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Lot Essay
These Chinese porcelain vases are mounted with ormolu that expressively brings to life the mythological subject of Leda and the Swan. From the late 18th century, the swan motif began to be used in a number of commissions for the most discerning patrons, and the design for the swans as well as the female figures on this vase closely relate to models executed by Pierre Elisabeth de Fontanieu in 1770 for Louis XV. In the 19th century they likely formed part of the collection of Viscount Clifden at Dover House, Whitehall before being acquired by the financier and collector Ludwig Neumann and finally the Viscounts Wimborne.
Porcelain wares from China were highly prized by connoisseurs in the 18th century in France for their rarity and subtle colors, and were often embellished with jewel-like ormolu mounts. The 1750s saw the gradual shift away from porcelain with blue and white or famille verte decoration in favour of monochrome pieces that highlighted the chased bronze mounts like the present example. Gilt bronze, a French craft par excellence, was intended both to enrich these rare objects and to reflect the style of the time, and porcelain was usually mounted under the guidance of a marchand-mercier.
Decorated in the most fashionable contemporary style, these vases reflect the prevalence of neoclassicism in the 1760s and 1770s as well as the influence of the designs of Fontanieu. The marchand-mercier and bronzier behind the design of the present vases was clearly inspired by Fontanieu’s models and ingeniously combined elements from two different Fontanieu designs to depict Leda and the Swan, a mythological subject that appealed particularly to the intellectual leanings of the classically educated collecting elite. The ‘Leda’ figures on the vase present the same modelling, in particular with regard to the hair, torsos and twin tails, as the figures on the Fontanieu design for vase no 20 and the swans are very related to the swans depicted on vase no 6 in Collection de vases inventés et dessinés par Mr. de Fontanieu, 1770. Indeed, on the title page of his book, Fontanieu provides a dedication to these bronziers and marchands, writing "Cette Collection à été faite, pour Servir aux Tourneurs et à Ceux qui Ornent les Vases, Comme Fondeurs et Ciseleurs, &c." ["This collection was made to serve turners and those who decorate vases, such as metal-founders and chasers, etc.].
Pierre-Elisabeth de Fontanieu (c. 1730-1784), served as intendant et contrôleur général des meubles de la Couronne [Administator-General of the Royal Wardrobe] from 1767 to 1783. From this administrative post, Fontanieu oversaw the furnishing of royal palaces through the transition in aristocratic taste from the Rococo style to the Neoclassical. Fontanieu built close working relationships with leaders of the decorative trades, including Jean-Henri Riesener and Quentin-Claude Pitoin, each of whom provided Fontanieu himself with Neoclassical-taste objets for his own official apartments.
VISCOUNT CLIFDEN AND DOVER HOUSE
These vases were almost certainly sold as lot 316 in the sale of the 4th Viscount Clifden in 1895. The catalogue title page relates that the items in the sale were ‘Formerly in the Collection of the late Right Hon. Lord Dover at Whitehall’. Dover House on Whitehall, designed by James Paine and later refurbished by Henry Holland was the seat of the Barons Dover, later elevated as Viscounts Clifden and housed their large collection of European Decorative Arts and Old Master and 19th century pictures. After the Viscount Clifden gave up the house in the 1885, it reverted to the Crown and has been in use since then as firstly the Scottish and now the Scotland Office.
LUDWIG NEUMANN
The vases were subsequently sold at the sale of Ludwig Neumann where they were described as ‘From Viscount Clifden’s Collection’. Neumann was a randlord with an exceptional collection of furniture and pictures at his residence 11 Grosvenor Square. Lot 9 in this sale was also offered in the Neumann sale and was subsequently acquired by Viscount Wimborne in 1951.
THE VISCOUNT WIMBORNE AND ASHBY ST. LEDGERS
These vases were photographed in the Card Room of Ashby St. Ledgers Manor, Northamptonshire in 1951. The manor house of Ashby St Ledgers in Northamptonshire was acquired by Ivor Churchill Guest (1873-1939) in 1903 and hired Sir Edwin Lutyens to enlarge and beautify the residence. Lutyens ingeniously undertook this project in stages from 1904 to 1938, transforming a compact and at times incommodious mediaeval manor house into a sumptuous Edwardian mansion capable of hosting the political and social elite. Ivor Churchill Guest (1873-1939), son of the 1st Baron Wimborne, was MP for Plymouth from 1900 until 1910 when he was raised to the peerage as Baron Ashby St Ledgers. Guest had acquired the manor house of Ashby St Ledgers in Northamptonshire in 1903 and hired Sir Edwin Lutyens to enlarge and beautify the residence. Lutyens ingeniously undertook this project in stages from 1904 to 1938, transforming a compact and at times incommodious mediaeval manor house into a sumptuous Edwardian mansion capable of hosting the political and social elite.
