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Lot Essay
The fine rectangular Wedgwood plaque fronting this vitrine-table depicts the Rape of Persephone. It shows the abduction of Persephone by Hades, god of the underworld. Persephone is being carried away in a chariot led by Hermes while her mother, Ceres, is in pursuit on a serpent drawn chariot. Between 1788 and 1790 Wedgwood commissioned some thirty wax models to be made in Italy, copying ancient relief sculptures. This plaque was modeled by Giuseppe Angelini (1742 - 1811) in 1789, probably from a facade relief at the Casino dell'Aurora, and possibly 'finished' by John de Vaere. See Robin Reilly, Wedgwood, London, 1989, Vol. I, p. 603, no. 888 for the original wax model.
As early as February 1774 Wedgwood proposed mounting fine furniture with neo-classical Wedgwood plaques, later made of 'jasperware' in pale blue, lilac and green echoing neo-classical interiors. Towards the end of the 18th century, French marchands-merciers like Dominique Daguerre were promising Wedgwood a market in Paris for his plaques, which were introduced onto Louis XVI furniture by ébénistes such as Adam Weisweiler. Although it features an 18th century Wedgwood plaque, this vitrine table is a 19th century copy in the style of Weisweiler's dressing tables and consoles dessertes. This table is not stamped by its 19th century cabinet maker, but compares to a table de salon with a Sèvres plaque emulating Wedgwood jasperware by Charles-Guillaume Winckelsen (d. 1871) who was renowned for his execution of fine furniture in this style (D. Ledoux-Lebard, Le Mobilier Français du XIXe Siècle, Paris, 1984, p. 636).
As early as February 1774 Wedgwood proposed mounting fine furniture with neo-classical Wedgwood plaques, later made of 'jasperware' in pale blue, lilac and green echoing neo-classical interiors. Towards the end of the 18th century, French marchands-merciers like Dominique Daguerre were promising Wedgwood a market in Paris for his plaques, which were introduced onto Louis XVI furniture by ébénistes such as Adam Weisweiler. Although it features an 18th century Wedgwood plaque, this vitrine table is a 19th century copy in the style of Weisweiler's dressing tables and consoles dessertes. This table is not stamped by its 19th century cabinet maker, but compares to a table de salon with a Sèvres plaque emulating Wedgwood jasperware by Charles-Guillaume Winckelsen (d. 1871) who was renowned for his execution of fine furniture in this style (D. Ledoux-Lebard, Le Mobilier Français du XIXe Siècle, Paris, 1984, p. 636).