wedgwood mentioned to Bentley that he had 'just rec'd an order for 70 busts of various sizes from M. Velthuisen'. Wedgwood pointed out that 'a large field opens to our view in this line, & I think we should improve it by writing to some of our best correspondents in Germany and other places to enquire what busts would be most acceptable to them, and to know if casts in plaister can be procured'.
The first result of this enquiry was a bust of Hugo Grotius (de Groot) which was ready in time for inlcusion in the 1779 catalogue. By the time the 1787 catalogue was issued the 'German' (actually Dutch) group had been expanded to inlude the Brothers de Witt, Boerhaave, de Ruyter and Oldenbarneveldt. Katherine Esdaile mentions that all of them were modelled from material supplied by the Burgomaster of Amsterdam, Temminck, who sent busts and medals for the purpose. It is very odd that not one of these busts appears to be in a public collection in Holland (op.cit. A. Kelly, Decorative Wedgwood in Architecture and Furniture, 1966, p. 52).
A biscuit proof medallion of Michiel de Ruyter in blue jasperware modelled by Flaxman after a model by Pesez (1782) is in the Wedgwood Museum, Barlaston. (Mededelingenblad Nederlandse Vereniging van Vrienden van de Ceramiek, 106-107, 1982, p. 103 nr. 156 and ill. p. 35).
MICHIEL DE RUYTER
Michiel Adriaanszoon de Ruyter is the most renowned Dutch sea officer. He was born in Flushing (1607) and died in Syracuse (1676). He became vice-admiral of the Dutch Fleet in 1653. He acted against barbaric pirates and also during the Nordic war. In the beginning of the second English war in 1665 he became commander in chief. The martial exploits like The Incursion to Chatham in 1666 and The four days naval battle in 1667, executed under his command, were magnificent.
During the third English war he won the naval battles of Solebay in 1672 and Kijkduin in 1673. He was buried under a huge sepulchral monument in the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam. (H.W.J. Volmuller, Nijhoffs Geschiedenis Lexicon van Nederland en België, p. 504).
See illustration
"There is not a finer example of the qualities of black porcelain or basalts than this; its highly vitreous nature when fired, and its capability of acquiring an excellent polish with age and ordinary handling and dusting make it a very real rival to bronze, for which it has often been mistaken at first glance. No detail of modelling or minute tool finishing was lost in the process of firing, and the extreme hardness of the material rendered it free from any wearing out or deterioration of surface either from constant rubbing or the action of damp or atmosphere, it preserved its original texture as when it left the oven, and even after being buried it quickly revives when the surface accumulation of dirt has been washed away".
(H. Barnard, Wedgwood ware, 1924, in chats on Wedgwood ware, op.cit. in W. Mankowitz, Wedgwood, 1953, p. 119).
WEDGWOOD PORTRAIT SUBJECTS
A list of "modern" portrait subjects is additional to those listed in the 1779 Wedgwood catalogue. "Michiel de Ruyter" is mentioned in the series of statesmen and commanders. (W. Mankowitz, Wedgwood, 1953, p. 271).
WEDGWOOD AND HOLLAND
In 1775 Cooper, the Wedgwood agent in Amsterdam, proposed to produce Dutch-themed portrait busts especially for the Dutch market.
(Mededelingenblad Nederlandse Vereniging voor Vrienden van de Ceramiek, 106-107, 1982, p. 32).
The trade in busts continued to do well. In November 1778, Veldhuysen, another Wedgwood agent in Holland sent an order for 8 busts and 70 heads (portrait medallions) and later, in the following spring, Wedgwood mentioned to Bentley that he had 'just rec'd an order for 70 busts of various sizes from M. Velthuisen'. Wedgwood pointed out that 'a large field opens to our view in this line, & I think we should improve it by writing to some of our best correspondents in Germany and other places to enquire what busts would be most acceptable to them, and to know if casts in plaister can be procured'.
The first result of this enquiry was a bust of Hugo Grotius (de Groot) which was ready in time for inlcusion in the 1779 catalogue. By the time the 1787 catalogue was issued the 'German' (actually Dutch) group had been expanded to inlude the Brothers de Witt, Boerhaave, de Ruyter and Oldenbarneveldt. Katherine Esdaile mentions that all of them were modelled from material supplied by the Burgomaster of Amsterdam, Temminck, who sent busts and medals for the purpose. It is very odd that not one of these busts appears to be in a public collection in Holland (op.cit. A. Kelly, Decorative Wedgwood in Architecture and Furniture, 1966, p. 52).
A biscuit proof medallion of Michiel de Ruyter in blue jasperware modelled by Flaxman after a model by Pesez (1782) is in the Wedgwood Museum, Barlaston. (Mededelingenblad Nederlandse Vereniging van Vrienden van de Ceramiek, 106-107, 1982, p. 103 nr. 156 and ill. p. 35).
MICHIEL DE RUYTER
Michiel Adriaanszoon de Ruyter is the most renowned Dutch sea officer. He was born in Flushing (1607) and died in Syracuse (1676). He became vice-admiral of the Dutch Fleet in 1653. He acted against barbaric pirates and also during the Nordic war. In the beginning of the second English war in 1665 he became commander in chief. The martial exploits like The Incursion to Chatham in 1666 and The four days naval battle in 1667, executed under his command, were magnificent.
During the third English war he won the naval battles of Solebay in 1672 and Kijkduin in 1673. He was buried under a huge sepulchral monument in the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam. (H.W.J. Volmuller, Nijhoffs Geschiedenis Lexicon van Nederland en België, p. 504).
See illustration