Investigation and Conservation of East Asian Cabinets in Imperial Residences (1700–1900): Lacquerware, Porcelain, Paper & Wall Hangings. Conference 2015 Postprints [1 ed.] 9783205207139, 9783205205012

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Konservierungswissenschaft · Restaurierung · Technologie Herausgegeben von Gabriela Krist

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Gabriela Krist, Elfriede Iby (eds.)

Investigation and Conservation of East Asian Cabinets in Imperial Residences (1700–1900) Lacquerware, Porcelain, Paper & Wall Hangings Conference 2015 Postprints

2018 BÖHLAU VERLAG WIEN KÖLN WEIMAR

Published with kind support of: Schloss Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsges.m.b.H. Universität für angewandte Kunst

Bibliografische Information der Deutschen Nationalbibliothek  : Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek verzeichnet diese Publikation in der Deutschen Nationalbibliografie  ; detaillierte bibliografische Daten sind im Internet über http://dnb.d-nb.de abrufbar. Cover image  : View into the Oval Cabinet, Schönbrunn Palace, © SKB/photo by A. E. Koller © 2018 by Böhlau Verlag Ges.m.b.H., Wien Köln Weimar Wiesingerstraße 1, A-1010 Wien, www.boehlau-verlag.com All rights reserved. Proof reading: Martina Haselberger, Vienna Cover design: Michael Haderer, Vienna Printing and binding: Theiss, St. Stefan im Lavanttal Printed on acid and chlorine free paper Printed in the EU ISBN 978-3-205-20501-2

Table of Content Preface.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   9 Elfriede Iby Habsburg’s Passion for “Indian” Goods to Create the Most Precious Cabinets of Schönbrunn Palace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  11 Andreas Schulze Examples of East Asian Style Interiors of the 18th and Early 20th Century in Saxony.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  23 Tatiana Syasina The Chinese Palace in Oranienbaum. Interiors in Chinoiserie Style. The Principle of Conservation and Maintenance of the Original Décor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  35 Marzenna Ciechańska, Magdalena Herman, Dorota Dzik-Kruszelnicka A Collection of 18th Century Chinese Wall Coverings at the Wilanów Palace, Poland. A Historical, Technological and Conservation Research Project . . . . . .  47 Emile de Bruijn The Use of Chinese Prints as Wall Coverings in Mid-18th-Century Europe . . . . .  61 Györgyi Fajcsák “Asian Life” in Europe. Chinoiserie Paintings at Eszterháza, Fertőd . . . . . . . .  75 Katarína Lacková, Katarína Tánczosová Conservation and Restoration of the Wall Decoration of two East Asian Interiors in Slovakia. The Holíč Palace, Holíč, and the Erdödy Palace, Bratislava.. . . . . .  89 Annette Scholtka Restoration of the Chinese Rooms in Wörlitz Palace.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 Rainald Franz New Information about the Dubsky Chamber. Scientific Work, Cleaning and Conservation of a Unique Viennese Porcelain Cabinet in Chinoiserie Style.. . . . 113

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Angelika Futschek Royal Aspirations: The Asian Porcelain Collection of the Esterházy Princes.. . . . 127 Lee Prosser Queen Mary’s Porcelain at Kensington Palace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141 Filip Suchomel Chinese Porcelain in the Czech Aristocratic Collections of the 17th, 18th and 19th Century . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153 Heike Ulbricht The Porcelain Collection in Dresden. A Brief Historical Overview and Two Current Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167 Irmela Breidenstein, Carola Klinzmann Three Chinese Export Lacquer Screens at Schloss Wilhelmsthal – the History of their Conservation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179 Monika Kopplin The Chinese Cabinet in the Berlin Stadtschloss in the Context of the Dagly Workshop. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 Katja Müller Art Technological Analyses of Gérard Dagly’s Works in the Palaces of the Stiftung Preußische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207 Paola Buscaglia, Michela Cardinali, Paolo Luciani, Anna Piccirillo, Tommaso Poli, Paola Manchinu The Panels of Quirinale Palace. A Study of Provenance and Manufacture for a Correct Conservation Intervention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219 Monika Wrona Research on Berlin Lacquered Vases Manufacturing Techniques and Materials. A Source of Information on Works of Art and a Pre-Study for their Conservation Treatment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233

Table of Content

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Jan Dorscheid, Paul van Duin, Christina Hagelskamp The late 17th-Century Lacquer Room from the Palace of the Stadtholder in Leeuwarden. Part Two: Aspects of the Conservation and Reinstallation in the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251 Yoshihiko Yamashita, Yoko Futagami, Yasuhiro Hayakawa, Masahide Inuzuka, Takayuki Honda, Phrakhru Udicayanusasana Investigation and Conservation of Lacquer Panels with Mother-of-Pearl Inlay with Underpaint used for Interior Decoration of Wat Rajpradit, Bangkok. . . . . . . . 267 Silvia Miklin-Kniefacz, Richard Miklin, Susanne M. Käfer The Rediscovered Lacquer Panels of Schönbrunn – On their History and Conservation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287 Cornelia Juen Lines by Masters and Amateurs. The Porcelain Room in Schönbrunn Palace. . . . 307 Doris Müller-Hess, Melanie Nief, Karin Troschke, Ute Henniges, Gabriela Krist Into the Blue – Into the Brown. Conservation Strategies for Permanent Exhibition of 212 Gouache Paintings in Vienna ’s Schönbrunn Palace . . . . . . . 323 Anna Mader-Kratky The East Asian Cabinets at Schönbrunn Palace and their Archive Sources . . . . . 335 Gabriela Krist, Martina Haselberger, Birgit Müllauer Conservation and Remounting of the Ceramics in the East Asian Cabinets at Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343 List of Authors.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367

Preface According to the positive response and output of the first international conference in July 2013 “Investigation and Conservation of East Asian ­Cabinets in imperial Residences (1700 – 1900), Lacquerware & Porcelain”, which was published two years later, there was a second event held in December 2015. The second conference, again within the framework of the FWF research project “Asian interior decoration in Schönbrunn Palace”, was initiated like the first by the Institute of Conservation, University of Applied Arts Vienna, in cooperation with the Schloss Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsges.m.b.H. in order not only to present the results of the four-year research project on the so-called Chinese Cabinets in Schönbrunn Palace, but also to illustrate the already or almost finished conservation work. Beside this, the conference aimed to gather a highly multidisciplinary expert forum − conservators, conservation scientists and art historians active in the field of research and conservation − to discuss East Asian interior decoration in imperial and/or princely residences including porcelain, lacquer and paper objects. The successful call for papers enabled us to draft a very interesting programme for the conference, with the participation of an international audience and lecturers, who presented mostly European, but also Asian examples of East Asian decorations, including Chinoiserie as case studies with art historical, conservational and analytical issues. The programme was divided into different sections: East Asian and Chinoise ensembles, wall hangings, porcelain and lacquer. A final session covered the Schönbrunn interior decorations of Asian provenance, with reference to the scientific and conservational results of the project. The feedback of the conference participants about producing a publication based on this interesting conference led to the decision to compile the lectures as postprints, also with the intention and wish that ultimately the convincing results of the Schönbrunn project about the East Asian Cabinets should be fittingly documented and made available to the scientific community. Thanks to all colleagues, whose efforts made this publication possible! I would like to thank Gabriela Krist, Head of the Institute of Conservation, University of Applied Arts Vienna, and her team for the professional organization of the conference and the enormous input for the publication. Special thanks go to Martina Haselberger, team member of the Institute of Conservation, for the editing. Elfriede Iby Vienna, April 2017

Elfriede Iby

Habsburg’s Passion for “Indian” Goods to Create the Most Precious Cabinets of Schönbrunn Palace Abstract Since at least the 16th century, the Habsburg monarchs developed a peculiar passion for collecting art works for their “Wunderkammer” and “Raritätenkabinette” which nowadays can be admired in the large and various collections in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, the Natural History Museum etc. in Vienna. This passion to collect precious or extraordinary goods, including rare plants as well as animals, had also been the purpose to create for example the Menagerie and the Dutch Botanical Garden in Schönbrunn in the mid of the 18th century, thanks to the interest of their founder Emperor Francis I, the husband of Maria Theresa. Probably in the mid-18th century at the Viennese court there was also a considerable collection of so-called “Indian” objects as existed in many other princely courts of Europe, which were to be used and integrated for new creations of very precious room ensembles. *** Empress Maria Theresa’s predilection and admiration for “Indian” objects is recorded when she wrote in a letter to Prince Liechtenstein in 1753: “Rien au monde, tous les diamants ne me sont rien, mais ce qui vient des Indes, [...] sont les seules choses qui me font plaisir.”1 When Maria Theresa in 1744/45 decided to transform the former hunting lodge Schönbrunn into the summer residence, this transformation had to fulfil all the requirements of an imperial residence with all its representative and private functions, hosting the imperial family as well as the court state and its administrations. At this time, when Maria Theresa was boasting gratifying success against her enemies, the appearance of the residence, in keeping with these demands, aspired to show the richness, the taste and the power of the young monarch and her husband, who became Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire in 1745.2 1 2

Vaduz – Wien, LIECHTENSTEIN. The Princely Collections, Hausarchiv, Inv.-Nr. K. FA437.1 Iby and Koller 2005.

