A very rare and superb solid… - Exceptional in Australia - Artvisory

Lot No.

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Description:

A very rare and superb solid malachite and gilt-bronze embellished centre table, Russian, mid 19th century. Provenance: Acquired from Alexander and Berendt, 1A Davies Street Berkeley Square, London W1- in 1981. The Estate of Judith and Bruce Terry, 16 Moule Avenue Brighton Victoria, Australia. Following Russia's victory over Napoleon in 1812, there was a new mood in Russia, one of celebration and self-confidence. It was this mood which eventually found its way into the world of decorative arts, as innovative architects and makers were invited to design the palaces of Tsar Nicholas I. Malachite was one of the new materials which found favour among Russian designers, for its intense green colour and its preciousness. Indeed, in the later 1830's, the wife of Tsar Nicholas I, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, commissioned an entire room in St Petersburg's Winter Palace to be made entirely out of malachite. Consequently, many new lapidary workshops started to emerge in the early 19th Century, a majority of which worked to make beautiful, extravagant pieces in malachite using the new 'Russian mosaic' technique, which allowed malachite veneers to be applied to extremely large and exquisite pieces. In 1835, large deposits of malachite, a stalagmitic form of green carbonate of copper, were found on one of the estates of the Demidov family. This discovery enabled Russian artisans to use malachite in lavish ways never before imagined. Always used strictly as veneer except in very small objects, malachite was applied either in a random arrangement, or in a pattern recreating the veins of malachite, as seen on this table top. Malachite was usually cemented to a slate or a metal base by employing a technique known as Russian Mosaic. Ground malachite was then added to cement to form a breccia, a glue that hardened quickly. The malachite breccia ensured that the seams between small pieces would be less noticeable. As the technique for cutting malachite plaque to form a pattern was not developed until about 1845, this table probably dates to circa 1855, the same date as the Louis XV style malachite fireplaces in the Winter Palace and in the Lusupov Palace, St Petersburg. The mine from where this supply came from is the Mednovudyansk mine, Ninny Tagil, Middle Urals. There was a very important discovery of two huge boulders in around 1834 and another a little smaller below it in 1843. The British Geologist Sir Roderick Imey recorded them in his diary. The actual venerating is of the best work, because of the crossed rivers and flower shapes which has been created by a master of the technique. Dimensions: 80 cm diameter, 83 cm high

Estimate:

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Category:

Precious Objects: Russian works of art