DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1399#0290
PLATE-295.
A CABINET,
BY G. B. GATTI, OF FAENZA, ITALY.
TTALY lias always taken a foremost place in works of decorative as well as of fine art, and
her contributions to the Exhibition of 1862 afforded ample proof that excellent designers
and workmen, in spite of her decadence during the 18th and her troubles during the 19th
century, are still native to the soil.
Signor Gatti, who was awarded a silver medal for his beautiful inlaid escritoire in the
Paris Exhibition, 1855, has obtained a medal for the excellence of his workmanship at London
in 1862; and the Jury in their report on this cabinet state that " the inlayings of mother-of-
pearl and burnt wood are executed with rare skill. The engraving is very delicately done, and
recalls the best analogous works of the 16th century." This cabinet is made of ebony, beautifully
inlaid with ivory and mother-of-pearl. The medallions of the panels contain engraved busts of
Dante and Tasso. The ebony angle-pieces are carved with foliage in relief on a pounced ground.
The sides are inlaid with arabesques, and the back is also covered with an arabesque of
excellent design, containing a central medallion of Raffaelle in ivory, finely engraved. M. Gatti
contributed also another piece, smaller, and of yet more delicate workmanship. It was a frame,
which, we believe, was executed for the Duke of Hamilton. It was ornamented in the same
style as the cabinet, and contained delicately-engraved heads in ivory, of Spring, Summer,
Autumn, and Winter.
The casket which surmounts it was contributed by Professor Giusti, of Siena, whose works,
especially in ivory, have long obtained for him a place amongst the first decorative sculptors
of the day. (See letter-press accompanying Plate 225.) In the panels of this beautiful little
ivory casket were allegorical figures of Human Wisdom, Physics, and Hydraulics in front;
Sculpture, Painting, and Architecture at the back; Printing and Geometry at the sides. The
lid was ornamented with foliage in mezzo-relievo, containing the armorial bearings of Signor the
Count de Gori, for whom the box was executed, and was surmounted by two children with
an open book, on which was inscribed, " Dextera fecit Domini virtutem." This piece, about
sixteen inches long, was valued at £240.
Another of his masterpieces in this material was a small frame executed for the Marquis
of Northampton, about six inches high, and ornamented with amorini, birds, foliage, &c, in the
style of the best period of the Italian Eenaissance. Nor should we omit to mention with
praise the works of P. Eroli in the Roman court; particularly a bas-relief copy in ivory of
Raffaelle's " Christ bearing the Cross." This, together with a crucifix, was unfortunately classed
in the Roman catalogue under the head of Fine Art, and consequently did not come under the
consideration of the Jury.
There is a debatable ground in sculpture, where it is difficult to make a definite distinction.
Amongst the fine-art subjects so called very little real artistic ability was frequently noticeable;
whilst in such objects as those we have been speaking of, both France and Italy exhibited
works which, although intended for a useful purpose, were carved with subjects ably treated in
the best style of fine art. This remark applies particularly to Italy, where, it should be remem-
bered, that some of the very greatest sculptors that country can boast of, e. g., the Pisani, Ghiberti,
della Robbia, and della Quercia, exercised their genius on works of utility alone.
A CABINET,
BY G. B. GATTI, OF FAENZA, ITALY.
TTALY lias always taken a foremost place in works of decorative as well as of fine art, and
her contributions to the Exhibition of 1862 afforded ample proof that excellent designers
and workmen, in spite of her decadence during the 18th and her troubles during the 19th
century, are still native to the soil.
Signor Gatti, who was awarded a silver medal for his beautiful inlaid escritoire in the
Paris Exhibition, 1855, has obtained a medal for the excellence of his workmanship at London
in 1862; and the Jury in their report on this cabinet state that " the inlayings of mother-of-
pearl and burnt wood are executed with rare skill. The engraving is very delicately done, and
recalls the best analogous works of the 16th century." This cabinet is made of ebony, beautifully
inlaid with ivory and mother-of-pearl. The medallions of the panels contain engraved busts of
Dante and Tasso. The ebony angle-pieces are carved with foliage in relief on a pounced ground.
The sides are inlaid with arabesques, and the back is also covered with an arabesque of
excellent design, containing a central medallion of Raffaelle in ivory, finely engraved. M. Gatti
contributed also another piece, smaller, and of yet more delicate workmanship. It was a frame,
which, we believe, was executed for the Duke of Hamilton. It was ornamented in the same
style as the cabinet, and contained delicately-engraved heads in ivory, of Spring, Summer,
Autumn, and Winter.
The casket which surmounts it was contributed by Professor Giusti, of Siena, whose works,
especially in ivory, have long obtained for him a place amongst the first decorative sculptors
of the day. (See letter-press accompanying Plate 225.) In the panels of this beautiful little
ivory casket were allegorical figures of Human Wisdom, Physics, and Hydraulics in front;
Sculpture, Painting, and Architecture at the back; Printing and Geometry at the sides. The
lid was ornamented with foliage in mezzo-relievo, containing the armorial bearings of Signor the
Count de Gori, for whom the box was executed, and was surmounted by two children with
an open book, on which was inscribed, " Dextera fecit Domini virtutem." This piece, about
sixteen inches long, was valued at £240.
Another of his masterpieces in this material was a small frame executed for the Marquis
of Northampton, about six inches high, and ornamented with amorini, birds, foliage, &c, in the
style of the best period of the Italian Eenaissance. Nor should we omit to mention with
praise the works of P. Eroli in the Roman court; particularly a bas-relief copy in ivory of
Raffaelle's " Christ bearing the Cross." This, together with a crucifix, was unfortunately classed
in the Roman catalogue under the head of Fine Art, and consequently did not come under the
consideration of the Jury.
There is a debatable ground in sculpture, where it is difficult to make a definite distinction.
Amongst the fine-art subjects so called very little real artistic ability was frequently noticeable;
whilst in such objects as those we have been speaking of, both France and Italy exhibited
works which, although intended for a useful purpose, were carved with subjects ably treated in
the best style of fine art. This remark applies particularly to Italy, where, it should be remem-
bered, that some of the very greatest sculptors that country can boast of, e. g., the Pisani, Ghiberti,
della Robbia, and della Quercia, exercised their genius on works of utility alone.