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In Schönbrunn Palace some cabinets of the Maria-Theresian epoch show an extraordinary and precious decoration concept, including different art works from Far East – lacquer, porcelains, watercolours; also, because the motifs and/or techniques themselves were chinoise, included even more chinoise art works. All these rooms are small cabinets with a more or less private, exclusive and admirable character. Generally the type of “cabinet” dates back to the 16th century, characterized as a small room with an extraordinary decoration – a highlight in a princely apartment to impress the visitors, or also an intimate room separated from the official rooms, i.e. the private office or studio; in women’s cases, they were often used as toilette room.3 According to the architectural theorists at the end of the 17th century, including Augustin Charles d’Aviler, a cabinet should be distinguished by its beauty, refurbished with panels of extraordinary and rare wood, elaborate floors, large mirrors which appear to enlarge these small rooms and reflect all the precious things in the cabinet’s decoration. Furthermore, a cabinet should be connected to a larger room such as the bedroom and should be oriented towards the south4; this implies that the theorists were not aware of damage caused by UV-light and temperature, or of other aspects of preventive conservation, which nowadays challenge all curators and restorers. Cabinets should be preferably located at a distance from the public areas of a palace, whereby ceremonial protocol regulated who was allowed to enter or not, depending on the official status of the court member or visitor. Reflecting the theoretical demands, the plan of Schönbrunn Palace belétage shows that almost all cabinets with a very precious refurbishing are located on the south side, one on the east side and one on the edge of east and south, and most of them were not situated next to the official rooms. The Chinese Cabinets in Schönbrunn Palace are located in the middle of the belétage in the Corps de Logis flanking the Small Gallery, which was redecorated together with the Great Gallery in the years 1755 and 1759/60. Both galleries were unified with a new concept of decoration – polished white walls, abundant gilded rocaille stuccowork and frescos painted on the vaulting – and were dedicated to several functions.5 When the first remodelling as imperial residence was initiated around 1744/45 the Great Gallery was located in the centre of the palace with its still existing shape and size and was part of the Appartement de Parade, a public area on the way to the imperial apartments in the east wing of the palace. The mentioned change of decoration was in-

3 4 5

Herzog von Württemberg 1998: 74 ff. Herzog von Württemberg 1998: 76. Iby 2015.

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Fig. 1: Plan of the belétage, figuring out the rooms with East Asian decoration, in: Quirin Leitner, Schloss Schönbrunn, 1875, © Schloss Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsges.m.b.H.

tended to form an Appartement Double together with the Small Gallery – amply space for big court festivities like banquets, balls and theatre performances.6 Before this change, the Chinese Cabinets of nowadays probably formed a unit together with the Small Gallery and was intended for private purposes; they were closed towards the Great Gallery with glass doors and formed an Appartement de Societé solely for a very privileged circle. As the French architect Jacques Francois Blondel published in his “Distribution des Maison de Plaisance et de la Décoration des Édifices en general” in 1737–1738, cabinets can also be located behind a large dining room, behind or beside a large salon, and were intended for a small group of persons, mainly for retiring from large gatherings and for relaxation.7 With the unification of both galleries for ceremonial needs, the two East Asian cabinets beside the Small Gallery were newly refurbished to fit the new function: they

6 7

Iby 2012. Blondel 1737: 35; cited after Herzog von Württemberg 1998: 79.

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received an extremely precious and exquisite decoration with East Asian lacquerwork and porcelain etc. and they were not intended for everyone’s use. So the Chinese Cabinets in Schönbrunn totally fulfilled what the theorists of this time demanded: two separated cabinets, located close to the public areas and reserved for a distinguished group of persons. It is recorded that Maria Theresa and her husband liked to retire there after official functions or festivities along with the inner court circle of noblemen – private gatherings to play cards or other games of chance.8 Maria Theresa also liked to meet there with her closest advisers, for instance with Prince Kaunitz, who could enter directly into the Round Cabinet via a small staircase which led to his apartment in the floor above. Lacquer Cabinets existed in Europe since the end of the 17th century, mainly in the Netherlands. This type of room has been covered all over with original lacquer panels from Far East Asia. At the beginning of the 18th century there had been strenuous efforts to produce lacquer panels in Europe, imitating the Far East ones; this was because of the increasing demands in Central Europe and the high costs of the original ones from the Far East.9 Workshops were gaining a great reputation also the north of Germany, for instance that of Dagly, one of the most famous in the field of European lacquer works.10 Since this time, lacquer cabinets were assembled with European lacquer panels in combination with East Asian ones. Generally, Asian lacquer screens were divided into two parts – the front mainly decorated with genre scenes and landscapes and the back decorated with flowers and birds and introduced into the vertical sections of a cabinet, just as we find in the Vieux-Laque Room of Schönbrunn Palace. When the Chinese Cabinets in Schönbrunn were refurbished it seems there was no need to cut front and back of the lacquer screens apart, because they were assembled with the back side towards the wall; this was researched recently as part of Silvia Miklin-Kniefacz’s and Richard Miklin’s project.11 The decoration of the East Asian cabinets in Schönbrunn shows wooden panelled walls and gilded Rococo decorations, mainly frames made of carved wood; between huge mirrors above marble chimneys, windows and doors, numerous coromandel and other lacquer panels of varying forms and sizes and Chinese, Japanese and European provenance are introduced and arranged into vertical sections. Small wooden consoles grow out organically from the gilded Rococo frames of the lacquer panels bearing figures, vessels and vases of different origins and periods. 8

The court life of the Maria-Theresian epoch is extensively recorded by the diaries of the Lord Chamberlain Khevenhüller-Metsch, which have been published: Khevenhüller-Metsch and Schlitter 1907–1925. 9 Herzog von Württemberg 1998: 40. 10 Kopplin 2015. 11 See contribution of Silvia Miklin-Kniefacz, Richard Miklin and Susanne M. Käfer in this publication.

Habsburg’s Passion for “Indian” Goods to Create the Most Precious Cabinets of Schönbrunn Palace

Fig. 2: Round Chinese Cabinet, © Schloss Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsges.m.b.H. / photo by Alexander Eugen Koller.

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Fig. 3: Oval Chinese Cabinet, © Schloss Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsges.m.b.H. / photo by Alexander Eugen Koller.

Following the results of the research and the already ongoing conservation of the lacquer panels in both cabinets, a total number of 127 panels exist; they were once part of at least 10 (!) different East Asian paravents or folding screens.12 These lacquer screens, together with the East Asian and the European porcelain objects – mainly from the famous Du Paquier manufacture founded in 1721 – were part of the already existing Habsburg collection; new acquisitions are not recorded.13 The already mentioned Vieux-Laque Room was conceived as memorial room for Emperor Francis I very soon after his sudden death in 1765. The room was originally the emperor’s retirade, the private study located between his audience chamber and the shared bedroom of the imperial couple. It is not recorded what the room originally looked like, because the refurbishment had almost totally changed the former study between 1767 and 1770. For the uniform and exquisitely executed decoration of this Vieux-Laque Room, which still exists, lacquer panels were set into a walnut panelling. Each wall is divided into a regular arrangement of lacquer panels with gilded, carved frames – the bigger ones decorated with landscape and genre scenes, the smaller ones flanking the doors. The doors themselves show panels decorated with birds. The doors and oil paint12 13

Miklin-Kniefacz and Miklin 2013. See contribution of Anna Mader-Kratky in this publication.

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Fig. 4: Vieux-Laque Room, © Schloss Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsges.m.b.H. / photo by Alexander Eugen Koller.

ings in the room are crowned with lacquer supraportes and also the ceiling shows lacquer cartouches. Researches regarding the style of decoration, material examinations and finally a workshop with Chinese experts in 1993 led to the conclusion that the panels were once part of a big screen originally from the imperial manufacture of Peking, dating to the early 18th century.14 Based on recent examinations, it is suggested that the lacquer panels were produced in a South Chinese manufactory. The very elegant and exquisite character of this room ensemble – corresponding to the commission of the Emperor’s widow – is furthermore completed by a highly elaborated intarsia floor of different woods showing an exceptional pattern. The furniture also belongs to the ensemble, the gilded table with small lacquer elements inserted on each side. The so-called Million Room – very soon after the end of the monarchy the name came up and reflects the common opinion about the value of the room – dates back to 14 Kippes 1995: 2.

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Fig. 5: Million Room, © Schloss Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsges.m.b.H. / photo by Alexander Eugen Koller.

around 1762 when the former mirror cabinet of Maria Theresa, used as a private audience room, was refurbished. The walls are panelled with a tropical rosewood from Brazil, which was traded in the th 18 century as Vicatin or Feketin wood. The rich pattern of the wood itself, its deepness and changing surfaces, and its all-over decoration with moved gilded curved frames is an extraordinary example of a highly elaborate Rococo interior. The frames surround and hold 60 collages of the so-called Mughal miniatures which were composed by a Viennese workshop or – as it was traded without any records – by the very talented members of the imperial family, including the emperor himself. The Mughal miniatures derive from 16th-century a manuscript which was collected for the former court library, founded by Charles VI, Maria Theresa’s father. It is not proved when and where the manuscript was bought; it might be the one that was once owned by Rembrandt and auctioned after his death, which includes the well-known motif of the “Sitting Suffis”.15 15

Duda 1997; Corrigan et al. 2015: 286–288.

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The pictures of the manuscript, painted in watercolour, show the wide range of the court life of the Persian Mughal in India in the 16th century. For the use in the cabinet of Schönbrunn Palace the single sheets were cut apart, composed anew and surrounded by a bordure according to the current, late Baroque style. The spaces between the original parts were completed, painted as sky or landscapes. The new collages were created in form of Rococo cartouches and set into the carved rocaille frames. The collage of a single cartouche consists of up to 27 individual parts. The collage of the Mughal seems to be a very unique and singular development of art work but it revealed that there are some sources in the 18th century. A similar phenomenon can be seen in the Indian Lacquer Cabinet of Schloss Augustusburg in Brühl, created between 1730 Fig. 6: Collage of Mughal-Miniatures, showand 1750: beside the shimmering coat of ing different scenes with Shah Jahan as well paint of the panelling, precise cut-out and as a gathering with Muslim mystics (in the coloured copperplate graphics glued toleft corner below), watercolour on paper, gether to new compositions were inserted anonymous, around 1760/1762, Inv. No. SKB in the panelling! 002606, © Schloss Schönbrunn Kultur- und Based on a historical description of Betriebsges.m.b.H. / digitalisation by Salon Berlin, A.B. König recorded that it was Iris. an amusement in the first half of the 18th century to colour engraved copper plates, which were then cut out, glued on different pieces of domestic equipment and then lacquered. Subsequently, this became something of an addiction, mainly of noble persons, who created large quantities of such pictures to decorate entire rooms and cabinets.16 In view of this fact based on historical sources, the constantly questioned context of the miniatures in the Million Room can be examined in a different way: the newly created collages for Maria Theresa’s private audience room consisting of these rare wa16 Herzog von Württemberg 1998: 173, footnote 582.

