The Industrial Arts in SpainRiaño, Juan F. (Juan Facundo)
History
The Industrial Arts in Spain
Riaño, Juan F. (Juan Facundo)
Decorative arts -- Spain -- History; Pottery -- Spain -- History
Every kind of porcelain was made at 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 existed imitating the blue jasper ware of
Wedgwood, and they also made flowers, coloured and biscuit, groups, 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, 2,056 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. Upon a vase on the
wainscot to the right of the entrance door is the following inscription:
JOSEPH
GRICC^{I}
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. Antonio Conca, in his
"Descrizione Odeporica della Spagna in cui spezialmente si da notizia
delle cose spettanti alle Belle Arti," Parma, 1793, Vol. III., p. 310,
says, "Il Gabineto abbelitto di porcellana della Fabbricca del Retiro ha
meritato le bodi de curiozi viaggiatori." We also find in p. 119, "Un
altro Gabinetto vien chiamato della Cina pel sud principal ornata di bei
putti, di bassi relievi, e di altre opere di porcellana della nuova Real
Fabbricca del Ritiro." Ponz, in his "Viage de España," Madrid, 1782,
describes the room at the Palace of Madrid, saying, "it is covered with
large plaques of porcelain made at Buen Retiro. In some are represented
figures of children copied from models, and between each compartment
looking-glasses are let in." (See woodcut.)
[Illustration: ROOM DECORATED WITH BUEN RETIRO PORCELAIN, IN THE PALACE
AT MADRID.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account