Porcelain wares from China were highly prized by connoisseurs in the 18th century in France for their rarity and subtle colors, and were often embellished with jewel-like ormolu mounts. The 1750s saw the gradual shift away from porcelain with blue and white or famille verte decoration in favour of monochrome pieces that highlighted the chased bronze mounts like the present example. Gilt bronze, a French craft par excellence, was intended both to enrich these rare objects and to reflect the style of the time, and porcelain was usually mounted under the guidance of a marchand-mercier.
Decorated in the most fashionable contemporary style, these vases reflect the prevalence of neoclassicism in the 1760s and 1770s as well as the influence of the designs of Fontanieu. The marchand-mercier and bronzier behind the design of the present vases was clearly inspired by Fontanieu’s models and ingeniously combined elements from two different Fontanieu designs to depict Leda and the Swan, a mythological subject that appealed particularly to the intellectual leanings of the classically educated collecting elite. The ‘Leda’ figures on the vase present the same modelling, in particular with regard to the hair, torsos and twin tails, as the figures on the Fontanieu design for vase no 20 and the swans are very related to the swans depicted on vase no 6 in Collection de vases inventés et dessinés par Mr. de Fontanieu, 1770. Indeed, on the title page of his book, Fontanieu provides a dedication to these bronziers and marchands, writing "Cette Collection à été faite, pour Servir aux Tourneurs et à Ceux qui Ornent les Vases, Comme Fondeurs et Ciseleurs, &c." ["This collection was made to serve turners and those who decorate vases, such as metal-founders and chasers, etc.].
Pierre-Elisabeth de Fontanieu (c. 1730-1784), served as intendant et contrôleur général des meubles de la Couronne [Administator-General of the Royal Wardrobe] from 1767 to 1783. From this administrative post, Fontanieu oversaw the furnishing of royal palaces through the transition in aristocratic taste from the Rococo style to the Neoclassical. Fontanieu built close working relationships with leaders of the decorative trades, including Jean-Henri Riesener and Quentin-Claude Pitoin, each of whom provided Fontanieu himself with Neoclassical-taste objets for his own official apartments.
VISCOUNT CLIFDEN AND DOVER HOUSE
These vases were almost certainly sold as lot 316 in the sale of the 4th Viscount Clifden in 1895. The catalogue title page relates that the items in the sale were ‘Formerly in the Collection of the late Right Hon. Lord Dover at Whitehall’. Dover House on Whitehall, designed by James Paine and later refurbished by Henry Holland was the seat of the Barons Dover, later elevated as Viscounts Clifden and housed their large collection of European Decorative Arts and Old Master and 19th century pictures. After the Viscount Clifden gave up the house in the 1885, it reverted to the Crown and has been in use since then as firstly the Scottish and now the Scotland Office.
LUDWIG NEUMANN
The vases were subsequently sold at the sale of Ludwig Neumann where they were described as ‘From Viscount Clifden’s Collection’. Neumann was a randlord with an exceptional collection of furniture and pictures at his residence 11 Grosvenor Square. Lot 9 in this sale was also offered in the Neumann sale and was subsequently acquired by Viscount Wimborne in 1951.
THE VISCOUNT WIMBORNE AND ASHBY ST. LEDGERS
These vases were photographed in the Card Room of Ashby St. Ledgers Manor, Northamptonshire in 1951. The manor house of Ashby St Ledgers in Northamptonshire was acquired by Ivor Churchill Guest (1873-1939) in 1903 and hired Sir Edwin Lutyens to enlarge and beautify the residence. Lutyens ingeniously undertook this project in stages from 1904 to 1938, transforming a compact and at times incommodious mediaeval manor house into a sumptuous Edwardian mansion capable of hosting the political and social elite. Ivor Churchill Guest (1873-1939), son of the 1st Baron Wimborne, was MP for Plymouth from 1900 until 1910 when he was raised to the peerage as Baron Ashby St Ledgers. Guest had acquired the manor house of Ashby St Ledgers in Northamptonshire in 1903 and hired Sir Edwin Lutyens to enlarge and beautify the residence. Lutyens ingeniously undertook this project in stages from 1904 to 1938, transforming a compact and at times incommodious mediaeval manor house into a sumptuous Edwardian mansion capable of hosting the political and social elite.