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Fig. 7: Porcelain Room, © Schloss Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsges.m.b.H. / photo by ­Alexander Eugen Koller.

tercolours of the manuscript were executed in the same way – cut out and glued to new compositions. The original meaning and content was not the purpose for exhibiting the original art works with their historical-documentary character for an intellectual and discerning audience. It was the charm of the exotic, extraordinary character of several single parts of a room decoration being subordinated to the total work of art, the Gesamtkunstwerk. There is another cabinet in Schönbrunn Palace matching the sensation of shimmery surfaces enriched by a large quantity of pictures fixed on the wooden panelling and therefore part of the decoration concept. It is the so called Porcelain Room next to the Million Room, which was used as studio by Maria Theresa and refurbished approximately at the same time as the Million Room. Based on the latest results of research by Cornelia Juen, the design of the small cabinet can no longer be attributed to Jean Pillement. One of the 213 pictures in blue gouache technique, similar to a front dedication of an album, has led until now to this wrong interpretation.17 17 See the contribution of Cornelia Juen in this volume.

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The wall panelling of the Porcelain Room is outlined with festoons of fruits and flowers which rise up from a balustrade and are linked by Chinese parasols in the ceiling. Set into the vertical sections created by these ornamental elements are 213 pictures (one of them is not executed on paper, but on metal in enamel technique), framed by a delicate system of fragile blue-painted wooden staves and rosettes. The pictures themselves are a convincing example of chinoise style, mainly copies of drawings of the French artist Francois Boucher, showing an extensive variety of chinoise genre scenes, figures and landscapes. The name of the small cabinets reflects something that doesn’t exist – namely porFig. 8: Laubenzimmer, New Palais Potsdam, © celain – because of the treatment of the Stiftung Preußische Schlösser und Gärten Berwooden surface to give the illusion of porlin-Brandenburg, photo by Wolfgang Pfauder. celain. The decoration concept is comparable to the Oval Cabinet of the New Palais in Potsdam, which was created almost at the same time. It belongs like the Schönbrunn cabinet to the type of trellis chambers (Laubenzimmer) which obviously became very fashionable in this time. The cabinet of Friedrich II in Potsdam was supposed to be decorated with illustrations arranged in 14 pairs in between the sections, while the one in Schönbrunn has a great, number, almost uncountable at first sight. The type of Laubenzimmer – rooms designed like trellis gardens – leads to another apartment still existent on Schönbrunn’s ground floor, which was used by Maria Theresa as private apartment since 1770 until her death in 1780. The four rooms of this private apartment are painted all over with exotic landscapes and Baroque gardens, executed by Johann Wenzl Bergl, a Bohemian painter. This type of painting is executed in an extreme illusionistic way, featuring the fusion between the painted landscapes and architecture with that of the gardens directly outside. The last and smallest room of this apartment is painted as a garden pavilion, constructed with trellis with a view onto a painted Baroque garden outside. The pavilion

Habsburg’s Passion for “Indian” Goods to Create the Most Precious Cabinets of Schönbrunn Palace

arches are decorated with painted porcelain vases and plates, such as were customary at court at this time. So the predilection of Maria Theresa for Far Eastern objects – so-called Indian goods – is documented even in paintings and the illusion that these paintings convey. They all comprise the extreme consequence of this passion to collect exotic goods and how to create precious room ensembles – real or illusionistic. At this point the significance, knowledge and appreciation are longer focused on a single object; single objects are used and subordinated to the room concept as a synthesis of the arts – a Gesamtkunstwerk – to attain the impression of superlative value.

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Fig. 8: Room of the private apartment of Maria Theresa, Schönbrunn, © Schloss Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsges.m.b.H./ photo by Edgar Knaack.

References Blondel 1737: Blondel, J. F. 1737. Distribution des Maison de Plaisance et de la Décoration des Édifices en general. Vol. 1. N.p: n.p. Corrigan et al. 2015: Corrigan, K. H., Campen, J. v., Diercks, F. and Blyberg, J. C. (eds). 2015. Asia in Amsterdam. Exhibition Catalogue. Amsterdam and Salem: Yale University Press. Duda 1997: Duda, D. 1997. Die Kaiserin und der Großmogul. Untersuchungen zu den Miniaturen des Millionenzimmers im Schloss Schönbrunn. In: Malerei auf Papier und Pergament in den Prunkräumen des Schlosses Schönbrunn, ed. K. Troschke. Wissenschaftliche Reihe Schönbrunn, vol. 3, 33–55. Vienna: Schloss Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsges.m.b.H. Herzog von Württemberg 1998: Herzog von Württemberg, P. 1998. Das Lackkabinett im deutschen Schlossbau. Zur Chinarezeption um 17. und 18. Jahrhundert. Bern: Peter Lang AG, Europäischer Verlag der Wissenschaften. Iby 2012: Iby, E. 2012. Schönbrunn als Residenzschloss Maria Theresias. Zur Raumdisposition der kaiserlichen Appartements und der Repräsentationsräume. Beitrag im Tagungsband anlässlich der Ausstellung „Friederisiko“ Potsdam. Online version: http://www.perspectivia.net/content/ publikationen/friedrich300-colloquien/friedrich_friderizianisch. Iby 2015: Iby, E. 2015. The “Chinese Cabinets” in the Historical Context of Schönbrunn Palace’s Interior Decoration. In: Investigation and Conservation of East Asian Cabinets in Imperial Palaces. Lacquerware and Porcelain. Conference 2013 Postprints, eds. G. Krist and E. Iby. Kon-

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servierungswissenschaft, Restaurierung, Technologie, Bd. 11, 11–24. Vienna-Cologne-Weimar: Böhlau. Iby and Koller 2005: Iby, E. and Koller, A. 2005. Schönbrunn. Vienna: Brandstätter. Khevenhüller-Metsch and Schlitter 1907–1925: Khevenhüller-Metsch, R. Graf and Schlitter, H. (eds). 1907–1925. Aus der Zeit Maria Theresia. Tagebücher des Fürsten Johann Josef KhevenhüllerMetsch, kaiserlichen Obersthofmeisters 1742 – 1776. Vienna: Veröffentlichungen der Kommission für neuere Geschichte Österreichs. Kippes 1995: Kippes, W. 1995. Vorwort. In: Zur Restaurierung der Vieux-laque-Tafeln in Schönbrunn: Grundlagen und Vorarbeiten, ed. S. Miklin-Kniefacz. Wissenschaftliche Reihe Schönbrunn, vol. 1, 2–3 Vienna: Schloss Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsges.m.b.H. Kopplin 2015: Kopplin, M. (ed.). 2015. Gérard Dagly 1160 – 1715 und die Berliner Hofwerkstatt. Ausstellungskatalog (exhibition catalogue). Munich: Hirmer Verlag. Miklin-Kniefacz and Miklin 2013: Miklin-Kniefacz, S. and Miklin, R. 2013. Datierung, Pro­ venienz und Zusammenstellung der Lacktafeln in den Chinesischen Kabinetten von Schloss Schönbrunn, unpublished report, Vienna.

Andreas Schulze

Examples of East Asian Style Interiors of the 18th and Early 20th Century in Saxony

Abstract The paper will present some selected examples of East Asian style interiors from the 18th and early 20th century and the different concepts for the preservation of these exceptional “Gesamtkunstwerke” during the last decades. The focus is on some interiors – so-called “Chinese Rooms, Cabinets or Salons” – in the former Marcolini-Palace in Dresden-Friedrichstadt with Asian wallpaper from the late 1770, in the so-called “Fasanenschlösschen” near Moritzburg with painted European canvas hangings from about 1780 and on two rooms in the castles of Lichtenwalde and Waldenburg. The latter two interiors had been newly created in the early 20th century after major fires by reuse of original East Asian decoration elements from the 18th century. *** East Asian art – like other “exotic” styles – was very much in vogue in the courtly culture of Saxony, at least since the last quarter of the 17th century. First of all porcelain, but also lacquer, precious textiles and paperwork reached the Court in Dresden via trade channels or as gifts of foreign rulers. A number of huge palaces had been built in the East Asian style to house the collections. Quite quickly the desire had developed to produce these highly luxuriously objects in the own country. To attain this goal, the Saxon sovereigns, first of all the Elector Friedrich August I (1670–1733) – called “the Strong” and simultaneously August II King of Poland – had made enormous investments. Among the successes of this ingenious economic policy had been for instance the invention of the European porcelain by Johann Friedrich Böttger (1682–1719) and Ehrenfried Walther von Tschirnhaus (1651–1708) or the lacquerwork by Martin Schnell (1675–1740). But interiors in the East Asian style were not only to be found in the palaces of the court. Particularly in the course of the 18th century more or less every “self-respecting” castle in Saxony modelled a room in this fashionable style, decorated with original objects imported from Asia, but often also with local copies or replicas. In the early 20th century this fashion experienced another boom. Unfortunately today such rooms became comparatively rare in Saxony

