The Antique and Vintage Table Lamp Co has in its collection a mid 18th century French table lamp decorated with Rococo flower painting 260 years old, but still as fresh as the summer of 1750.
The French 18th century saw the full flowering of decorative art. France led Europe in artistic expression and high style.
It was in the region of Marseille that saw the production of some of the beautiful examples of French faience.
Faience being the French name for tin glazed earthenware, known to the Dutch and English as Delft and Majolica in Italy.
One of these manufactories was opened in 1740 by Claude Perrin (1696-1748 ) and when he died in 1748 it was his widow, Madame Pierrette Candelot who took over the management of production.
This alone, in the middle of the 18th century, was considered highly unusual. Under her leadership the production flourished, especially the quality of the flower painting. With foresight Madam Perrin enrolled her faience painters in French art academies to develop and refine the elegant style of flower painting as seen today.
Painting on faience was difficult, the painter using the glazed faïence surface as the canvas.
The French 18th century was the century of the Rococo and floral painting was expressed in beautiful style. The style is known as Décor Floral Naturaliste le Grand Fleur. The style is naturalistic, although not botanical, it is informal and yet with a sense of formality.
The flower painting of loose bouquets of summer flowers, small sprays and sprigs, quite often with moths and butterflies, ladybirds and caterpillars. It is known the many of the painters picked bunches of flowers on the way to work as models for the day.
The majority of pieces produced are marked with the letters VP the initials for the French Veuve Perrin which means Perrin's widow.
Madame Perrin died in 1793 and production continued, although in decline until 1803. The factory struggled through the violence of the French revolution which finally saw the collapse of the Rococo Décor Floral.
- A rare, mid 18th century, French Faience vase s a table lamp of great charm
- This is an early example of the Faience of Claude Perrin of Marseille
- The lamp delicately painted in a bright palette of enamels with a loose bouquet of summer flowers with garden insects
- The flowers include pink and yellow roses, forget-me-nots, daisies and morning glory
- The lamp on a 19th century French ormolu base of Rococo style
- These summer flowers are 260 years old and still as fresh as the summer of 1750
- Atelier – Veuve Perrin
- Louis XV- Circa 1750
- Overall height (including shade) 22"/56cm