(via Diamond Cuts in Historic Jewelry:1381-1910) Herbert Tillander writes:
In the Six Voyages of John Baptista Tavernier there is an illustration of the fourth diamond that Tavernier sold to Louis XIV when he returned from his last voyage in 1669. At this point the stone weighed 51 9/16 ct. From Taverniers sketches it was impossible to produce a plausible side view of the gem with the recut Brilliant inscribed. But when I inverted the pictures, as Barbot (1858) and Kluge (1860) had done, the solution became immediately obvious. The first recutting (delivered by Alvarez in 1678) involved a loss of only about 9 ct—from 51 9/16 to 42 10/16 ct. At this stage the crown was only ‘brillianteered’—that is, the forty smallest facets were applied and polished—and the bulky pavilion was left untouched. The 1691 inventory described the stone as cut ‘à facettes, à la mode’, omitting the phrase ‘des deux côtés’.
The gem was finally transformed into a well-made Brilliant in 1786, when most of the old French Crown diamonds were refashioned in Antwerp. Now it weighed only 26¾ ct and was described as ‘un très grand diamant brilliant, forme carrée, coins émousses, de bonne eau, et net’.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
The Romantic Movement In France
(via The Outline of Art) William Orpen writes:
These methods of painting—though afterwards employed by the Pre-Raphaelites—were then a complete innovation in painting, and the painting was so novel in conception, so contrary to the received ideas of the time, that when it was at length completed and shown in the Salon of 1819 it was at first greeted with nothing but abuse. Nevertheless, this picture marks a turning-point in the history of French painting; it brought strong feeling and pulsating life into the barren and frozen official art, and gave new ideals to the younger generation.
At the time the genius of Géricault was more highly appreciated in England than in France, and after the exhibition of his masterpiece the artist visited London, where his drawings and paintings of horses were intensely admired, and Géricault did signal service to the art of both countries by returning to Paris full of praise for the painting of Bonington and Constable, whose pictures he introduced to and made known in Paris. Unfortunately for the world this great genius was short-lived. Early in 1823 he was stricken down by a mortal illness, and after eleven months of terrible suffering, borne with fortitude and composure, he died in January 1824 at the early age of thirty-three. His place at the head of the Romantic School was taken by Delacroix, who had been his friend and fellow student in the studio of Guérin.
Ferdinand Victor Eugène Delacroix was born at Charenton in 1798, but spent his early years at Marseilles, where he gained that love of vivid color and bright sunshine which afterwards distinguished his paiting. His father, an ex-foreign minister under the Directory and subsequently prefect of Marseilles and Bordeaux, did not take kindly to the idea of his son becoming a painter, but he died before his son came of age, and Eugène Delacroix then found shelter with a married sister in Paris, where he overcame family opposition and was allowed to study art.
His father, however, had left him penniless, and the young artist was so poor that in 1822, after painting his first great picture ‘The Barque of Dante,’ he could not afford to buy a frame, but sent the canvas to the Salon surrounded by four laths which he had colored with yellow powder. There it was seen by Baron Gros, who generously recognized the great talent of the poor artist, and not only persuaded the administration to give the picture a handsome new frame, but hung it in a place of honor in the Salon Carré.
‘The Barque of Dante’ made the painter famous at once, and did not offend the Classicists. Gross said the picture was ‘Rubens reformed,’ and paternally advised the artist. ‘Come to us; we will teach you how to draw.’ Delacroix was grateful to Gros for his kindness, but went his own way, and two years later he shocked the Classicists and delighted te Romantics by his picture ‘The Massacre of Scio.’
It will be remembered that Constable’s ‘Hay Wain’ was exhibited in the Paris Salon of 1824, and when Delacroix saw it he was so overwhelmed by its color that he obtained permission to retouch his own ‘Massacre of Scio’. In a fortnight he completely repainted this picture, using the purest and most vivid colors he could find, with the result that it now became as brilliant in color as it had already been in action and movement. The turbulent energy in this painting was too much for the Classicists, and Gros, playing on the title, said, ‘This is the massacre of painting.’ On the other hand, enthusiastic young critics lauded the picture with extravagant praise, one of them asserting that it showed up ‘all the horror of despotism’ in art as in life.
The Romantic Movement In France (continued)
These methods of painting—though afterwards employed by the Pre-Raphaelites—were then a complete innovation in painting, and the painting was so novel in conception, so contrary to the received ideas of the time, that when it was at length completed and shown in the Salon of 1819 it was at first greeted with nothing but abuse. Nevertheless, this picture marks a turning-point in the history of French painting; it brought strong feeling and pulsating life into the barren and frozen official art, and gave new ideals to the younger generation.
At the time the genius of Géricault was more highly appreciated in England than in France, and after the exhibition of his masterpiece the artist visited London, where his drawings and paintings of horses were intensely admired, and Géricault did signal service to the art of both countries by returning to Paris full of praise for the painting of Bonington and Constable, whose pictures he introduced to and made known in Paris. Unfortunately for the world this great genius was short-lived. Early in 1823 he was stricken down by a mortal illness, and after eleven months of terrible suffering, borne with fortitude and composure, he died in January 1824 at the early age of thirty-three. His place at the head of the Romantic School was taken by Delacroix, who had been his friend and fellow student in the studio of Guérin.