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because of the comprehensive destructions of castles and historic interiors during and especially after the Second World War. The eldest preserved example for wall decorations using printed East Asian paper in Saxony dates from the first half of the 18th century. So-called hanging scrolls or scroll paintings, produced in the Chinese city Suzhou for the trade with Europe (fig. 1), had been integrated into a wooden framework to decorate a room in Lichtenwalde castle near Chemnitz, after the owner, the Imperial Count Christoph Heinrich von Watzdorf, replaced elder buildings by a new palace in Baroque style between 1722 and 1727. According to previous investigations this room decoration dates most probably to the years prior to the mid-18th century.1 This building was heavily damaged by fire in 1905 and the main part of the works of art and interior decorations were lost. But a part of the most precious objects could be saved, namely, the seven wooden wall coverings with the hand-coloured East Asian woodcuts from the first half of the 18th century. Until 1907 Count Friedrich Vitzthum von Eckstädt had the palace rebuilt by an architect from Dresden, the Privy Councillor Gustav Fröhlich, in the dimensions and the style of the former Baroque building. But the inside of the castle was given a new structure and a number of interiors using the saved original objects. Thus the wooden frames with the scroll paintings were also reused to furnish a new room, which was decorated in the East Asian manner. At the end of the Second World War nearly all mobile artworks had been stolen and most of the interiors had been destroyed. Subsequently the castle had to serve as a sanatorium, as a residential hostel for building workers and as a training facility for nurses. Unfortunately the few preserved historic interiors had been renovated by craftsmen without the permission of the State Office for the Preservation of Historical Monuments in the early 1970s. The wooden frames, the lower panels and the doors of the “Chinese Room” had been overpainted completely. In the following years this room was used for events and civil weddings. Various problems existed: • the typical range of materials of the early 20th century including oil colours and base metal bronzes at the walls and the ceiling, • severe damage of the Chinese scroll paintings mainly by exposure to light, • lack of documentation about the encountered states or the measures carried out in the past, • numerous improper revisions of the original substance, • decades of intensive use of the room with exceptionally harmful climatic conditions

1

Scharrahs 2004: 4–6.

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and damage of the wooden components caused by low air humidity and high room temperature, • inappropriate ideas of the castles administration regarding the further use of the room and • deficient investigations of the state of construction of the whole building, which resulted in unsuitable construction operations with mutual disabilities. The target of the new conservation campaign was the preservation and the recovery of the interior decoration from the early 20th century, taking particular account of the very skilfully applied decoration techniques typical of the time. After a thorough investigation of all parts of the Fig. 1: Lichtenwalde Castle: one of the 34 room ensemble, a detailed conservation scroll paintings of Chinese origin, © Andreas concept was developed based on the con- Schulze. servational requirements and the degree of the amendments. Predominant here were the consolidation, cleaning and careful reintegration of the original paint layers at the plaster and stucco surfaces while retaining the inherent material patina. Where necessary for aesthetic reasons, the overpainting was removed from the wooden decoration elements. The parquet of the floor was also conserved. The wooden framework had to be removed from the wall to allow the conservation of the scroll paintings and the stabilization of the wooden construction. Furthermore the 119 wooden consoles with applications of polychrome stucco flowers on iron wire had to be conserved and partially restored. The conservation work at the walls and the ceiling, at the wooden frames and the scroll paintings and at the parquet floor was carried out be three teams of graduated free-lance conservators between 2002 and 2010.2 Moreover, the utilization concept has been adapted taking into account the conservational requirements. Now the Chinese Room serves only as an exhibition room without direct access for the visitors (fig. 2). By a drastically reduction of the heating, the 2

The three teams of conservators had been headed by Dr. Dipl.-Rest. Anke Scharrahs, Dipl.-Rest. Peter Ehrhardt and Olaf Ehrhardt.

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consequent use of the repaired historic shutters for sun protection and the reduction of pollutant input from the neighbouring rooms used for catering services, it was possible to radically improve the climatic conditions for the future preservation of this very interesting interior decoration. After the middle of 18th century the East Asian stylistic influences gathered new momentum again. For instance, William Chambers’ famous work was a direct inspiration for the architect Friedrich Wilhelm von Erdmannsdorff in his plans for the Wörlitz Palace. The same influences are presupposed for the following example, and also for many other palace buildings of this period in Saxony. Even today in the larger of the two so-called “Napoleon Rooms” in the former Marcolini-Palace in Dresden-Friedrichstadt the visitor can find a type of Chinese wallpaper that was very popular and widely used during the third quarter of the 18th century. Designed in the form of a circumferential panorama, numerous figures of people and animals in landscape scenery with mountains, rivers and typical buildings give a romantic idea of life in ancient China. The entire design in this room refers to the East Asian wall decoration. All components – starting with the stucco ceiling over the wall panels, the mirrors and the frames, the doors, the marble fireplace up to the inlaid parquet – are designed consistently in the chinoiserie style in the sense of a “Gesamtkunstwerk”. The wallpaper is not glued to the plaster, but is applied at a wall covering out of canvas. It may be assumed that the room was already completely finished with the move of Count Marcolini to the castle in May 1778, because this room is mentioned in the travelogue of Karl Wilhelm Daßdorf published only four years later.3 We owe the preservation of this interior – unique in Saxony – primarily to the fact that the French Emperor Napoleon used these rooms several times during his stays in Dresden and also at the end of June 1813 for his negotiations with the Austrian Chancellor Prince Metternich about a possible peace between France and Austria. Early photographs show that only that room as well as the next one – decorated in the Pompeian style – survived the reconstruction of the castle to an urban hospital in the 40s of the 19th century. In 1954 the Institute for the Preservation of Historical Monuments initiated restoration work to repair the damages done by the end of the Second World War. Afterwards both rooms served as office and conference rooms for the hospital’s administration. This meant extremely unfavourable indoor climate values with high temperatures and low humidity and significant impairments, for example through cigarette smoke. In the 1980s, the state of preservation especially of the wallpaper, but also of the other room components, was so poor that it was necessary to think once more about conservation. Preliminary examinations clearly demonstrated the need for comprehensive and far-reaching 3

Daßdorf 1782: 700.

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Fig. 2: Lichtenwalde Castle: “Chinese Salon” in the present state after conservation, © Andreas Schulze.

measures on the basis of professional science-based concepts. Paper conservators from the Ethnological Museum of Dresden and the Cabinet of Prints, Drawings and Photographs who were experienced in wallpapers were won for the conservation work.4 But to answer the question of handling the very complex entirety of these interiors, the then Chief Curator for Saxony Prof. Dr. Gerhard Glaser entrusted the author in 1990 with the development of a conservational concept and, as a first step, with the organization of a scientific colloquium with specialist colleagues from – the situation at the time – both German countries. This colloquium provided valuable advice on the general preservation objective and practical approaches in solving the numerous, closely interwoven individual problems. As a crucial point, emphasis was put on the optimization of the indoor climate conditions. For this purpose a solution had to be identified, which allowed the utilization concept of the hospital management to be adjusted to the conservational 4

The conservation of the wallpapers was carried out by Ulrike Brichzin, Elisabeth Horschik, Charlotte Dennhardt and Dipl.-Rest. Katharina Maubach, the conservation of the parquet by René Böhme and the conservation-restoration of the polychrome room decoration by Dipl.-Rest. (FH) Hans-Christoph Walther, who took over the role of a specialist planner too and had to conceive the different measures and to coordinate all involved partners.

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needs of the historic substance. The owner insisted on a year-round use of the rooms – which were designed originally only for summer use – for special representative purposes. Thus the installation of an air-conditioning system was necessary to guarantee the required values of relative humidity and temperature. This in turn would have led in the cold season to massive condensation problems on the relatively thin outer walls behind the wallpaper. As a conventional insulation was rejected for reasons of historic preservation, an alternative approach was developed together with the Department of Building Climatology of the Technical University in Dresden.5 Because the plaster behind the wall hangings had to be renewed in any case, an electric heating system was integrated into the new plaster of the outer walls, which automatically maintained the surface temperature few degrees above the dew point, but still below the temperature of the room air. Simultaneously, a solution had to be found that allows the future removal of the wallpaper, which had originally been nailed on wooden battens fixed to the wall. The developed framing and mounting system has no crossbars and only needs exactly the same space as the original stationary mounting battens. In the past the original polychromy of the ceiling, the doors and the wooden panels had been overpainted in several renovation campaigns with oil paints. The penetrated binders of these overpaints led to a strong impairment of the original colours, which had been carried out previously with animal glue, respectively in a mat distemper. Additionally, in the 1950s large parts of the original polychromy had been removed completely and renewed with more greyish colour shades corresponding to the darkened wallpapers. This completely changed the character of this room. Therefore it was necessary to remove these younger paint layers in order to reconstruct the original appearance. Even if the original extraordinarily serene and intensive colouring of the wallpaper could not be recovered due to the yellowing of the paper and the bleaching of many original colours, a fairly authentic impression of its original design was restored to the room (figs.3, 4). In November 1999, the conservation of both “Napoleon–Rooms” was successfully completed. Herewith the future preservation of the hitherto highly endangered substance is secured and a very interesting example of historic interior design became accessible for the public again. The so-called “Fasanenschlösschen” in Moritzburg near Dresden is considered to be the last remaining gem of Saxon-courtly Rococo, but shows some influences of early Classicism too. In the years between 1769 and 1781, headed by the Elector’s chamberlain Count Camillo Marcolini, an existing Baroque pavilion was rebuilt, topped up and richly and imaginatively furnished in the chinoiserie style. In a confined space it houses a large number of very high quality interiors with manifold types of interior designs, 5

Renner 1995.

Examples of East Asian Style Interiors of the 18th and Early 20th Century in Saxony

Fig. 3: Dresden, former Marcolini-Palace: the larger of the two “Napoleon–Rooms” with the Chinese wallpapers after conservation, © Andreas Schulze. Fig. 4: Dresden, former Marcolini-Palace: a segment of the wallpapers, which was

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originally glued at the backside of a hanging and therefore protected against light all over the time, is mounted now behind a former tapestry door and gives an impression of the original bright colours of these wallpapers, © Andreas Schulze.

inter alia inlaid, or polychrome woodwork, stucco marble, figuratively painted canvas wall hangings, woven and embroidered silk wall hangings, a hanging of bird feathers and another one made of straw and glass beads with applications in yarn painting and many original plank and parquet floors as well as stucco ceilings. Until 1945 it was owned by the former Saxon royal family and was converted into a museum open to the public since the early 20th century. Building and furnishings were spared from decisive interventions in the substance and survived in essential parts despite looting and vandalism in the immediate post-war period and the following use as a zoological museum. Since 1992 it has belonged to the properties of the Free State of Saxony. In 1996, basic conservation and renovation work could start on the house and its furnishing. In the initial phase, important initial impetus was given by generous financial support from the German Foundation for Monument Protection.

