French silverware in the 19th century

From 1820 to 1890, French goldsmithing was marked by eclecticism and a taste for the most varied styles. From the neoclassical rigor of the Empire to the bursts of fantasy of the Romantic era and the spectacular naturalism of Art Nouveau, goldsmithing embraced all styles by interpreting, juxtaposing and reinventing them.

The technique of goldsmithing

Goldsmithing refers to the working of precious metals, primarily gold and silver (from the Latin auri and faber, meaning "gold craftsman"). However, in this era characterized by the diversification and refinement of reproduction techniques, goldsmithing was not limited to objects made of gold and silver alone, but also included pieces made of galvanized copper, bronze, damascened iron, and towards the end of the century, tin. 

Large silvered bronze planter in the Louis XV style

Goldsmithing during the Restoration

With the Restoration, some goldsmiths rejected the rigorous Empire style, and the austere forms became heavier and more ornate. Jean-Baptiste-Claude Odiot , the official goldsmith to the court and family of Emperor Napoleon I, created Louis XV-style pieces to complete a service for the Duke of Penthièvre. Around the same time, S.J. Dupezard created an interesting jam cupboard decorated with pairs of antique figures and twisted cornucopias.

In the 1820s, the styles of the 17th and 18th centuries were fully revived. Goldsmiths and manufacturers of "plated" pieces—a traditional technique discovered in 1743 that involved applying a sheet of silver to copper—drew inspiration from the Regency style, seen as a simplified interpretation of the Louis XV style. The rounded pieces and the gadrooned shapes known as "melon ribs" became laden with foliage. However, many goldsmiths created exceptional pieces combining silver and crystal, crafted with exquisite finesse, during the reign of Charles X.

Crystal and silver-plated metal liqueur service, Charles X period

The Romantic era exalts national history and anything reminiscent of classical antiquity is rejected in favor of styles appreciated as authentically French.

Reinvigorated by the vogue for Renaissance works, chasing and repoussé reached unparalleled perfection in the 1830s. Commissions poured in. Renowned goldsmiths of the period delivered Renaissance-style services, reminiscent of the 18th century, to prominent figures at European courts, such as Baron Rothschild and Duchess Helene of Russia. This retrospective trend, undoubtedly encouraged by the Duchess of Berry, foreshadowed the sumptuous décor of the second half of the 19th century. 

Charles Christofle

From 1844, Charles Christofle developed a new, inexpensive process: electro-chemical silvering. This involves causing, through electrolysis, the deposition of a thin layer of silver, gold, or platinum onto a piece made of copper or any other metal.

Christofle silver-plated flatware set, "Gabon" pattern

Silverware under Napoleon III

The success of electrochemical silver plating led to the decline of plate manufacturers. After 1850, it became common for silversmiths to employ numerous collaborators, including designers, modelers, and enamelers. They also collaborated with renowned sculptors such as Froment-Meurice, Falguière, Chapu, Mathurin-Moreau, and Carrier-Belleuse. They adorned Renaissance, Louis XV, and Louis XVI style silverware with allegorical and mythological figures: cupids, centaurs, victories, Olympian gods, tritons, and nymphs. These figures were crafted from a wide variety of materials: topaz, porphyry, jasper, enamel, amethyst, ivory, and crystal.

Louis XV style crystal and vermeil beverage service

Art Nouveau silverware

Important silver and mother-of-pearl flatware set

Towards the end of the century, faced with this decorative abundance that devoured surfaces, there was a growing need to turn to nature. Falize, then Christofle, Vever, and Cardeihhac decorated silver and metal pieces with naturalistic plants rendered with complete freedom. Cabbage leaves and celery stalks gradually replaced scrolls and rockeries, and on lids, reapers, sowers, and farm animals replaced allegorical figures. 

Bibliography

ARMINJON, Catherine, Goldsmithing in the 19th century, proceedings of the international colloquium National Galleries of the Grand Palais, 12-13 Dec. 1991, Paris, La Documentation française, 1994. 

GRANDJEAN, Serge, 19th Century Goldsmithing in Europe, Paris, Presses universitaires de France, 1962. 

KJELLBERG, Pierre, “French silverware of the 19th century 1830-1890”, Connaissance des arts, no 296, October 1976, pp. 59-67.