CHAPTER VIII.
SILHOUETTE DECORATION ON PORCELAIN AND GLASS.
THE SILHOUETTE THEATRE.
As the oldest type of black profile representation is undoubtedly connected with the decoration of pottery, it is not to be wondered at that when silhouette-making by brush, pencil, or scissors was at the height of its popularity, a return should be made in style to the antique. The porcelain and glass makers ornamented their work in silhouette, sometimes in the modern form, when the head and neck would be shown, generally in black upon white china, but also in a few instances in black upon a reddish terra-cotta colour, when the full figure would be given in the Greek style, and designs more or less elaborate would be used as borders, notably, the key pattern, so usually associated with Greek art, though, as a matter of fact, such patterns appear in all Oriental decoration. A Vienna factory, and also some of the French factories of the end of the eighteenth and beginning of the nineteenth century, made objects with the reddish ground. Silhouette porcelain was not infrequently made for private individuals, such, for example, as the specimen owned by Dr. A. Figdor, of Vienna. A female head painted in black is surrounded by a wreath of forget-me-nots in colour, and on the back is the inscription, “In remembrance of your affectionate grandmother, M. J. C.” A fine cup and saucer is in the collection at Carnavalet, in Paris; amongst those pieces which are associated with the Revolution, within a frame of olive or laurel, is the silhouette of Mirabeau, with the name printed below. There is a beautiful tray belonging to Mr. FitzHenry, of French manufacture. This shows the silhouette portrait at its best, in gold, as centre ornament. Wreaths of ribbon garlands and pierced ornament make this fine piece specially attractive. Besides these individual pieces, specially ordered for special occasions, there are the pieces of silhouette china ornamented with portraits of the king or of the reigning family. In Mr. Wellesley’s collection there is a mug with a portrait of George IV. rather coarsely done, and we have examined some custard cups with lids, which were also English. At the Worcester and Bristol factories such painting was done, though usually less elaborately than at some of the German porcelain factories. There is an exception, however, in the very fine vase shown in our illustration. This is in the possession of Mr. Spink, and was made at Worcester. It stands thirteen-and-a-half inches high, and its elaborate decoration in gold and colour is extremely effective. The wide band above the portrait is of chocolate colour, with pencillings of gold in a Greek design; blue, green, and brown figure on other parts of the vase, and the lid has a gold knob. The black profile of the king has a band round it, on which are the words, “Health and prosperity attend His Majesty.”
At Knole there are several beautiful Worcester vases with silhouettes of George III. and a remarkable breakfast service of German workmanship. This is complete, and gives the different portraits of the reigning royal family. Even more elaborate are two vases also connected with royalty; they were evidently made for centre-pieces when a special dinner service was used. There are no silhouette portraits on the plates and dishes, but on the two splendidly ornamental vases, which match in decoration, there are profiles of the King and Queen of Sweden respectively. These fine examples are in Copenhagen porcelain; swags of flowers in high relief show up well on the white ground. Cupids ornament the lids and hold as a shield gold-framed medallions, where, on a rose-coloured ground, the silhouettes show with excellent effect. These vases stand sixteen inches in height.
Amongst the German examples there is a good specimen from Wallenstein with a silhouette portrait of Frederick the Great in a frame of laurel picked out in gold. In the Höhenzollern Museum at Monbijou Castle there is a large service entirely decorated in this way. Teapots and cream-jugs, basins, sugar and slop bowls, and coffee-cups, all are complete, and six female and three male heads appear, all being members of the Royal Family. Frederick the Great is on the coffee-pot.
Undoubtedly such ware was made for presentation. We can well imagine the special pleasure in a gift which has this very personal touch; the royal attribute of picture presentation must have been most acceptable when the useful service became the portrait background.
Not only did the silhouette cast its glamour over the porcelain makers, but glass manufacturers also utilized the fashion for the original decoration of their wares. Dr. Strauss, of Berlin, owns a remarkable glass with a well-cut shank, which shows the head and shoulders of a woman, with the inscription, “With best wishes for your welfare, your faithful wife presents you with this. L. W. V. R., August 6th, 1795.” The silhouette is in gold, and is done by means of a curious process practised by one Glomi, and called after him Églomisé, though the method was known and utilized long before his time; in fact, as early as the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, this etching in gold between glass was done. Fine specimens, usually cups, goblets, and chalices, for the use of the Church, enrich our museums. The process is thus described by Larousse in the Nouveau Dictionnaire:—
“Églomisé,”
art. Larousse, “Nouveau Dictionnaire,” Tom. 4.
Églomisé, ée. (de Glomi, n. pr.) adj.