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Two of the rooms on the ground floor have been furnishing in chinoiserie style. The embroidered silk wall hanging with East Asian motifs in one of them unfortunately hasn’t survived; the second chamber has even more remains of its original features. Initially all four walls of this room had been decorated with chinoiserie paintings on canvas (fig. 5), but over 50% of these wall hangings were lost at the end of World War II. In the 1950s the remaining hangings were replaced by copies because of their poor state of preservation and were stored in the depot. In the course of conservation measures, which have been carried out until 2007 after the extensive renovation of the building envelope, it was the ultimate goal to retrieve the precious historic interiors by means of unconditional preservation and extensive integration of the still existing original substance and significant traces of the object’s history. This was based on the interdisciplinary approach to the varied tasks also in view of building climatology, a careful investigation of the whole substance on a scientific basis, the consistent contracting of graduated conservators and the continuous guidance and control by a senior conservator. Several renovation campaigns during the 19th and 20th centuries had led to strong impairments of the original polychromy on the wood and plaster surfaces especially due to the use of oily binders and base sheet metals or metal bronzes; despite this, it was possible to expose the original ceiling painting in this room. The painted decoration of the walls, however, were lost except for a few remains and had to be reconstructed on the basis of the discoveries. Regarding the wall coverings, it was decided to leave the quite high-quality copies in place and to present the conservation treated originals on the other walls in such a way that on the one hand the room impression can be recreated, but on the other hand, the losses remain visible for the visitors.6 In addition, it is possible now to compare the fragmentary originals with the copies directly (fig. 6). The Waldenburg Castle including its entire furnishing had been destroyed by fire in 1848 and rebuilt from 1855 to 1859. This quite new building underwent an extension and profound modification during the years 1909–1912 by the architect Gustav Fröhlich from Dresden, who had also rebuilt the Lichtenwalde Palace a few years ago. For the drawing rooms he created historicizing designs in different styles and furnished them with original objects, which originated from the brisk collecting activities of Prince Otto Victor II. von Schönburg (1882–1914). The dining room was decorated as a “Chinese Room” with a Chinese wall hanging from painted silk moiré being the most precious adornment. The prince had probably purchased this hanging from Lehmann Bernheimer in Munich. During the research in 6

The conservation of the painted decoration at the ceiling and the walls was carried out by Dipl.-Rest. Elke Schirmer and Oliver Andersch, the conservation of the original fragments by Dipl.-Rest. (FH) Uwe Trentzsch.

Examples of East Asian Style Interiors of the 18th and Early 20th Century in Saxony

Fig. 5: Moritzburg, Fasanenschlösschen: room with Chinoiserie Paintings on canvas in the 1930s, © Saxon State Office for the Preservation of Historical Monuments, photographic archive.

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Fig. 6: Moritzburg, Fasanenschlösschen: room after conservation with the presented fragments of the original hangings and the remained copies from the 1950s, © Andreas Schulze.

the course of the securing of this hanging, it came to light that the Philadelphia Museum of Art owns an identical fragment of this wall hanging, which most likely came to America by ship from China in 1788.7 The south Chinese city Canton is thought to be the place of manufacture. It can be assumed that also the hanging now located in Waldenburg Castle was produced around the year 1785 in the local workshops of this town. The walls of the room measure 8.80 m long, 6 m wide and 4.50 m high; Gustav Fröhlich divided them according to the acquired silk wall hanging strips and completed them with wooden wall and ceiling coverings made of bog oak combined with mirrors and gilded carvings and consoles. The walls and even two larger ceiling areas had been covered with these hangings, which are painted on the wood grain-like structured silk with very finely executed floral ornaments, bouquets of flowers, figures, deer and trees (figs.7, 8). The hangings were “repaired” by the Dresden embroidery artist Jenny Barth in 1912 before they were mounted in Waldenburg. Used as a sanatorium after the end of the Sec7

Brix 2005.

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Fig. 7: Waldenburg Castle: Dining Room with painted Chinese silk hangings before conservation, © Andreas Schulze.

Fig. 8: Waldenburg Castle: detail of the hangings made from painted silk moiré before conservation, © Andreas Schulze.

ond World War, the castle has stood empty since 1998. Particular problems – especially mechanical damage of the hangings and the gildings of the wooden panelling – were mainly caused by the intensive use of the room in the past in combination with very inconvenient climatic conditions with high ambient temperatures and very low humidity values. In addition, partial very heavy soiling on all surfaces an partial photodamage with a significant weakening and embrittlement of the silk and colour changes in the paint layers worsened the condition. At the two sections at the ceiling large cracks had been noted along the seam edges, whereby the fabrics were hanging down. Furthermore, some older cleaning and backing attempts with unsuitable methods were observed, through which the Moiré structure of the silk has been lost in part by moisture treatments. Because there was no confirmed utilization concept for the castle, which is under the auspices of the rural district, only very poor financial resources for substance-preserving measures were available. The existing damages at the hangings required an emergency conservation treatment as quickly as possible to ward off the imminent dangers especially for the ceiling panels. Since the edges of the silk panels are nailed on all sides to the wooden ceiling construction, a removal would have caused further damage. Hence all measures had to be executed in situ overhead from scaffolding. In the years 2001 to 2005,

Examples of East Asian Style Interiors of the 18th and Early 20th Century in Saxony

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according to the preliminary investigations and the developed conservation concept, the cracks and opened seams in the fabric were closed and reinforced with a special adhesive technology; a partially consolidation of the paint layers, a dry cleaning of the surface, a covering of damaged areas with dyed silk tulle, the underpinning of the ceiling segments with a transparent supporting fabric and the consolidation of the gildings at the wooden decoration elements had been carried out by a team of academic free-lance conservators.8 At the same time, the preservation conditions could be significantly improved by a drastic reduction of the heating and the installation of sun shutters in the windows. Despite the immense losses in the wake of the Second World War and decades of neglect during the time of the communist dictatorship, Saxony still has a number of very valuable interiors in the East Asian style. For the most part, it has been possible to secure future maintenance in recent years since the political changes in 1998, in particular through the dedicated activities of the State Office for the Preservation of Historical Monuments and the great professional achievements of a large number of highly qualified, graduate conservators.

References Brix 2005: Brix, W.B. 2005. Das Chinesische Zimmer auf Schloss Waldenburg; Gutachten, unpublished report, archives of the State Office for the Preservation of Historical Monuments, Köln. Daßdorf 1782: Daßdorf, K.W. 1782. Beschreibung der vorzüglichsten Merkwürdigkeiten der Churfürstlichen Residenzstadt Dresden und einiger umliegender Gegenden. Dresden: Walther. Renner 1995: Renner, E. 1995. Bauklimatische Expertise zur Sanierung des Napoleon-Zimmers und des Pompejanischen Zimmers des Krankenhauses Dresden-Friedrichstadt, unpublished report, archives of the State Office for the Preservation of Historical Monuments, Dresden. Scharrahs 2014: Scharrahs, A. 2004. Restauratorische Befunduntersuchung Chinesisches Zimmer Schloss Lichtenwalde, unpublished report, archives of the State Office for the Preservation of Historical Monuments, Dresden.

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The conservation of the silk hangings was carried out by Dipl.-Rest. (FH) Anke Weidner and Dipl.Rest. (FH) Ines Zimmermann, the conservation of the gilded wooden Decoration by Dr. Dipl.-Rest. Anke Scharrahs.

Tatiana Syasina

The Chinese Palace in Oranienbaum Interiors in Chinoiserie Style. The Principle of Conservation and Maintenance of the Original Décor

Abstract The golden age of the architectural complex in Oranienbaum occurred in the middle of the 18th century. Grand Duchess and later Empress Catherine II invited Italian architect Antonio Rinaldi to Oranienbaum, who used new constructive methods and built a whole ensemble there in chinoiserie style. European and Russian artists managed to create a vivid embodiment of the empress’s ideas. The new ensemble got the name “Her Own Dacha” and included several buildings and a large garden. The 18th-century decoration of the Chinese Palace and the Roller Coaster Pavilion – the main buildings of the complex – have survived almost completely until the present day. Thanks to financial support from PAO Gazprom, BASF Corporate Group and Wintershall Holding HMBH, comprehensive research, conservation and restoration are currently being carried out in the Chinese Palace. In the framework of the conservation it was already possible to stabilize temperature and humidity in the palace, which had remained unheated until recently. *** A huge interest in the Orient arriving in Russia from the Western Europe in the early 18th century resulted in the creation in Oranienbaum not only of rooms in chinoiserie style but the building of whole architectural ensembles, based on the wishes of Empress Catherine II. Created in the era of exquisite and elegant Rococo style, these buildings are the epitome of the fête galante, when a man knows no boredom or tiredness, when everything is connected with merriment and amusements. The idea to create her own garden came to Catherine II in 1755 when she was still a grand duchess. Later she recalled in her memoirs: “At that time I had a fantasy to set up a garden in Oranienbaum. […] I turned to drawing plans and making gardens, and as it was the first time I managed designs and buildings all went wrong, too massive and

