DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1399#0137
PLATE 244.
EWERS AND" SALVER,
BY GUEYTON, PAKIS.
A T the first great International Exhibition of 1851, M. A. Gueyton received the distinguished
honour of a Council medal; at Paris, in 1855, a medal of honour; and again at London, in
1862, a prize medal, as stated in the official Eeport, " for artistic design and excellence of work-
manship. Most of the objects exhibited by him are in bronze-gilt or silvered, and their artistic
merit more than compensates for the inferior value of the material." The objects we have selected
from M. Gueyton's contribution will tend to prove that the eulogium of the International Jury
of Glass 33 was not undeserved. The Renaissance ewer was made of copper, and silvered by the
galvanic process. The Moresque ewer was also of copper, gilt by the same means, and though
about two feet in height, was valued, together with the salver, at the moderate sum of 600 francs.
M. Gueyton exhibited also a very noble statue of Minerva, executed by the sculptor Salmson,
in the chryselephantine style of the ancient Greeks; the face, arms, and feet being executed in
tinted ivory, and the drapery, &c, bronze-gilt and silvered; an unusually fine statue as regards
simplicity, good taste, artistic power, and workmanship. "We remarked also as excellent works
of art, a small plate, with Hercules and the Nemsean lion in low relief; very finely embossed
and chased tankards ; caskets in the Byzantine style; a very pretty tea and coffee service in
silver-gilt enamelled in the Etruscan style of ornament; and a great variety of small enamelled
objects; such as brooches, pins, bracelets, &c. The presentation sword of Marshal Baraguay
d'Hilliers, and the repousse Crimean shield, were also noticeable as works of unusual artistic merit.
The French Government has signified its appreciation of M. Gueyton's services in applying art to
industry, by conferring on him the cross of the Legion of Honour.
Among all the various objects described in the inventories of the Mediaeval and Renaissance
periods, there is not one which more frequently occurs than the ewer and its accompanying salver.
During the Middle Ages they were generally of gold or silver; but on the revival of Roman art
we find them of copper, richly coloured in enamel, and in many cases of the most costly description,
being composed of valuable stones, set in gold and silver, enamelled and jewelled. The word
ewer is a corruption of the old French aiguier, a water-holder, from aigue, water; a term
still preserved in the name of Aigues-mortes, in Languedoc, and originally derived from the
Latin aqua. "We read in Turner's " Domestic Architecture," vol. II., that in the 14th century,
"when the tables were spread, attendants entered the hall with basins, ewers, and napkins, and
carried them round to the company, who washed their hands before they sat down to dinner.
Richard, Earl of Arundel, A.D. 1392, left to his wife a pair of silver basins in which he was
accustomed to wash before his dinner and supper;" and since forks were not in general use until
the 16th or even 17th century, each guest only using his own knife and his fingers, it is obvious that
if washing was thought necessary before meals, it was still more needed afterwards. In the romance
of Syr Degore we read, "And when they had supped al, the dwerfe brought water into the halle,
then gan they to wash every one, and then to chamber gan they gone." The water was poured out
over the hands of the guest into the salver by a squire or page, and was oft-times perfumed, the
basin being filled also with rose-water. This practice continued up to a comparatively late date;
thus we read in the opening part of Shakspeare's " Taming of the Shrew," " Let one attend him
with a silver basin full of rose-water and bestrewed with flowers ; another bear the eAver; the
a third diaper, and say, ' "Will't please your lordship cool your hands ?' "
Although Tom Coryat, the garrulous " Oldcombian leg-stretcher," as he called himself, informs
us that his introduction of the fork from Italy, A.D. 1611, was thought so affected that he was
sneeringly called "Furcifer;" yet forks were certainly in use even in England before that time,
though not perhaps very generally so; but from this period, when they gradually became universal,
the great value of the ewer and salver at meals undoubtedly declined.
mm
■i
■N
EWERS AND" SALVER,
BY GUEYTON, PAKIS.
A T the first great International Exhibition of 1851, M. A. Gueyton received the distinguished
honour of a Council medal; at Paris, in 1855, a medal of honour; and again at London, in
1862, a prize medal, as stated in the official Eeport, " for artistic design and excellence of work-
manship. Most of the objects exhibited by him are in bronze-gilt or silvered, and their artistic
merit more than compensates for the inferior value of the material." The objects we have selected
from M. Gueyton's contribution will tend to prove that the eulogium of the International Jury
of Glass 33 was not undeserved. The Renaissance ewer was made of copper, and silvered by the
galvanic process. The Moresque ewer was also of copper, gilt by the same means, and though
about two feet in height, was valued, together with the salver, at the moderate sum of 600 francs.
M. Gueyton exhibited also a very noble statue of Minerva, executed by the sculptor Salmson,
in the chryselephantine style of the ancient Greeks; the face, arms, and feet being executed in
tinted ivory, and the drapery, &c, bronze-gilt and silvered; an unusually fine statue as regards
simplicity, good taste, artistic power, and workmanship. "We remarked also as excellent works
of art, a small plate, with Hercules and the Nemsean lion in low relief; very finely embossed
and chased tankards ; caskets in the Byzantine style; a very pretty tea and coffee service in
silver-gilt enamelled in the Etruscan style of ornament; and a great variety of small enamelled
objects; such as brooches, pins, bracelets, &c. The presentation sword of Marshal Baraguay
d'Hilliers, and the repousse Crimean shield, were also noticeable as works of unusual artistic merit.
The French Government has signified its appreciation of M. Gueyton's services in applying art to
industry, by conferring on him the cross of the Legion of Honour.
Among all the various objects described in the inventories of the Mediaeval and Renaissance
periods, there is not one which more frequently occurs than the ewer and its accompanying salver.
During the Middle Ages they were generally of gold or silver; but on the revival of Roman art
we find them of copper, richly coloured in enamel, and in many cases of the most costly description,
being composed of valuable stones, set in gold and silver, enamelled and jewelled. The word
ewer is a corruption of the old French aiguier, a water-holder, from aigue, water; a term
still preserved in the name of Aigues-mortes, in Languedoc, and originally derived from the
Latin aqua. "We read in Turner's " Domestic Architecture," vol. II., that in the 14th century,
"when the tables were spread, attendants entered the hall with basins, ewers, and napkins, and
carried them round to the company, who washed their hands before they sat down to dinner.
Richard, Earl of Arundel, A.D. 1392, left to his wife a pair of silver basins in which he was
accustomed to wash before his dinner and supper;" and since forks were not in general use until
the 16th or even 17th century, each guest only using his own knife and his fingers, it is obvious that
if washing was thought necessary before meals, it was still more needed afterwards. In the romance
of Syr Degore we read, "And when they had supped al, the dwerfe brought water into the halle,
then gan they to wash every one, and then to chamber gan they gone." The water was poured out
over the hands of the guest into the salver by a squire or page, and was oft-times perfumed, the
basin being filled also with rose-water. This practice continued up to a comparatively late date;
thus we read in the opening part of Shakspeare's " Taming of the Shrew," " Let one attend him
with a silver basin full of rose-water and bestrewed with flowers ; another bear the eAver; the
a third diaper, and say, ' "Will't please your lordship cool your hands ?' "
Although Tom Coryat, the garrulous " Oldcombian leg-stretcher," as he called himself, informs
us that his introduction of the fork from Italy, A.D. 1611, was thought so affected that he was
sneeringly called "Furcifer;" yet forks were certainly in use even in England before that time,
though not perhaps very generally so; but from this period, when they gradually became universal,
the great value of the ewer and salver at meals undoubtedly declined.
mm
■i
■N