Ferdinand Victor Eugène Delacroix was born at Charenton in 1798, but spent his early years at Marseilles, where he gained that love of vivid color and bright sunshine which afterwards distinguished his paiting. His father, an ex-foreign minister under the Directory and subsequently prefect of Marseilles and Bordeaux, did not take kindly to the idea of his son becoming a painter, but he died before his son came of age, and Eugène Delacroix then found shelter with a married sister in Paris, where he overcame family opposition and was allowed to study art.
His father, however, had left him penniless, and the young artist was so poor that in 1822, after painting his first great picture ‘The Barque of Dante,’ he could not afford to buy a frame, but sent the canvas to the Salon surrounded by four laths which he had colored with yellow powder. There it was seen by Baron Gros, who generously recognized the great talent of the poor artist, and not only persuaded the administration to give the picture a handsome new frame, but hung it in a place of honor in the Salon Carré.
‘The Barque of Dante’ made the painter famous at once, and did not offend the Classicists. Gross said the picture was ‘Rubens reformed,’ and paternally advised the artist. ‘Come to us; we will teach you how to draw.’ Delacroix was grateful to Gros for his kindness, but went his own way, and two years later he shocked the Classicists and delighted te Romantics by his picture ‘The Massacre of Scio.’
It will be remembered that Constable’s ‘Hay Wain’ was exhibited in the Paris Salon of 1824, and when Delacroix saw it he was so overwhelmed by its color that he obtained permission to retouch his own ‘Massacre of Scio’. In a fortnight he completely repainted this picture, using the purest and most vivid colors he could find, with the result that it now became as brilliant in color as it had already been in action and movement. The turbulent energy in this painting was too much for the Classicists, and Gros, playing on the title, said, ‘This is the massacre of painting.’ On the other hand, enthusiastic young critics lauded the picture with extravagant praise, one of them asserting that it showed up ‘all the horror of despotism’ in art as in life.
The Romantic Movement In France (continued)
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Mobile UV-Vis Spectrophotometer
The portable UV-Vis Spectrophotometer is an important analytical gemological instrument that provides high resolution absorption + photoluminescence spectrums that are useful in identifying causes of color in diamonds + treated colored diamonds + origin determination of colored stones + pearl color authenticity + it's reliable and user-friendly.
Useful link:
www.oceanoptics.com
Useful link:
www.oceanoptics.com
Guy Kawasaki
Guy Kawasaki, a well-known Silicon Valley entrepreneur, launched of his second media startup, Alltop, at South by Southwest + his business models are unique and inspiring.
Useful links:
http://sxsw.com
http://alltop.com
http://truemors.com
www.garage.com
Useful links:
http://sxsw.com
http://alltop.com
http://truemors.com
www.garage.com
The Cheating Brain
Mary Carmichael's article His Cheating Brain @ http://www.newsweek.com/id/121492 was insightful because I have come across people in the gem & jewelry & art sector with similar traits and I have always wondered how to categorize them with a sweet jargon + I liked the term 'sensation seeker' + I might add sensation seeker with corrosive phenomenal effects + the writer was spot on.
Jewelry Market Update
According to industry analysts Italian jewelers are concerned by the economic slowdown in the United States, which is the most important export market for Italian producers + the rising prices of precious metals + volatile currencies have also added to the uncertainities.
Useful link:
www.cpsarezzo.it
I think jewelry companies in the Far East + South Asia + Southest Asia + the Middle East are also concerned like the Italians by the economic slowdown in the United States + in my view the only way to survive is to focus on quality + uniqueness of products.
Useful link:
www.cpsarezzo.it
I think jewelry companies in the Far East + South Asia + Southest Asia + the Middle East are also concerned like the Italians by the economic slowdown in the United States + in my view the only way to survive is to focus on quality + uniqueness of products.
The Coen Brothers
I am intrigued by the inventive + artistic talents of The Coen Brothers (Joel directs + Ethan produces) + together they have created memorable films I like.
Useful links:
www.coenbrothers.net
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coen_Brothers
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001054/
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001053/
Useful links:
www.coenbrothers.net
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coen_Brothers
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001054/
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001053/
Functional Chocolate
According to Barry Callebaut, nearly a quarter of Western consumers are increasingly interested in chocolate (s) with physical or emotional health benefits + these include Acticoa, a cocoa powder that contains a high level of the antioxidant polyphenols, pro-biotic chocolate for gut health, and a tooth-friendly chocolate made with isomaltulose, a natural constituent of honey and sugar cane.
Useful links:
www.barry-callebaut.com
www.euromonitor.com
www.foodproductiondaily.com
http://www.hawaiianchocolate.com/chocolate_tales_marijuana.html
A lesson for the gem & jewelry & art sector! Are there any diamond (s), colored stone (s) jewelry or art works that provide emotional benefits? Over to you.
Useful links:
www.barry-callebaut.com
www.euromonitor.com
www.foodproductiondaily.com
http://www.hawaiianchocolate.com/chocolate_tales_marijuana.html
A lesson for the gem & jewelry & art sector! Are there any diamond (s), colored stone (s) jewelry or art works that provide emotional benefits? Over to you.
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