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clumsy”1. To fulfill this “crazy project”, as contemporaries used to call it, Italian architect Antonio Rinaldi was invited to Oranienbaum. Based on the album of Rinaldi’s projects and axonometric plans of 1775 made by the engineer Pierre Antoine de Saint-Hilaire we can imagine the proportions and grandeur of these buildings. The main construction of the architectural complex “Her Own Dacha”2 created in the Rococo style was not the palace itself, but the huge summer roller coaster with its pavilion designed to surprise and amuse guests. It symbolised the epoch with a philosophy based on amusement, entertainment and pleasure. The creation of such an attraction in the 18th century comes from the Russian tradition to sledge down ice slides in winter. The roller coaster in Oranienbaum was a summer amusement that included ramps and roofed colonnade 6.5 metres high. It implied walking both inside and outside on the upper terrace. From that point guests could watch an impressive prospect: carriages rushing with an incredible speed, magnificent garden, labyrinths, pavilions, gazebos. The length of the ensemble was more than 530 metres but only the three-storey pavilion has remained until today. The roller coaster was pulled down in 1858–613. The elegant pavilion has three rooms – the central Round Hall, the White Study and the Porcelain Study. There are no direct Chinese associations, but some features of chinoiserie style are evident. The roof of the pavilion is made in the shape of a bell and resembles the top part of a pagoda. Décor of the interiors includes depictions of fountains, gazebos, trellis with flower twining and ornamental compositions with exotic birds and fabulous beasts. Panoramic views from the massive windows give an impression that we are outside. The floor of the Round Hall as well as the floor of the White Study is made of artificial marble. Nowadays the Roller Coaster Pavilion is the only building in Russia where the initial decoration of a floor with artificial marble has been preserved from the 18th century. But the real architectural pearl of the pavilion is the Porcelain Study, or Monkey Study as it is also often called. It was created by the order of Catherine II. Influence of the Orient can be traced here both in ornamental décor and examples of handicraft. Walls are decorated with 40 little console shelves in the form of exotic birds and monkeys, which were also considered to be curiosities. Each of these little shelves was crowned with a porcelain statuette. All of them were ordered by Catherine II at the famous Meissen

1 2

3

Empress Catherine II 1990: 171. The word “dacha” (Russian: дáча) refers to small estates in the country that were given to loyal vassals by the tsar. In archaic Russian the word dacha means something given, from the verb “дать” [dat’] – “to give”. Gorbatenko 2014: 177.

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Porcelain Manufacture in the 18th century.4 These 40 statuettes glorified the victory of the Russian navy over Turkish fleet in the Battle of Chesma in 1770. It was the greatest and the most famous battle of the Russian-Turkish war. By using glazed doors in each room, guests of the empress could at any moment come to the gallery encircling the second floor of the building, where an ascent to the roller coaster was situated. While rolling down the coaster in special little carriages they could admire the park and later take a walk in it. The garden consisted of two parts which were very different. The eastern part was designed as a formal garden with straight alleys and radial composition. The western part resembled not a French garden, but an English one with its winding paths and beautiful ponds. Avenues of the park were conceived as an ingenious labyrinth, but it was impossible to lose the way in it. Paths always led to little pavilions and gazebos. Eighteen of them were called “Chinese summer houses” according to the axonometric plan of Oranienbaum.5 A water labyrinth was designed near the roller coaster. It was a pond with little islands connected to each other with 17 bridges. According to the project of Antonio Rinaldi a tiltyard was built to the north of this labyrinth. This tiltyard and the Chinese summer houses were pulled down in 17926. Many buildings in chinoiserie style and certain paths of the park design created a fairy-tale atmosphere and helped people to escape from reality into a wonderful world of dreams and fantasy. After walks and amusements Catherine and her guests usually visited her favourite newly built house, “the one in the Upper Garden”. That’s how the Chinese Palace was called at the very beginning. Here, in the Grand Hall magnificent receptions were held to the sounds of music, and only closest friends and important guests were invited. The palace was not a place for living, Catherine usually visited it to feel the atmosphere of festivity and magic and stayed here only for a few hours. The creation of such an ensemble in the Rococo style with chinoiserie features was not only a fashion or an idea of the architect, but also a desire of the empress herself. Being busy with the design of the garden she always visited the roller coaster, the pavilion and the Chinese Palace and constantly inspected the building process. Her numerous visits are registered in special journals. There is evidence of such attention to the ensemble of “Her Own Dacha” in a special order from 12 October 1767. The entire management was passed to privy councillor Yelagin and he could obey only the empress: “You should

4 5 6

Up to now only a part of these porcelain statuettes of the 18th century survived. But there are duplications of the statuettes from the 19th century, all made at the Meissen Manufacture as well. Gorbatenko 2014: 348. Ibid: 148.

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report about all your doings and spendings only to Us as you remain beholden only to Our orders”7. The Chinese Palace was not the main building of this complex, but certainly the most exquisite and luxurious (fig. 1). It transported the ideas and interests of the empress into reality. The palace is hidden in the remotest part of the park. Its exterior is rather simple and restrained and has no connection to chinoiserie style. But its interiors amaze with the adornment and elegance of the décor. Walls and corners are slightly rounded, large covings are embellished with delicate moulding. Rooms of the palace form an enfilade, but there are no rooms featuring the splendour typical of the Baroque style, including lavish gilded wood carving or moulding. Each room has its own inimitable and unique decoration, different materials and textures harmonising perfectly, featuring lacquer, porcelain, bugle, embroidery, smalt, walrus bone, wood carving, parquet floors, plafonds, fine low-relief moulding of various patterns, gilt and of course artificial marble. Oriental motifs mostly show up in the interiors of the western part of the palace. Some of them belong to the private chambers of Catherine II. The names of these rooms – the Grand Chinese Study, the Small Chinese Study and the Chinese Bedroom – “the new-built house” of the empress gave it the name “Chinese Palace” at the end of the 18th century. Walls of the Grand Chinese Study are decorated with wooden panels made in ­marquetry technique. They include not only different kinds of wood but also walrus bone and depict sketches from the life of the Chinese people – of course, not the real life of people in China. It is a fantasy of the artist, it is how he imagined the life of the remote countries where only few people had been. These wooden panels are created by a group of Russian craftsmen who were headed by Joseph Shtalmeer probably by the design of Serafino Barozzi, an Italian artist who also decorated covings of the interior. The main feature of the Small Chinese Study and the Chinese Bedroom is painted silk framed with wooden carving in the shape of meander showing the Orient symbol of longevity. Walls of the Small Study are upholstered with recreated silk which was made in 1957–1958 based on the examples of the original silk found during the restoration. Fragments of the original fabric that decorated the walls of the Chinese Bedroom have been preserved from the 18th century until today. Atlas brought from China was painted by Russian artists Feodor Vlasov, Feodor Danilov and “lacquer apprentice” Yakim ­Gerasimov8. 7 8

Unpublished Source. Russian State Historical Archive. РГИА. Ф. 468. Оп. 1. Ед.хр. 3881. Л. 1. Klementiev 2007.

The Chinese Palace in Oranienbaum

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Fig. 1: The Chinese Palace, photo by Alexander Fedorov (2013).

Interiors decorated in chinoserie style contrast with the other rooms. Instead of smooth and rounded lines we see sharp geometrical ornament with bright and vivid colours. Red, black, green and blue colours with gilded fragments of décor give the interiors an exotic and unique flair. Furnishing of these rooms consists of artefacts and handicrafts brought from China or Japan and made in Russia in chinoiserie style. In 1760s there was a special order of chairs for the Grand Chinese Study that were created in China in Guanjou9 and remained till today. A set of furniture for the Small Chinese Study and four carved tables in chinoiserie style from the Anteroom were made after the plans of Antonio Rinaldi, the architect of the palace. All these items come from the original collection of furniture. Keeping in mind Chinese artworks, the artist imitates black lacquer and uses geometrical ornament with the depictions of the Chinese hieroglyph Shou, which means longevity. Elements of chinoiserie can be found almost in every room of the palace. Pictures of smoking incense burners, playing fountains, trellises, exotic birds, Chinese hats, umbrellas and fans appear not only in the painting decoration, but also in the composition of stucco moulding.

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Kocherova 2007: 48.

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With reference to chinoiserie we must not forget one of the most exquisite rooms of the palace where the original décor has survived almost entirely until today. The Bugle Room, as it was called in the documents of the 18th century, got its name because of the panels which decorate three walls of the interior. There are twelve of them – ten large canvases and two dessus-de-portes. Two additional panels were ordered for the firescreen. The background of these panels is unbleached canvas with sewn-on bugle beads, a huge quantity of little glass tubes of the same milky glass colour and of different lengths, measuring from 2 or 3 mm to 15 mm. Bugle beads forming the field of the panels have a pearly colour, creating an effect of twinkling and glimmering by candlelight. The ornament is revealed to be embroidery, which is made of fuzzy, silky strings of different colours. Such strings are called chenille. The embroidery is made with unmatched skill and proficiency. On the sparkling field of bugle beads framed with fanciful floral ornament we see exotic birds in fantastic scenery like an illusion in transparent gauze. These compositions include specific features of chinoiserie style such as feathery umbrellas, bridges, pagodas and trellis with flower twining. The birds resemble the flying creatures depicted on the porcelain vases brought from China or Japan. We also see bells on the bugle bead panels. They are one of the main talismans in China. Placed in the house or garden they attract luck, success and consent jingling delicately, giving delight and bringing harmony. Spun fuzzy silk gives an impression of volume in the whole composition. The choice of colour scheme is also impeccable. As a counter to the cold glimmer of bugle beads the embroidery is made in soft and warm pastel colours where the most are gradations of golden beige shade. The design of these panels was made in 1762 by the Italian painter Serafino Barozzi.10 Panels were being embroidered for almost 2 years, from July 1762 till April 1764 by nine Russian gold-embroiderers Anna Andreeva, Avdotia Loginova, Tatiana and Luceria Kusova, Praskovia and Matrena Petrova, Cleopatra Danilova, Maria Ivanova under the instruction of a French former actress Marie de Chele.11 Bugle beads were made near Oranienbaum at Ust-Ruditsa mosaic factory that was founded by a prominent Russian scientist Mikhail Lomonosov. This factory produced various glass artefacts including beads and bugle. More than 2 million glass tubes of pearly colour with pink, yellow and green shades were used to create the Bugle Study.

