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拍品专文
This magnificent and highly-prized agate ewer and basin is a tour-de-force of exotic, translucent agate, possibly commissioned for the Grand Dauphin's personal collection in the late 17th Century, and later owned by some of the greatest collectors in Europe following the French Revolution.
The ewer and basin is first described in an 1801 sale catalogue of an anonymous, but important collection of exotic hardstones, objets d'arts and fine furniture and paintings. Highlighted on both the title and in the introduction to the sale, the ewer and basin is described under number 47. Interestingly, it was said to be non doré (ungilded):
The ewer next appears in an undated and unaddressed shipping list in the Hamilton archive (Hamilton MSS Misc. M12.30). Written in French but priced in roubles, this shipping list is believed to be of works of art brought back from Russia by Alexander Hamilton, 10th Duke of Hamilton (1767-1852) when he served as the British Ambassador to Russia in St Petersburg between late January and June 1807.
The Duke of Hamilton's remarkable schatzkammer was comprised principally of sumptuously mounted hardstones, many of which have a direct association with the French Royal collections. These factors open up the possibility that several of the works of art on the Hamilton Russian shipping lists, especially the hardstones, may originally have formed part of the collections assembled by French royalty, most notably the Grand Dauphin.
THE GRAND DAUPHIN'S COLLECTION OF HARDSTONE OBJETS D'ARTS
The striking Dauphin agate handle on the present ewer is extremely similar to the open-mouthed, leaping dolphin of the coat-of-arms of the Dauphin of France, an emblem repeatedly seen in hardstone objects known to have belonged to Louis, the Grand Dauphin, son of Louis XIV. The Grand Dauphin formed an extraordinary treasury of hardstone objects of jasper, agate, rock crystal and lapis-lazuli, purchased predominantly from Parisian dealers between 1681 and 1689, and mounted in gold or silver-gilt.
The ewer and basin, both with agate of the same fiery, volcanic natural colourings, were likely carved in northern Italy during the period when the Grand Dauphin was collecting most abundantly in the 1680s. A related rock crystal salt cellar in the form of a dolphin, which is mounted with silver bands similar to those on the present ewer was recorded in the 1776 inventory of the Grand Dauphin and is preserved in the Prado, Madrid. When the Grand Dauphin died in 1711 the Treasury was divided - his second son the King of Spain inherited one fifth of the collection, while his two other sons inherited one sixth of the collection, and the rest was auctioned at Meudon in July 1711.
THE ORMOLU MOUNTS AND 1801 SALE CATALOGUE
The superbly chased mounts, executed by a master ciseleur, are designed in the unusual 'arabesque' style, and are likely the work of Pierre-Philippe Thomire (1751-1833). The use and style of the classically-inspired sphinxes and the characterisation of the faces of the tritons can be seen in comparable work by Thomire from this period (M. Ottomeyer & P. Pröschel, Vergoldete Bronzen: Bronzearbeiten des Spätbarock und Klassizismus, Munich, 1986, vol. II, pp. 657-665; J. Niclausse, Thomire, Fondeur-Ciseleur (1751-1843) Sa Vie - Son Oeuvre, Paris, 1947, pls. 10-12 and 19).
The description of the mounts in the 1801 sale catalogue as non doré suggests that the mounts were unfinished in 1801. It is unlikely that they were purposefully left ungilded and it is possible that the ciseleur-doreur responsible had not completed the work in 1801 or the years following the Revolution.
THE DUKE OF HAMILTON’S RUSSIAN LISTS OF 1807
Alongside the agate ewer and basin, the Russian shipping lists of circa 1807 record a number of ormolu or gold-mounted hardstone objects of such extraordinarily rich taste and distinguished historical associations that would suggest that Hamilton was either presented with them as a diplomatic gift en bloc, or that he purchased them en bloc from an imperial or aristocratic schatzkammer.
A number of the objects on these lists have now been identified including the present lot and lot 6 in this sale, recorded as La Cassolette de Lapis Lazuli monté en bronze. This ormolu-mounted lapis lazuli tazza was almost certainly mounted by the same ciseleur-doreur.
The superlative collections ultimately gathered at Hamilton Palace by 1882 - as a result of both Hamilton's and his friend William Beckford's inheritances - led one commentator to describe it as 'One of the noblest residences in Europe.. and probably containing a greater collection of rare works of art than the abode of any man under the rank of sovereign..'.
1882 TO THE PRESENT DAY
Christie's dispersal of the Hamilton Palace Collection was amongst the greatest auctions of furniture and works of art ever held. The ewer and basin, as well as the lapis lazuli tazza in this sale, also included on the Russian list, were purchased in the Hamilton Palace sale by Christopher Beckett Denison, who sold them shortly afterwards in 1885; in his sale both lots were then purchased by William, 5th Earl of Carysfort, and recorded in a manuscript of his purchases for that year.
