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拍品专文
These picturesque asymmetric girandoles feature motifs directly related to two designs by Thomas Chippendale for 'Girandoles' published in the third edition of his Director, 1762 (pl. LXXVIII).
Naturalistic branches support their leaf-shaped nozzles and drip-pans, the rustic squirrel perches on a water-dripping rocky outcrop beside a balcony and pilasters that are overgrown by acanthus, which also festoons the borders and asymmetric pediment. Such serpentine and asymmetrical forms combined with a lack of proportion reflect the concept of natural beauty taught by pattern-books on Chinese fashion design issued since the 17th century. Chippendale's 1762 patterns are likely to have evolved from his Girandole, incorporating a Chinese waterside pagoda, that he published in the 1754 Director (pl. 140).
They are closely related in form and ornament to the magnificent large-scale pair of girandoles which were supplied to William Crichton-Dalyrymple, 5th Earl of Dumfries (1699-1768) for Dumfries House, Ayrshire, by Thomas Chippendale on 5 May 1759. Shipped aboard the Dilligence, they were invoiced as: '2 large Girandoles richly carv'd & gilt in burnish'd gold a Looking glass in each & 2 branches wt. brass leaf Nozzles £24-10'. Chippendale supplied several similar pairs of girandoles to the Dumfries mirrors. Among the documented examples are four supplied to Sir Edward Knatchbull for Mersham-le-Hatch and invoiced on 14 October 1767 as '2 Large Gerandoles very richly Carvd & painted Blue & White with large Looking Glasses in the Backs, 2 Branches to each and Wrought Nozels £26. Also invoiced at the same time was a pair described as '2 Gerandoles very neatly Carvd & part Gilt in Burnishd Gold & 2 branches to each with Leaf nozels & silvering his own glasses for ditto £9 9'. Sir Rowland Winn ordered a pair for Nostell Priory, on 14 February 1769, described as 'To 2 Carvd Gerandoles with 1 Branch each & made to match your own & Gilt in Oil Gold [crossed out] £4.17.6. Edwin Lascelles commissioned a pair for Harewood on 12 November 1773 and described as 2 large Gerandoles with Looking Glasses, Treble branches and antique Ornaments, exceeding richly Carved and highly finished in Burnished Gold - £75. Another pair was delivered to Harewood also recorded on the invoice for 12 November 1773: '2 Exceeding Rich Carved Antique Gerandoles, for the Salloon highly finished in burnished Gold, double branches &c Complete £30. Four more were supplied there on 26 August 1774 and invoiced as '4 Exceeding rich Carved Gerandoles with 3 branches each highly finished in Burnished Gold with very neat Brass pans and Nossells &c Complete for the Music Room £84', and again '2 very Large Gerandoles to your own Looking Glasses exceeding richly Carved and Gilt in Burnished Gold with Antique Ornaments and very neat brass work - Complete £62 10'. Another pair, silvered this time, was supplied on 1 December 1775: '2 Exceeding neat & Rich Carved Gerandoles with ornaments and Treble Branches highly finished in burnished Silver and varnished and wrought Pans and Nossells silvered &c £40'. It is unclear if the latter pair included their plates: a large factor contributing to the price.
THE GILDING
An analysis of the decoration reveals that the girandoles have been completely stripped and re-gilt; the present 20th century water-gilding has also been more recently patched in some areas with oil gilding. Evidence of the earlier gesso survives in small areas, with charcoal particles on the surface; the stripping was very thorough.
Naturalistic branches support their leaf-shaped nozzles and drip-pans, the rustic squirrel perches on a water-dripping rocky outcrop beside a balcony and pilasters that are overgrown by acanthus, which also festoons the borders and asymmetric pediment. Such serpentine and asymmetrical forms combined with a lack of proportion reflect the concept of natural beauty taught by pattern-books on Chinese fashion design issued since the 17th century. Chippendale's 1762 patterns are likely to have evolved from his Girandole, incorporating a Chinese waterside pagoda, that he published in the 1754 Director (pl. 140).
They are closely related in form and ornament to the magnificent large-scale pair of girandoles which were supplied to William Crichton-Dalyrymple, 5th Earl of Dumfries (1699-1768) for Dumfries House, Ayrshire, by Thomas Chippendale on 5 May 1759. Shipped aboard the Dilligence, they were invoiced as: '2 large Girandoles richly carv'd & gilt in burnish'd gold a Looking glass in each & 2 branches wt. brass leaf Nozzles £24-10'. Chippendale supplied several similar pairs of girandoles to the Dumfries mirrors. Among the documented examples are four supplied to Sir Edward Knatchbull for Mersham-le-Hatch and invoiced on 14 October 1767 as '2 Large Gerandoles very richly Carvd & painted Blue & White with large Looking Glasses in the Backs, 2 Branches to each and Wrought Nozels £26. Also invoiced at the same time was a pair described as '2 Gerandoles very neatly Carvd & part Gilt in Burnishd Gold & 2 branches to each with Leaf nozels & silvering his own glasses for ditto £9 9'. Sir Rowland Winn ordered a pair for Nostell Priory, on 14 February 1769, described as 'To 2 Carvd Gerandoles with 1 Branch each & made to match your own & Gilt in Oil Gold [crossed out] £4.17.6. Edwin Lascelles commissioned a pair for Harewood on 12 November 1773 and described as 2 large Gerandoles with Looking Glasses, Treble branches and antique Ornaments, exceeding richly Carved and highly finished in Burnished Gold - £75. Another pair was delivered to Harewood also recorded on the invoice for 12 November 1773: '2 Exceeding Rich Carved Antique Gerandoles, for the Salloon highly finished in burnished Gold, double branches &c Complete £30. Four more were supplied there on 26 August 1774 and invoiced as '4 Exceeding rich Carved Gerandoles with 3 branches each highly finished in Burnished Gold with very neat Brass pans and Nossells &c Complete for the Music Room £84', and again '2 very Large Gerandoles to your own Looking Glasses exceeding richly Carved and Gilt in Burnished Gold with Antique Ornaments and very neat brass work - Complete £62 10'. Another pair, silvered this time, was supplied on 1 December 1775: '2 Exceeding neat & Rich Carved Gerandoles with ornaments and Treble Branches highly finished in burnished Silver and varnished and wrought Pans and Nossells silvered &c £40'. It is unclear if the latter pair included their plates: a large factor contributing to the price.
THE GILDING
An analysis of the decoration reveals that the girandoles have been completely stripped and re-gilt; the present 20th century water-gilding has also been more recently patched in some areas with oil gilding. Evidence of the earlier gesso survives in small areas, with charcoal particles on the surface; the stripping was very thorough.