Pair of cornucopias. Carved and gilded wood and porcelain. Century XVIII. Pair of cornucopias with a mirror, practically the same (except for details on the leaves of the frames), made of carved wood and gilt. Inside, the main mirror has some moldings that draw curves and straight areas, scrolls and other elements. The elaborate decoration of the wall mirrors starts with grotesques in the lower part, from which plant elements emerge that extend, accompanied by hangings, towards the upper part along the sides, with openwork details. Above, the tufts have two circular spaces, flanked by birds perched with their wings partly extended, and surrounded by elaborate frames that, like the rest of the pieces, have architectural elements (scrolls, smooth oval mirrors...), plant elements and shapes reminiscent of Rococo rockeries. Clearly, the examples are included within the Rococo, counting, even with the slight asymmetry that their decorative motifs present and that slight difference between both examples. It is possible to find similarities in the design of these cornucopias with different engravings and works by Matthias Lock (London, ca. 1710-ca. 1765). Compare with engravings of the work “A New Book of Ornaments with Twelve Leaves Consistint of Chimneys, Sconces, Tables, Spandle Panels, Spring Clock Cases, Stands, a Chandelier and Girandole, etc.” (Henry Copland and Matthias Lock; London, 1752), with examples in the Metropolitan Museum in New York, drawings in the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, etc. Matthias Lock was the first to publish Rococo designs in England, as well as being considered the first to master the Rococo style and include it in his work and designs. Little else is known about his life: he was a disciple of Thomas Chippendale and Adams, perhaps he worked with Henry Copeland and his work drifted from the most elaborate Rococo to the most harmonious Classicism. The small porcelain plates that they present in the upper part show a pheasant placed on a rock and among chrysanthemums and other flowers, in a common composition in this type of objects, made in China for export to Europe and, therefore, without having endowed any of the animals or plants with meaning (the golden pheasant was a symbol of the Emperor, and the one on this plate has no yellow in its plumage). Chinese porcelain was already known in Europe in the 15th century, but its commercial boom began in the 16th century, with the well-known Blue and White pieces so valued that they even inspired the local ceramics of the different kingdoms. As for the so-called "Pink Family" due to the predominance of this tone in its enamelling, it was born with the introduction of that color in China at the beginning of the 18th century by the Jesuits and its production continued until the 19th century. In addition, it became so valued that it displaced the Green Family at European courts at times, with works from the reigns of the Yongzhen (1678-1735) and Qianlong (1711-1799) Emperors being the most abundant and highly prized. and sought after for its high quality. Stylistically, these two mirror-inserted plates are very similar to works by the Rose Family made in the late Yongzheng or early Qianlong reign at Kingdezhen (Jiangxi, Republic of China) around 1735. In fact, there are some plates in private collections with pheasants in the same position and on a stone practically the same as that of these two examples. Note that you can see their decorated edge, almost entirely hidden by the gilded wood.
· Size: 100x68x12 cms.
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