Description
Book Synopsis"Pierre Gouthiere: Virtuoso Gilder at the French Court" celebrates the life of Pierre Gouthiere (1732-1813), considered to be one of the best Parisian bronze chasers and gilders of the eighteenth-century. Gouthiere became gilder to Louis XV in 1767, and is credited with inventing a new type of gilding that left a matte finish"dorure au mat"one of the hallmarks of his work. Although incredibly successful in his day, Gouthiere died in relative obscurity and poverty; unlike some of his contemporaries his works never regained popularity after the French Revolution.The inclusion of detailed entries and plates of forty works positively attributed to Gouthiere, five essays by leading experts which examine Gouthiere's life, career, clientele, and gilding techniques, as well as examples of his work from French, British and American collections, ensure that this beautiful volume is an invaluable new resource on Gouthiere. The only other volume on this master was published in 1920, and is now long out of print.
Table of ContentsDirector's Foreword; Acknowledgments; Note to the Reader; Pierre Gouthiere: A Gilded Legend by Charlotte Vignon; The Life and Work of Pierre Gouthiere by Christian Baulez; Gouthiere's Network of Architects and Designers by Anne Forray-Carlier; Gouthiere's Network of Craftsmen by Christian Baulez; "Twenty Fingers on Each Hand": Pierre Gouthiere's Chasing and Gilding Techniques by Joseph Godla; Gouthiere's Legacy: Nineteenth-Century Collectors in Britain by Helen Jacobsen; Catalogue Raisonne: Silver Gilt; Vases, Incense Burners, Ewers, and Pots-Pourris; Clocks; Light Fixtures; Firedogs; Architectural Elements; Chimneypieces; Tables; Furniture Mounts; Columns and Pedestals; Catalogue Notes; Appendix 1; Appendix 2; Bibliography; Photography Credits; Index.
