COMPLIMENTARY COPY
Published Weekly By Joel Sater Publications www.antiquesandauctionnews.net
VOL. 43, NO. 28 FRIDAY JULY 13, 2012
All That Glitters Is Gold...And Mor e The Works Of Johann Christian Neuber ince antiquity, gemstones ury items and the (also known as hard or natural sciences, semiprecious stones) remain prized have been cut and pol- t r e a s u r e s ished for Johann Christian Neuber use in jewelry, in (1736–1808) Chatelaine, the creation of Dresden, c. 1775–85 Watch vases and cups, signed “Hoendschker” Gold, and in the decora- jasper, agate, chalcedony, tion of palaces. carnelian, and lapis lazuli. Rediscovered and The Drexel Collection, Photo: developed in six- Philadelphia. © Michael t e e n t h - c e n t u r y Bodycomb Florence, pietra dura (hard stone) objects were collected and sometimes used as political propaganda among the t o d a y, Medici. A sign of wealth, taste, but have and power, they were also offered n e v e r as diplomatic gifts or acquired by before foreign sovereigns. In the followb e e n ing centuries, they not only s h o w n aroused admiration at major together in a European courts but also promptmonographic exhied artists to work with gemstones. bition. The exhibiIn eighteenth-century Saxony tion, “Gold, Jasper, and (part of Germany), the technique Carnelian: Johann was revived again by Johann Christian Neuber Christian Neuber (1736–1808), at the Saxon one of Dresden’s most famous Court” offers goldsmiths. Examples of his mas- visitors to the terpieces are on view currently at Frick the first The Frick museum in New York comprehenCity. sive introducJohann Christian Neuber (1736–1808) was one of Dresden’s most famous goldsmiths. Sometime before 1775 he was named court jeweler to Friedrich
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remarkably, have never before been shown together. European and American audiences have had much more exposure to exhibitions relating to commissions by the contemporary French court. We are delighted to introduce our visitors the oeuvre of this ingenious artisan through the exhibition, which together with our current Portico Gallery show, “White Gold: Highlights f r o m the
lazuli for the forget-me-nots; amethyst for the irises; white agate for the gardenias; carnelian for the primroses; and various shades of green jasper for the The Breteuil leaves. This mosaic Table on view in is inlaid into a backThe Frick ground of burnished Collection’s gold, which gives the Oval Room; box a particularly luxphoto: Michael urious appearance. Bodycomb. LUXURY, TASTE, J o h a n n AND SCIENCE C h r i s t i a n N e u b e r BROUGHT (1736–1808) TOGETHER Breteuil Table, During the 1770s 1779–80 Wood, and 1780s, Neuber’s gilded bronze, naturalistic designs semiprecious evolved into a more stones, fauxclassical style. In 1786 pearls, and Meissen Neuber advertised in porcelain plaques W: the Journal des Luxus 28 inches, D: 25-1⁄2 inches, H: 32 inches. und der Mode of Leipzig, an influential monthly Collection of the magazine that reported trends Marquis de Breteuil, Château de of German cultural life: “M. Breteuil Photo: © Michael Bodycomb Neuber, jeweler to the court of the Elector of Dresden, has invented a very nice way to make buttons that are likely to be imitated in Paris. As incredible as it seems, in fashion, Germany could offer a model for this great capital.” The advertisement continued: “An older Johann invention of this clever Christian artist, still largely unknown, Neuber is a kind of snuffbox made of gold (1736–1808) Breteuil and all kinds of precious stones Table (detail of top), Dresden, from Saxony, known as 1779–80 Gilded bronze, wood, semiprecious stones, glass, and Steinkabinettabatiere [literally Meissen porcelain plaques W: 28 ‘stone cabinet snuffbox’]. The inches, D: 25-1⁄2 inches, H: 32 stones are numbered and none inches. Marquis de Breteuil, appears twice, while a small Chäteau de Breteuil booklet that accompanies (Choisel/Chevreuse) Photo: © the box provides Georges Fessy their scientific are displayed with their original names. Thus, luxury, taste, booklets. Certainly the most charand science are acteristic works by Neuber, the brought together steinkabinetts earned him a great in this fashion- deal of recognition. For many able object of years, they were considered to jewelry, which perfectly reflect the wealth and makes them refinement of Saxony, simultaneously representing both the beauty of nature and the scientific spirit
