.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
PICASSE, A FORGOTTEN TALENTED GOLDSMITH
There is no record of Louis Picasse's apprenticeship, however, he practiced first as a goldsmith at the Manufacture Royale des Gobelins, before moving to Paris, a vacancy having come free in the guild in 1745. He was sponsored by Michel-Robert Hallet, who himself had been Superintendant des Bâtiments at the Gobelins before moving to Paris in 1737 as a goldsmith.
Historically the Superintendant des Bâtiments oversaw the production of tapestries, furniture and objects intended for Royal Residences or as diplomatic gifts, but with the cutbacks under Louis XIV this role was somewhat diminished. Nevertheless, the prestige attached to the role of goldsmith at the Gobelins should not be under-estimated and it is likely that it brought Picasse a certain standing as well as prestigious clientele amongst the King's entourage and diplomatic court.
Picasse was undoubtedly a prolific goldsmith although very few objects have appeared on the market, the most prestigious being a sugar vase dated 1750, possibly made for Frederick the Great (1712-1786), a celebrated collector of gold boxes and French art, sold at Christie's, Paris, 8 November 2013, lot 128, as well as a number of gold boxes including two dated 1750 and 1769 (Brissoneau sale, Drouot, 21 May 2003, lot 215 and Sotheby's, London, 7 June 2007, lot 80). This is probably because his maker's mark has not always been correctly identified. Indeed, records in the Ferme Générale Registers (the assay office) (National Archive mss. T//*/1490⁄44) which start in 1750, three years after our box, show that Louis Picasse only worked with gold, specialising in objets du vertu. Considering the average quantity assayed monthly, Picasse ranked amongst the most active goldsmiths in Paris. Furthermore, his name consistently appears alongside others more familiar to us and who have left a greater legacy, such as Jean Ducrollay.
FLOWERS
Flowers were a favourite subject for decoration and lend themselves to the ornamentation of gold boxes. The first examples were generally decorated with a central bouquet, very similar to a design for a snuff-box at the Victoria & Albert Museum dated from the first half of the 18th century (E.296-1938). However, by the 1740s, goldsmiths used symmetrically arranged patterns much like a wallpaper, giving the composition a very modern feel.
There is no record of Louis Picasse's apprenticeship, however, he practiced first as a goldsmith at the Manufacture Royale des Gobelins, before moving to Paris, a vacancy having come free in the guild in 1745. He was sponsored by Michel-Robert Hallet, who himself had been Superintendant des Bâtiments at the Gobelins before moving to Paris in 1737 as a goldsmith.
Historically the Superintendant des Bâtiments oversaw the production of tapestries, furniture and objects intended for Royal Residences or as diplomatic gifts, but with the cutbacks under Louis XIV this role was somewhat diminished. Nevertheless, the prestige attached to the role of goldsmith at the Gobelins should not be under-estimated and it is likely that it brought Picasse a certain standing as well as prestigious clientele amongst the King's entourage and diplomatic court.
Picasse was undoubtedly a prolific goldsmith although very few objects have appeared on the market, the most prestigious being a sugar vase dated 1750, possibly made for Frederick the Great (1712-1786), a celebrated collector of gold boxes and French art, sold at Christie's, Paris, 8 November 2013, lot 128, as well as a number of gold boxes including two dated 1750 and 1769 (Brissoneau sale, Drouot, 21 May 2003, lot 215 and Sotheby's, London, 7 June 2007, lot 80). This is probably because his maker's mark has not always been correctly identified. Indeed, records in the Ferme Générale Registers (the assay office) (National Archive mss. T//*/1490⁄44) which start in 1750, three years after our box, show that Louis Picasse only worked with gold, specialising in objets du vertu. Considering the average quantity assayed monthly, Picasse ranked amongst the most active goldsmiths in Paris. Furthermore, his name consistently appears alongside others more familiar to us and who have left a greater legacy, such as Jean Ducrollay.
FLOWERS
Flowers were a favourite subject for decoration and lend themselves to the ornamentation of gold boxes. The first examples were generally decorated with a central bouquet, very similar to a design for a snuff-box at the Victoria & Albert Museum dated from the first half of the 18th century (E.296-1938). However, by the 1740s, goldsmiths used symmetrically arranged patterns much like a wallpaper, giving the composition a very modern feel.