10 Klementiev 2007: 55. 11 Unpublished Source. Committee on State Control, Use and Protection of Historical and Cultural Landmarks. КГИОП. Ф. 616-7. Инв. № Н-7282. Историческая записка. Китайский дворец в Ораниенбауме. Сост. Клементьев В.Г. 2005 г. С. 15

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All the panels are framed with gilded wooden carved frames in the form of trunks of trees or palms twined with acanthus leaves and flowers. The carving relief is very deep – some of the leaves are indented from the trunk surface by 15–20 centimetres. Frames of 5 panels are crowned with 10 figures of dragons – essential features of chinoiserie style. These magical creatures seem to guard the silence and peace of the wonderful garden depicted on the walls. Two techniques of gilding were used – glue gilding and poliment gilding – so that craftsmen attained a special effect of matt and dim surface interspersed with glistening. The floor and lower parts of walls were decorated with smalt of ochroid, dark blue and azure colours. A polished glass floor gave a stunning effect. The Bugle Study made a great impression on guests. Unfortunately the glass floor didn’t remain; in 1856 the floor was changed because of its bad condition. Instead of glass, a parquet floor was laid with the same design. After the Second World War the buildings of the ensemble were in a bad condition. Fortunately these unique examples of the Rococo style were not destroyed or devastated because the Nazis had not managed to occupy Oranienbaum. Nevertheless the museums were badly damaged. Air bombardments and explosions caused losses and damage. During the war the increased humidity in the Chinese Palace and the Roller Coaster Pavilion strongly affected the preservation of their interiors. In the following years both buildings went through several periods of restoration. However, the main problem of the ensemble – the climatic situation – was not solved by the restorers. The lack of so-called “conservation” heating system had a negative effect on preservation of the interiors in chinoiserie style. The decoration of these rooms included painted wood and plaster, marquetry technique, tapestries, walrus bone and bugle beads; all these suffered from the temperature fluctuation and high humidity that are common for the climate in St. Petersburg. Widespread damp and fungus were the problems that restorers had to face in the 21th century. At the present time thanks to the financial support of PAO Gazprom, corporate group BASF, and the company Wintershall Holding HMBH, radical restoration and conservation are being carried out at the Chinese Palace. In 2004–2009 prior to the conservation the façades of the building were strengthened down to the foundations. Measures were taken to improve the exterior waterproof system and the wooden parts of the windows and exterior doors were restored. They were also airproofed. The old roofing, which often leaked, was changed, also rafters were repaired. The new roof is made of copper. The heating system with automatic control was designed to normalize and regulate temperature and humidity conditions. The heating system works from September till May, when the Chinese Palace is closed for visitors. With this system now we are able to maintain the temperature of +5 to +8 ºC twenty-four-hour in this period. Dehumidifiers and humidors are used depending on the season and weather.

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During the reconstruction all wiring and cables used for communication were moved to the cellar. The devices of heating systems as well as the dehumidifiers and humidors are adjusted with mobile devices so that we could move them in case of a weather change. Sensors of the heating system controlling the humidity and temperature run on battery power. It allows us to avoid additional wiring in the interiors. It was decided to do the conservation work gradually, one room after another, including both conservation of the décor and repair of the cellars. The project was designed by Stary Zamok Ltd. and the contractor was St. Petersburg Restoration Company Ltd. In 2009 the first conservation work began. They involved the Antecamera, the Hall of Muses, the Blue Drawing Room and the Bugle Room. These interiors were opened to the public in 2011. In order to protect the decoration of the rooms, all the paintings, walls with paintings, gilding, fireplaces made of artificial marble were glued up with mica-coated paper. Anti-fungal refining was carried out in these interiors. After the decor was strengthened, the upper concrete blinding coat was removed along with metal beams to examine the cellars. In the course of conservation it was decided to arrange horizontal anti-capillary waterproofing on the level of the underground concrete arches. It stopped the rise of water in the walls and excluded destruction of the décor after drying up. The conservation work included uncovering of the original colour on the walls and coves of ceiling. Later relevant colorations were selected. Simultaneously the bugle panels were being restored in the workshop of scientific restoration of fabric in the State Hermitage Museum. This unique and very complex restoration included not only clearing and strengthening the strings but also removal of the 19th-century layers (at that time the embroidery had been covered with paint to make it look brighter). The panels acquired the colours of the 18th century. Frames of the bugle panels were restored by Daedalus Ltd. and several parts of them were recreated, including the lower carved frame on the western wall and two figures of dragons. St. Petersburg Restoration Company worked on the plafond of the Bugle Room. After the full-scale survey of the area above the fireplace, we managed to elicit the initial silver-pearly colour under the whitewash applied in 1946. Stucco moulding in the form of flowers and birds began to sparkle like embroidery on the bugle panel by candlelight. The second stage of the restoration in the Chinese Palace was divided into three parts. One of them implied works in the Pink Drawing Room and the Cloak Room. These two interiors were opened in July 2014. The restoration started with the works in the cellar and arrangement of waterproofing and the climate control system, similar to the interiors of the first stage. After that the restoration of the décor was carried out. During its process the initial paintings were cleared on the walls. They are made in chinoiserie style presumably in the 18th century. According to the documents, the restorers in 1948 had decided to cover these paintings with canvas and to paint the canvas after

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that.12 It would seem that they had not intended to renovate the geometrical ornament. The panels had been covered with canvas, hence the paintings were in a perfect condition when they were discovered. It was thus possible to carry out the conservation without any serious insertions. The scientific research and the conservation enabled us to ascertain original colours of the ceiling and its covings under the coatings of the 19th and 20th centuries. Interesting details were also found in the Pictural Antique, as contemporaries used to call the Pink Drawing Room in the 18th century. In the corners of the ceiling on ledges restorers discovered paintings of the 18th century in the form of a rosace with curlicues. On the covings of the ceiling the original artificial marble was cleared under two coatings of paint. After the canvas was discarded on the panels of the walls, the same paintings in chinoiserie style appeared as in the Cloak Room. In the course of the conservation of the parquet floor the base of backboards was strengthened with wooden and metal slabs. 70% of the dismantled parquet was glued again with fish glue. 20% were replaced and recreated in the areas of damage and late restoration fillings. The initial parquet floor made of different and sometimes very rare kinds of wood was maintained. 7 out of 19 rooms of the Chinese Palace have been restored and opened to public. In summer 2015 the visitors of the museum saw the Anteroom for the first time after conservation. The reason why the room received its name is that in the 18th century an entrance to the palace was situated there. The main features of the décor are painted canvases with the elements of chinoiserie style. Earlier they dated back to the 19th century. In the process of research we discovered that two central compositions made by the unknown artist (“Diana and Actaeon” and “Landscape with Ruins”) had been inserted into the canvases of the 18th century during the reconstruction of the palace in the 1850s. Complicated works including the removal of these canvases, conservation and restoration were made by the artists of St. Petersburg Restoration Company (N. Mikhailov, V. Osipov and G. Ivanova). The Anteroom is furnished with four carved tables in chinoiserie style. They returned to the palace after conservation. It was decided to create a special metal construction for the heavy marble table top in order to protect the wooden part of the table under it. The conservation of these tables was held by Tsarskoselskaya Amber Workshop Ltd. Restoration and conservation works in the Grand Hall are also finished, and it will be opened for visitors in 2016. The western enfilade of the palace including the Chinese rooms will be restored, too, starting from 2017. But even now we have an opportunity to 12 Unpublished Source. Committee on State Control, Use and Protection of Historical and Cultural Landmarks. КГИОП. П. 616-7. П-1190. Текущая переписка 1946–1956 гг. Дефектная ведомость. Акт определения музейного объекта в реставрацию от 1948 г. Л. 112

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influence temperatures and humidity in these interiors. A temporary heating system was installed there so that the temperature would be no more than 3–4º lower than in the restored rooms, but not less than 5 ºC. This technology enabled us to attain not only a slow application of the heating system in the interior, but also gradual climatic transition from warm rooms to those which are not yet included in the constant heating system. Long before the conservation, each interior underwent adaptation when museum workers in association with climatologists worked out the individual plan to put the interior into the best possible climatic conditions. This method avoids the possible changes of preservation of décor, which usually appear if the transition to the new climatic conditions has been abrupt. Scientific researches began this year In the Roller Coaster Pavilion. If the financing is constant, conservation will begin, but reconstruction of the roller coaster itself is not planned. We are considering the possibility of creating a multimedia interactive exhibition area with a miniature of the roller coaster and a film illustrating rolling down the coaster. Consequently, tasks of the conservation of “Her Own Dacha” ensemble include both the realization of conservation and the development of a method to control the reasons of destruction. They also include further monitoring with the constant “after-care”.

Acknowledgements Conservation work was sourced from following companies: PAO Gazprom, OOO BASF, the legal entity of BASF Group in Russia and Wintershall Holding HmbH. The project and the conservation work were executed by Stary Zamok Ltd., St. Petersburg Restoration Company Ltd., Daedalus Ltd., Tsarskoselskaya amber workshop Ltd. and the State Hermitage Museum.

References Empress Catherine II 1990: Empress Catherine II. 1990. Zapiski imperatritsy Ekateriny Vtoroy [Memoirs of Catherine II]. Moscow: n.p. Gorbatenko 2014: Gorbatenko, S. 2014. Arhitektura Oranienbauma. Zapadnaya distantsiya Petergofskoy dorogi [Architecture of Oranienbaum. West Distance of the Peterhof Road]. St. Petersburg: Istoricheskaya illustratsiya. Klementiev 2007: Klementiev, V. 2007. Kitayskiy dvorets [The Chinese Palace]. St. Petersburg: Alpha-color. Kocherova 2007: Kocherova, E. 2007. Kollektsiya mebeli vosemnadtsatogo veka v sobranii gosudarstvennogo muzeya-zapovednika Oranienbauma [The Collection of Furniture of Oranienbaum of the 18th century]. St. Petersburg: Istoricheskaya illustratsiya.