Arnhold Collection of Meissen Porcelain,” offers them a sense of the important contributions made by those at work for the Saxon court at Dresden. And, I am pleased to announce that the Meissen porcelain exhibition will now be extended through January 6, 2013. MASTER GOLDSMITH AND COURT JEWELER Johann Christian Neuber was born in 1736 in the town of Neuwernsdorf in Saxony and at the age of sixteen registered as an apprentice in the Dresden workshop of goldsmith Johann tion to Friedrich Tectaon, where he this remained for six years. In 1762 he became a master of the Dresden guild of goldsmiths and, around 1775, the official jeweler of the Saxon court. A small oval box decorated on all sides with landscapes is an excellent early examJ o h a n n ple of Neuber’s extraordinary Christian skill. Using tiny pieces of cut N e u b e r stones, he crafted a complex (1736–1808) Oval box decmosaic depicting elaborate scenes orated on the of pastoral life: on the lid, a couple top with a hard accompanied stone medallion by their featuring a relief of d o g master fruit, and on the bottom a craftsMeissen porcelain plaque man’s oeu(view of top), Dresden, c. 1775–80 L: 3by 1⁄2 inches, W: 2 inches, H: 1-1/3 inches. Private collection vre Photo: © Éditions Monelle Hayot /photo Thomas Hennocque highlighting approxAugustus III, elector of Saxony, imately thirty-five boxes and and in 1785 he was appointed other objects from the Grünes curator of the Grünes Gewölbe Gewölbe of the Staatliche (Green Vault), the magnificent Kunstsammlungen Dresden, The royal collection of Augustus the Johann Christian Neuber Strong, the founder of the Meissen (1736–1808) Steinkabinettabatiere Porcelain Manufactory. (or gold box forming a stone cabinet), A travel book published in Dresden, c. 1765–70 L: 2-2/3 inches, H: 1-1/3 1782 that listed Dresden’s notable inches. Private collection Photo: © Éditions Johann Christian Neuber (1736–1808) Box inlaid with sights praised Neuber’s “extraor- Monelle Hayot /photo Thomas Hennocque semiprecious stones and a dinary dexterity,” noting that “his miniature of Friedrich pieces worked in mosaic are espe- Metropolitan Museum of Art, the sit under a tree with individAugustus III, Elector of cially admired by all connois- Walters Art Museum, and private ual leaves made of green Saxony, attributed to seurs.” For more than thirty years, collections in Europe and the jasper. An antique ruin and a Dolst, gold, carnelian, Neuber created small gold boxes, United States. Included in the village with a castle on top agate, moss agate, jasper, chatelaines, and watchcases deco- exhibition will be several quartz of a hill can be seen in the petrified wood, fauxrated with local semiprecious specimens from the American distance, while the decorapearls, and watercolor on stones such as agate, jasper, and Museum of Natural History to tions on the box’s sides paper, Signed “Neuber à Dresde,” Dresden, c. 1775 carnelian. He fashioned enchant- illustrate the raw materials used include a shepherdess tending L.: 3-1⁄4 inches, W: 2-1⁄2 ing landscapes, elaborate floral by Neuber in his work. The exhi- her sheep. Such virtuosity is inches, H.: 1-1⁄2 inches. Private designs, and complex geometric bition is accompanied by a publi- extremely rare, even for a master collection Photo: © Éditions patterns using cut stones, often cation and related public pro- such as Neuber. More characterisMonelle Hayot/Thomas Hennocque incorporating Meissen porcelain grams. tic, but equally exquisite, are plaques, cameos, and miniatures Comments Frick Director Ian Neuber’s boxes decorated with d e s i r into his pieces. These one-of-a- Wardropper, “These unique and colorful flowers. In one example, able for every wealthy amateur.” of the Enlightenment. The boxes’ The exhibition presents twelve success led Neuber to seek his kind objects, which reflect the inventive objects were treasured Neuber used yellow, orange, and Saxon court’s interest in both lux- in the eighteenth century, but, red jasper for the tulips; lapis steinkabinetts, several of which own source for the stones and, in (Continued on page 2)