Description

Created in 1936, following the bequest of Count Moise de Camondo to the French State in memory of his son Nissim, who died for France in 1917, the Musee Nissim de Camondo houses a rich collection of 18th-century art objects. Reflecting the donor’s taste for this period of French art, the collection includes a significant number of pieces of furniture and objects embellished with gilded bronze ornaments. Gathered with incredible foresight by Moise de Camondo between 1890 and 1935, these gilded bronzes reflect the evolution of styles during the 18th century, from the fantasies of rocaille, the severity of the return to the antique model, to the delicacy of the Louis XVI style. This catalogue presents a selection of 30 furniture bronzes, all masterpieces. Signed Osmond, attributed to Jean-Louis Prieur, Francois Remond or Jean-Noel Turpin, they testify to the expertise of Parisian gilders in the second half of the 18th century, as well as to their collaboration with other trades draftsmen, sculptors, founders, goldsmiths and watchmakers. The gilded bronzes in the Musee Nissim de Camondo offer a highly varied typology, bearing witness to their diverse uses and fully participating in the project of “reconstituting an 18th-century artistic residence” so dear to the Count de Camondo. AUTHORS: Anne Forray-Carlier, senior curator at the Musee du Louvre, Departement des Objets d’Art. Sylvie Legrand-Rossi, former senior curator, Musee Nissim de Camondo. Beatrice Quette, curator of asian collections, Musee des Arts Decoratifs. SELLING POINTS: . Eight introductory pages with photographs of the Musee Nissim de Camondo, depicting a tour inside the house . Introductory chapter gives the reader hints about the technique of gilded bronze in the 18th century, associated with a study of Moise de Camondo’s career as a collector, his purchases and his tastes . Focus on the Chinese and Japanese mounted porcelain and objects from the collection . Study of 30 masterpieces from the collection, with beautiful photographs and details of the bronze ornaments 120 colour illustrations