拍品專文
George Michael Moser (1706-1783) was an exceptionally versatile artist. He was probably the leading chaser and enameller of his day, as well as being skilled in drawing. Sir Joshua Reynolds gave a eulogy at his funeral, attended 'by all the capital artists' (Gentleman's Magazine, LIII, p.180) as the 'Father of the present race of Artists....possessed of a universal knowledge of all branches of painting and of sculpture'. He was born in Schaffhausen, Switzerland in 1706 and by 1726 seems to have been in London where he worked first as a chaser of furniture mounts. By 1742 he was described by George Vertue as 'Mr Moser of Geneva Chaser (who) has the reputation of the best workman in that way of chasing Gold, smallworks for watches, boxes. Trinkletts etc'. Again in 1745 Vertue also wrote of his skill in life drawing. A fine design for a candlestick signed 'G. M. Moser iv. & delt', attests to his skill as a draughtsman (Exhibition Catalogue, Rococo, Art and design in Hogarth's England, Victoria and Albert Museum, 1983, No.E14). As early as the 1730s, Moser together with Haidt, another chaser, had started up a small life drawing school, and later he joined the St. Martin's Lane Academy. He enjoyed both the 3rd Earl of Bute's patronage and that of The Royal Family to whom he was drawing Master. He was a founding member of The Incorporated Society of Artists and was elected as the first Keeper of the Royal Academy of Arts in 1768.
It has been suggested that Moser turned from chasing to enamelling in about 1760, since he was described in 1755 solely as a chaser, while eight years later he was listed as a 'Chaser and Painter in Enamels'. However Charles Truman (The Gilbert Collection of Gold Boxes, London, 1992, No.107) has shown that he was still chasing as late as 1774. There is every reason to think that the chasing and enamelling on this box are entirely his work. A number of important boxes by Moser including a chased gold box given 'To the Earl of Bute' 'Rococo Art and Design in Hogarth's England, op. cit., H.23) are recorded. Signed enamel work by Moser other than watch-cases are very rare and include a gold and enamel etui (Rococo Art and Design in Hogarth's England', op. cit., I.7, sold by the British Rail Pension Fund, Sotheby's Geneva, 15 May 1990, lot 47). Mention should also be made of an unsigned box with watch in the Gilbert Collection (Truman, op.cit., No.102), the gold work and enamelling of which are closely related to the present example.
The enamel is taken from the full-length portrait of George, Prince of Wales, later King George III, by Allan Ramsay at Mount Stuart. For a smaller enamel of the sitter taken after the same portrait, see R. Walker, Miniatures in the Collection of Her Majesty the Queen, Cambridge, 1992, no.249. This enamel must date from between 1758, when Ramsay's prototype was completed, and 1761 when this was superceeded by Ramsay's state portrait of King George III in coronation robes.
It has been suggested that Moser turned from chasing to enamelling in about 1760, since he was described in 1755 solely as a chaser, while eight years later he was listed as a 'Chaser and Painter in Enamels'. However Charles Truman (The Gilbert Collection of Gold Boxes, London, 1992, No.107) has shown that he was still chasing as late as 1774. There is every reason to think that the chasing and enamelling on this box are entirely his work. A number of important boxes by Moser including a chased gold box given 'To the Earl of Bute' 'Rococo Art and Design in Hogarth's England, op. cit., H.23) are recorded. Signed enamel work by Moser other than watch-cases are very rare and include a gold and enamel etui (Rococo Art and Design in Hogarth's England', op. cit., I.7, sold by the British Rail Pension Fund, Sotheby's Geneva, 15 May 1990, lot 47). Mention should also be made of an unsigned box with watch in the Gilbert Collection (Truman, op.cit., No.102), the gold work and enamelling of which are closely related to the present example.
The enamel is taken from the full-length portrait of George, Prince of Wales, later King George III, by Allan Ramsay at Mount Stuart. For a smaller enamel of the sitter taken after the same portrait, see R. Walker, Miniatures in the Collection of Her Majesty the Queen, Cambridge, 1992, no.249. This enamel must date from between 1758, when Ramsay's prototype was completed, and 1761 when this was superceeded by Ramsay's state portrait of King George III in coronation robes.