lamp
Summary
Lamp with triangular solid blue plinth with concave sides and chamfered corners, decorated with borders of white leaves. Three solid white jasper slave figures, one positioned in each corner of plinth, with drapes of solid blue, stooping forward with bent back, one leg raised, leaning foot against central fluted column in solid blue with white acanthus detail. Each figure adopts slightly different posture. Wide bowl supported by figures, of solid blue with simple white leaves radiating out from base and wide arabesque band round upper body, surmounted by blue ridge with white twisted ribbon detail at intervals. Removable upper bowl with flat shoulder tapering in to tall wide neck, with looped floral festoons in white suspended from paterae beneath neck. Blue ridge to neck with white twisted ribbon detail in two directions giving white crosses at intervals.
Display Label
Grand Tour and Grand Style The Influence of Travel Improvements in European travel during the 1700s had a wide-ranging impact on British culture. A particularly significant influence was the Grand Tour, which became almost obligatory for young gentlemen. Grand Tourists were led across Europe by tutors to study art, history and politics for two or three years. The Grand Tour focused on Italy, particularly Rome, and often incorporated new archaeological sites such as those at Herculaneum and Pompei, near Naples. Ancient antiquities were heavily trafficked across Europe and continental works of art flooded into Britain. A period of especially active collecting took place between the end of the Seven Years War in 1763 and the rise of Napoleon in the 1790s. As more artists and designers also visited the continent their work became increasingly informed by travel. The serious themes of classical antiquity and European art led to a new departure in painting called the Grand Style. This championed classical, historical or literary subjects, and inspired radical changes in portraiture and landscape. Widespread interest in Greek and Roman remains also fostered fresh interpretations of ancient designs by pioneers of decorative art such as Josiah Wedgwood.
Object Name
lamp
Creators Name
Date Created
c.1780
Dimensions
object: 28.5cm
accession number
1917.372
Collection Group
Place of creation
Etruria
Medium
jasperware
Credit
Leicester Collier Bequest
Legal
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