JANE CLIFFORD, 19TH CENTURY AN ALBUM OF FIFTY NINE PHOTOGRAP...

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Estimate

£2,000 - £3,000

JANE CLIFFORD, 19TH CENTURY AN ALBUM OF FIFTY NINE PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE SERIES TESORO DEL DELFIN, C1863 mounted albumen prints, c 21 x 31cm and smaller, several with negative no. and/or captions below, pencil ownership signature to ffe (William Burges June 22 1867) and again on first leaf (W Burges), contemporary half calf worn, gilt spine lettered GOLDSMITHS WORK MADRID, 37 x 27cm

Provenance: William Burges, ARA (1827-1881).

This recently discovered group of fifty-nine beautifully rich, unfaded albumen prints was first owned by William Burges, whose signature appears twice.

His gorgeous designs, created to the most exacting standards by the finest goldsmiths of the day, in rock crystal, jasper, jewelled gold and enamels were an extraordinarily original synthesis of historical styles and materials. They are no less fantastic - for even that word is fully justified - than the 16th century treasures of the Grand Dauphin Louis of France (1661-1711).

Burges' learned appreciation of Gothic and other art was mirrored in the medievalism of the Pre-Raphaelites and John Ruskin. He himself collected early armour and many other objects. Such sources of inspiration informed each aspect of his architectural practice and every detail of the decoration and furnishing of dreamlike buildings such as Castell Coch for the Marquess of Bute and Burges' own Tower House.

This album is especially interesting in having been acquired by Burges in 1867 for this is the period of his important essays in the Decorative Arts, such as the rock crystal Cat Cup (1867) and 'battery' of rock crystal vessels known now only from a photograph in the Somers-Cocks Album.

The present images constitute new evidence of Burges making use of photography in creating highly original work, drawn from his distinctly personal aesthetic and elements of design of different periods to enhance, but never dominate, his precious and always witty objets du luxe.

The English photographers Charles and Jane Clifford established their studio in Madrid in 1850. Following her husband's death in 1863, Jane Clifford assumed control of the business. In order to maintain the studio, in December of that year, she agreed with John Charles Robinson, agent of the Department of Science & Art for the South Kensington Museum, to photograph the treasures of the Dauphin. Sir Henry Cole, the Museum's Director, had been quick to appreciate the superiority of photography in recording works of art for the purpose of instruction, in the newly established government schools of art and at that time regarded as the museum's raison d'etre.

The terms agreed were 4s 6d per positive, three prints to be made from each of ten plates, Mrs Clifford twas o retain the negatives. As it transpired she photographed far more of the approximately 130 treasures, the Museum acquiring several 'sets' of 66 and 80 photographs. Other 'sets' are in the Royal Palace and Prado Museum, Madrid and the Gothenburg Konstmuseum. Since the present album was acquired by Burges in 1867 it is safe to assume they were part of the Robinson commission; (see Fontanella (L), Clifford en Espana Un Fotografo en la Corte de Isabel II, pp 213-221 and inventory figs 556-605 (loaned by the Victoria & Albert Museum).

These remarkable images, the first to be made of the magnificent jewelled gold and rock crystal jasper and lapis lazuli and other treasures of the Dauphin were photographed against simple, coarse cloth with necessarily lengthy exposures, appreciably dramatic shadows and resulting in a sometimes particularly rich tonality, which makes for a dramatic contrast to the colossal monetary value of such rare and precious objects.