The ewer and basin is first described in an 1801 sale catalogue of an anonymous, but important collection of exotic hardstones, objets d'arts and fine furniture and paintings. Highlighted on both the title and in the introduction to the sale, the ewer and basin is described under number 47. Interestingly, it was said to be non doré (ungilded):
The ewer next appears in an undated and unaddressed shipping list in the Hamilton archive (Hamilton MSS Misc. M12.30). Written in French but priced in roubles, this shipping list is believed to be of works of art brought back from Russia by Alexander Hamilton, 10th Duke of Hamilton (1767-1852) when he served as the British Ambassador to Russia in St Petersburg between late January and June 1807.
The Duke of Hamilton's remarkable schatzkammer was comprised principally of sumptuously mounted hardstones, many of which have a direct association with the French Royal collections. These factors open up the possibility that several of the works of art on the Hamilton Russian shipping lists, especially the hardstones, may originally have formed part of the collections assembled by French royalty, most notably the Grand Dauphin.
THE GRAND DAUPHIN'S COLLECTION OF HARDSTONE OBJETS D'ARTS
The striking Dauphin agate handle on the present ewer is extremely similar to the open-mouthed, leaping dolphin of the coat-of-arms of the Dauphin of France, an emblem repeatedly seen in hardstone objects known to have belonged to Louis, the Grand Dauphin, son of Louis XIV. The Grand Dauphin formed an extraordinary treasury of hardstone objects of jasper, agate, rock crystal and lapis-lazuli, purchased predominantly from Parisian dealers between 1681 and 1689, and mounted in gold or silver-gilt.
The ewer and basin, both with agate of the same fiery, volcanic natural colourings, were likely carved in northern Italy during the period when the Grand Dauphin was collecting most abundantly in the 1680s. A related rock crystal salt cellar in the form of a dolphin, which is mounted with silver bands similar to those on the present ewer was recorded in the 1776 inventory of the Grand Dauphin and is preserved in the Prado, Madrid. When the Grand Dauphin died in 1711 the Treasury was divided - his second son the King of Spain inherited one fifth of the collection, while his two other sons inherited one sixth of the collection, and the rest was auctioned at Meudon in July 1711.
THE ORMOLU MOUNTS AND 1801 SALE CATALOGUE
The superbly chased mounts, executed by a master ciseleur, are designed in the unusual 'arabesque' style, and are likely the work of Pierre-Philippe Thomire (1751-1833). The use and style of the classically-inspired sphinxes and the characterisation of the faces of the tritons can be seen in comparable work by Thomire from this period (M. Ottomeyer & P. Pröschel, Vergoldete Bronzen: Bronzearbeiten des Spätbarock und Klassizismus, Munich, 1986, vol. II, pp. 657-665; J. Niclausse, Thomire, Fondeur-Ciseleur (1751-1843) Sa Vie - Son Oeuvre, Paris, 1947, pls. 10-12 and 19).
The description of the mounts in the 1801 sale catalogue as non doré suggests that the mounts were unfinished in 1801. It is unlikely that they were purposefully left ungilded and it is possible that the ciseleur-doreur responsible had not completed the work in 1801 or the years following the Revolution.
THE DUKE OF HAMILTON’S RUSSIAN LISTS OF 1807
Alongside the agate ewer and basin, the Russian shipping lists of circa 1807 record a number of ormolu or gold-mounted hardstone objects of such extraordinarily rich taste and distinguished historical associations that would suggest that Hamilton was either presented with them as a diplomatic gift en bloc, or that he purchased them en bloc from an imperial or aristocratic schatzkammer.
A number of the objects on these lists have now been identified including the present lot and lot 6 in this sale, recorded as La Cassolette de Lapis Lazuli monté en bronze. This ormolu-mounted lapis lazuli tazza was almost certainly mounted by the same ciseleur-doreur.
The superlative collections ultimately gathered at Hamilton Palace by 1882 - as a result of both Hamilton's and his friend William Beckford's inheritances - led one commentator to describe it as 'One of the noblest residences in Europe.. and probably containing a greater collection of rare works of art than the abode of any man under the rank of sovereign..'.
1882 TO THE PRESENT DAY
Christie's dispersal of the Hamilton Palace Collection was amongst the greatest auctions of furniture and works of art ever held. The ewer and basin, as well as the lapis lazuli tazza in this sale, also included on the Russian list, were purchased in the Hamilton Palace sale by Christopher Beckett Denison, who sold them shortly afterwards in 1885; in his sale both lots were then purchased by William, 5th Earl of Carysfort, and recorded in a manuscript of his purchases for that year.