Auguste Moreau 1834 – 1917 was a French sculptor born in Dijon in 1834 into a well-known sculptor ‘clan’. The family comprising the father (Jean Baptiste) his three sons (Mathurin, Hyppolyte-Francois and Auguste) and continued by Auguste’s two sons – Louis Auguste and Hyppolyte were considered to be in the sculpture ‘business’, producing thousands of […]
Is the brand name for a torsion pendulum clock made in Switzerland by Jaeger-LeCoultre. Its’ claim to fame is that it doesn’t need to be manually wound as it gets the energy it needs from atmospheric changes in temperature and air pressure. The mainspring is continuously wound by the compression and decompression of a spiral […]
A name synonymous with the height of luxury, started life as as silk printing business set up by William Asprey, a huguenot refugee in 1781. It soon became a luxury emporium and Asprey’s son Charles moved the shop to London’s Bond Street in 1841 where it remains to this day. It’s watchwords are ‘articles of […]
Is a title given to a style of art that developed as a reaction to academic art in 19th century Europe. Academic art sought to combine elements of Neoclassicism and Romanticism. In response Art Nouveau focused on natural structures and forms and sought to harmonise with the natural environment. As well as featuring flowers and […]
Is a visual arts style that became popular in the 1920, 30s and 40s before waning after the Second World War. Its name is short for ‘Arts Decoratifs’ taken from the Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes (International Exposition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts) held in Paris in 1925. The style is […]
Angelica Kauffman (aka Kauffmann), RA (1741 – 1807) Was a Swiss-born Neoclassical painter who had a successful career in both London and Rome and in 1768, was one of the two female founder members of the Royal Academy in London. A child prodigy and speaking Italian, German, French and English, she first was feted as […]
Has appeared extensively as a subject in early, medieval and later art, due to his role in Christianity as the messenger angel used by God to deliver several important messages. His most famous message was to tell the virgin Mary that she would conceive and bear a son – Jesus. He also foretold the birth […]
Alfred Boucher (1850 – 1934), was a French sculptor, who became the favourite of presidents and royals such as George I of Greece. He was born in Bouy-sur-Ovin (Nogent-sur-Seine), the son of a farmhand. When his father became the gardener for the sculptor Joseph-Marius Ramus, Alfred’s talent became apparent, and Ramus made his studio available […]
Alabaster – is the name applied to two distinct varieties of minerals – gypsum and calcite (also known as onyx-marble or Oriental or Egyptian alabaster). The type used in Egypt and the Near and Middle East is usually the calcite variety, whilst that used in medieval Europe was usually gypsum. Widely used for religious and […]
Aitken Dott & Son was founded by Aitken Dott (1815-92) as carvers, gilders and framemakers in 1842. Aitken’s son Peter McOmish Dott (1856-1934) went on to develop the Edinburgh firm into a fine art dealers called ‘The Scottish Gallery’ which opened in 1897. It was continued by George Proudfoot (1873-1943) and subsequent others and is […]