.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
This splendid centrepiece, with its sphinx supports, reflects the renewed fashion for ancient Egyptian motifs in Regency England, inspired by the archaeological discoveries made during Napoleon's campaigns in Egypt of 1798 which were recorded by Baron Vivant Denon in his Voyage dans la Basse et la Haute Egypte, published in London in 1802. One of Napoleon's central purposes in promoting the study of Egypt's monuments was in fact to enlarge his own glory, reflected in the ancient grandeur of Egypt. Thus in England, following Napoleon's defeats in Egypt in 1798 and at Trafalgar in 1805, the Egyptian style became a patriotic celebration of Nelson's famous victories, particularly among patrons such as the Prince of Wales and his immediate circle. The vogue for Egypt played an important role in all aspects of art, architecture and the decorative arts and was disseminated through design books published by such influential figures as Charles Percier and Pierre-François-Léonard Fontaine in France, and Thomas Hope and George Smith in England.
This centrepiece relates to the work of the firm of Rundell, Bridge and Rundell, who achieved royal patronage from King George III in 1797 and who supplied an enormous amount of silver, silver-gilt and ormolu objects to the royal court and the nobility, much of it in a similar Egyptianizing style, notably the famous Grand Service for the Prince Regent, for which he was invoiced in 1811 but much of which was probably supplied around 1806, including several Egyptianizing pieces with dates ranging from 1802-1806 (see G. de Bellaigue et al., Carlton House: The Past Glories of George IV's Palace, exh. cat., London, 1991, cats. 85, 91 and 92).
Many of the foremost designers of the day worked at Rundells, such as John Flaxman and J.B. Papworth, and one should certainly consider the possibility that the French artist Jean-Jacques Boileau was involved in their Egyptianizing designs, as he has been particularly associated with a group of ormolu coolers of this style which are close to a design by him in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (see M. Snodin, 'J.J. Boileau, a Forgotten Designer of Silver', Connoisseur, June, 1978, pp. 129-131).
Other works by Rundells in ormolu with similar sphinx supports including a spectacular series of candelabra supplied to the Prince of Wales and to other nobles in his circle such as the Duke of Richmond (see for instance a set of six of this model sold from the collection of C. Ruxton and Audrey B. Love, Christie's, New York, 20 October 2004, lots 526-8) and a centrepiece offered Christie's, New York, 12 October 1996, lot 128.
This centrepiece relates to the work of the firm of Rundell, Bridge and Rundell, who achieved royal patronage from King George III in 1797 and who supplied an enormous amount of silver, silver-gilt and ormolu objects to the royal court and the nobility, much of it in a similar Egyptianizing style, notably the famous Grand Service for the Prince Regent, for which he was invoiced in 1811 but much of which was probably supplied around 1806, including several Egyptianizing pieces with dates ranging from 1802-1806 (see G. de Bellaigue et al., Carlton House: The Past Glories of George IV's Palace, exh. cat., London, 1991, cats. 85, 91 and 92).
Many of the foremost designers of the day worked at Rundells, such as John Flaxman and J.B. Papworth, and one should certainly consider the possibility that the French artist Jean-Jacques Boileau was involved in their Egyptianizing designs, as he has been particularly associated with a group of ormolu coolers of this style which are close to a design by him in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (see M. Snodin, 'J.J. Boileau, a Forgotten Designer of Silver', Connoisseur, June, 1978, pp. 129-131).
Other works by Rundells in ormolu with similar sphinx supports including a spectacular series of candelabra supplied to the Prince of Wales and to other nobles in his circle such as the Duke of Richmond (see for instance a set of six of this model sold from the collection of C. Ruxton and Audrey B. Love, Christie's, New York, 20 October 2004, lots 526-8) and a centrepiece offered Christie's, New York, 12 October 1996, lot 128.