A history and description of the old French faïence, with an account of the revival of faïence painting in France (1903) (14579499217)

Identifier: histdescroldfrn00solo (find matches)

Title: A history and description of the old French faïence, with an account of the revival of faïence painting in France

Year: 1903 (1900s)

Authors: Solon, Louis Marc Emmanuel, 1835-1913 Burton, William, 1863-

Subjects: Pottery Pottery

Publisher: London, New York (etc.) Cassell and Co., ltd.

Contributing Library: Getty Research Institute

Digitizing Sponsor: Getty Research Institute

Text Appearing Before Image:

tle of the modest faience made at Meillonas has driftedinto the collections, and the few specimens which have thusescaped destruction do not strike one as being particularlyattractive. Nevertheless its history is well worth telling; itaffords a curious picture of the conditions under which ceramicindustry was sometimes carried on during the eighteenthcentury. At Meillonas, a hamlet situated in the vicinity of Bourg(Ain), the making of coarse pottery had been for a century thestaple trade of the inhabitants. The Lord of the Manor, Huguesde Marron, an impecunious gentleman full of schemes andprojects, conceived the idea of trying the manufacture of paintedfaience, a business which was then considered as a sure wayto fortune. Several ventures in which he had embarked pre-viously, such as the opening of a stone quarry, and digging forcoals on his estate, had resulted in complete failure. He was PLATE VII. NEVBRS. Plateau: Enamelled Decoration on Persian BlueGround. D. 17; in. (SeeJ). 53.)

Text Appearing After Image:

MEILLONAS. 57 full of confidence in the success of his new enterprise. In theyear 1760 the very basements of his castle were appropriated asworkshops; one or two ovens were put up at the back of thebuilding, and he engaged the whole staff of workmen justdismissed from a faience factory which had come to grief inthe province of Nivernais. The Baron was to be his ownpractical manager, and the Baroness, his wife, took the artisticdirection under her care. She could paint with taste and skill,and several pieces decorated by her own hand still remainin the possession of the family. One Pidoux, who has signedsome of his work with his name, was the chief artist. For years the manufacture went on quietly, assisted by asmall subsidy and other privileges granted by the Municipahtyof Bourg. The ware was first made in imitation of Nevers andMoustiers, then of Marseilles. In 1794, Hugues de Marron wasarrested as a suspected aristocrat by order of the Revolutionarytribunal, sentenced to death, and

a history and description of the old french faience with an account of the revival of faience painting in france 1903 faience of nevers book illustrations french art high resolution manor images from internet archive

1903

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