The Arts and Crafts of Older Spain, Volume 2 (of 3)Williams, Leonard
History
The Arts and Crafts of Older Spain, Volume 2 (of 3)
Williams, Leonard
Decorative arts -- Spain -- History
Riaño says that every kind of porcelain was made at the Buen Retiro,
"hard and soft paste, white china, glazed or unglazed, or painted and
modelled in the style of Capo-di-Monte." A great many objects existed
imitating the blue jasper ware of Wedgwood, and they also made flowers,
coloured and biscuit, groups (Pl. lxxi.), and single figures, and
painted porcelain of different kinds. Great quantities of tiles for
pavements were also made there, which may still be seen at the Casa del
Labrador at Aranjuez: they are mentioned in the accounts which exist at
the Ministry of Finance for 1807 and 1808. We find in these same
accounts interesting details of the objects made monthly. In January,
1808, a large number of figures were made, including 151 heads for the
table centre which was made for the king, 306 objects ornamented with
paintings, 2506 tiles, 577 objects of less artistic importance, such as
dishes, plates, etc. The finest specimens which exist are in the
Neapolitan style, and are two rooms at the palaces of Madrid and
Aranjuez, of which the walls are completely covered with China plaques
and looking-glasses, modelled in the most admirable manner with figures,
fruits, and flowers. The room at Aranjuez is covered with a bold
ornamentation of figures in the Japanese style, in high relief, painted
with colours and gold with the most exquisite details. The figures unite
the fine Italian modelling with the Japanese decoration. The chandelier
is in the same style (Plate lxxii.). Upon a vase on the wainscot to the
right of the entrance door is the following inscription:--
JOSEPH
GRICCI
DELINEAV^{it}
ET
SCUL^{it}
1763.
This same date is repeated in the angles, and in some shields near the
roof we find,
"AÑO
1765;
probably the year the work was terminated."
[Illustration: LXXII
ROOM DECORATED WITH PORCELAIN OF THE BUEN RETIRO
(_Royal Palace of Aranjuez_)]
The earliest mark upon the Buen Retiro porcelain was a blue
fleur-de-lis, to which were subsequently added the letter M and a royal
crown. Still later, in the reign of Charles the Fourth, the mark used
was a fleur-de-lis with two crossed C's.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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