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Additional Literature Archive of the Committee on State Control, Use and Protection of Historical and Cultural Landmarks. КГИОП. П. 616-7. П-1190. Russian State Historical Archive. РГИА. Ф. 468. Оп. 1. Ед.хр. 3881.

Marzenna Ciechańska, Magdalena Herman, Dorota Dzik-Kruszelnicka

A Collection of 18th Century Chinese Wall Coverings at the Wilanów Palace, Poland A Historical, Technological and Conservation Research Project

Abstract Count Stanisław Kostka Potocki (1755–1821) created the “Chinese Rooms” at the Wilanów Palace. The apartment, consisting of five stylistically coherent rooms, aimed to present a collection of Chinese art to the public. The walls, decorated in the “print room” style, were covered with export wall papers, paintings on paper and silk, as well as nianhua prints. Local artists hired by the Wilanów owners adorned them with the chinoiserie borders. During a post-war conservation project in the 1950s, the decision to reveal heretofore-unknown baroque decoration was made in order to restore the earliest state of the residence. The Chinese decor was dismounted from the walls, underwent conservation and has since been kept in the museum storage. This paper focuses on selected results of a funded three-year project from 2011 to 2014, such as the history of Potocki’s Chinese Rooms, correlations between various Chinese cabinets in Europe, the identification of technologies and techniques and issues of mounting. *** The collection of Chinese paintings and prints in the Museum of King Jan III’s Palace at Wilanów consists of 67 objects, including 10 silk and 57 paper-based ones that can be dated from the middle of the 18th to the very early 19th century. They differ in terms of forms, subjects, dimensions and technology of manufacture. They are related to each other by virtue of the fact that they were all used by a former owner of the Palace, Stanisław Kostka Potocki, as the covering of the wall surfaces. Their presence at Wilanów

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is well attested in the 19th century. Nonetheless, in the late 18th century, Izabela Lubomirska (1736–1816) decorated Wilanów Palace accordingly to the most up-to-date fashion with Chinese and chinoiserie items. Her private apartments were adorned with chinoiserie wallpapers as was described in the inventory of 1793. In 1799 Lubomirska bequeathed the residence to her daughter Aleksandra who was already married to Stanisław Kostka Potocki. Since then Wilanów became a residence of the Potocki family who significantly developed the collection of Chinese art, including the paper wall coverings.1 However, due to inaccuracies in the inventory of 1793, the terseness of inventory records as well as its date, it cannot be definitely excluded that Lubomirska had had genuine Chinese papers stored, if not hung, in the Wilanów Palace before 1799. Stanisław Kostka Potocki, the son in law of Izabela Lubomirska, was one of the most renowned Polish art connoisseurs and collectors. His interest in Chinese art was expressed not only in the precious artworks he assembled and the decoration of his private apartments2, but also in his writings. Stanisław Kostka Potocki’s scholarly interests were particularly reflected in the chapter “On the art of the Chinese” (“O sztuce u Chińczyków”) which he included in his work “On the Art of the Ancients, or The Polish Winckelmann” (“O sztuce u dawnych, czyli Winckelmann polski”, published in 1815) inspired by Johann Joachim Winckelmann’s famous “Geschichte der Kunst des Alterthums”.3 Furthermore, his pioneering attitude was also reflected by establishing Chinese Rooms on the first floor of the main body of the palace which became a part of the first art museum in Polish territories (opened in 1805). The creation and the furnishing of the Chinese Rooms in the early 19th century might be described on the basis of contracts drawn up between Stanisław Kostka Potocki and artisans as well as of the inventory of 1832 which was compiled a few years after his sudden death in 1821. The Chinese Apartment or Chinese Rooms created by Stanisław Kostka Potocki consisted of five stylistically coherent interiors filled with various types of objects: ceramics, lacquerware, textiles, furniture and small items of everyday use. Those interiors aimed to present a collection of Chinese art to the public. After 1821, the furnishing and decorating of the Chinese Rooms was still an ongoing project continued by Stanisław Kostka Potocki’s wife Aleksandra, their son Aleksander and later on augmented and slightly amended by other members of the Potocki family. Possibly after 1837 or 1850, another Chinese room was added – the so-called “Sionka” – a small corridor adjoining other oriental rooms. The walls of the Chinese Rooms were covered with Chinese export wall papers, woodcuts and paintings bordered with chinoiserie decoration painted by local artists. Accord-

1 2 3

Zasławska 2009: 249–319. Zasławska 2000: 74–104. Wasilewska-Dobkowska 2002: 29–53

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Fig. 1: Chinese cabinets; a photograph from 1911, © photo by Henryk Poddębski (Wil.Zb.Ikon.0017).

ingly to the inventory of 1832, some Chinese works on paper were kept in cupboards and other rooms to be presumably used for the wall decoration later on in the 19th century.4 Unfortunately, the Chinese Rooms briefly described above no longer exist. During the post-war restoration project at Wilanów Palace, the conservation work in those rooms was discussed by conservators and curators as early as 1948. The issues raised included the poor state of preservation of those rooms, their aesthetic value and above all the discovery of underlying frescos and polychrome wall decoration from the late 17th and 18th centuries. In July 1955, the wall coverings were dismounted in order to undergo conservation aimed at their future display. However, they never returned to their previous location because further restoration work in situ revealed relatively well-preserved baroque decoration.5 The Chinese wall coverings have since then been kept almost continuously in the museum’s stores. The ornamental chinoiserie framings and the wall paintings were irretrievably lost. Nevertheless, photographs from the early 20th century, and the graphic and photographic documentation from the 1950s are a source of information allowing at least the partial reconstruction of the disposition of the wall coverings.6 The detailed 4 5 6

Ciechańska 2010: 118–131. Ekielska-Mardal 2010: 30–36. Many archival photographs were published in Ciechańska 2010.

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Fig. 2: Chinese cabinets; a photograph from 1955, © Archive of PKZ (Polskie Pracownie Konserwacji Zabytków, nr neg. PKZ 893).

description of the original positions of each artwork, which were in some instances partially altered in the 19th century, goes beyond the scope of this article and only an overall description will be given.  The Chinese Rooms consisted of a suite of three main chambers with the so-called “Sionka” (small corridor) and two small cabinets adjacent. The “Sionka” was adorned with depictions of Chinese beauties supposedly set there in the second quarter of the 19th century. The first small cabinet accordingly to the inventory of 1832 was decorated with “Chinese landscapes”, the second one with ten “Chinese figures”. The artworks from the cabinets and small corridor (such as landscape medallions painted on silk, painted woodcuts and Chinese beauties) are known from photographs and can still be identified in the museum’s collection (figs.5, 8). The walls of the First Chinese Room, often described as the Anteroom (“Przedpokój”) were decorated with bamboo like painted decoration. It was enriched with Chinese landscapes and nianhua depictions of women with children and auspicious symbols (individual prints visible on fig. 3) pasted onto the wall as can be seen on the post-war photographs (fig. 2). This room was designed to display oriental artworks, which determines to some extent the quite high placement of the Chinese papers on the walls (fig. 1). The Second Chinese Room with painted wall and ceiling decoration

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was often called Chinese Bedroom because of its furnishings. The third room in the Chinese apartment suite was adorned with Chinese landscapes. The collection also consists of 9 panneaux – sheets of wallpaper in the print room style – the original placement of which is unknown (e.g. first on the left, fig. 3). We might speculate that they originally decorated the private apartments of Stanisław Kostka Potocki.7 During a three-year long project,8 research was done on the historical9, stylistic, technological, and conservation-restoration aspects of the Chinese paper wall coverings in the Wilanów collection. The purpose of research in China was to confirm the attribution of the artworks and to study aspects of the technique of Far Eastern artists, including learning more about the multistage process of print-making and hand painting. Studies carried out in Poland and China10 enabled us to define the symbolism and aesthetic values of the collection in a more correct way. An important part of the research was based on the interviews with the local artists from the Yangliuqing studios.11 It revealed that there are a lot of typical nianhua prints in the Wilanów collection, which were used as wall decoration in the past, but also some valuable examples of Chinese painting from the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. Three woodblock prints bore inscriptions assigning them to the Rui Sheng workshops of the Dai family (fig. 3). Analogous representations were latterly discovered in the collection of the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Museum für Asiatische Kunst.12 A search for items comparable to those from Wilanów located a number of analogous examples of wall decoration in European residences. Two examples of a representation nearly identical to items Wil.1871 and Wil.1883 (fig. 4) are the portraits of a man and a woman looking through a window framed by a curtain in Kasteel d’Ursel in Hingene (Belgium) where they were used to decorate supraportes dated to before 1767. Similar portraits are also on the wings of a screen in the Esterhazy Palace in Eisenstadt (Austria). The wallpapers removed from the walls of Schloss Hof, which probably originally adorned the walls of Schönbrunn Palace, Laxenburg Castle or Vienna Hofburg, are now 7 8 9

More on Ciechańska 2016. Grant no.NN105 359740, led by Prof. Marzenna Ciechańska, financed by the National Science Centre. Various aspects of the object’s historical background have been discussed in greater detail in a paper written by Dorota Dzik-Kruszelnicka, published by China’s NianHua Journal in 2013 as part of a series entitled “The New Year prints from abroad” (Dzik-Kruszelnicka 2013). 10 Thanks to the cooperation with Dr. Anita Wang and Prof. Feng Jicai (Feng Jicai Research Institute of Literature and Art, Tianjin University). 11 Courtesy of Huo Qing Shun and Huo Qing You’s workshop in Yangliuqing. 12 See Laing 2014: 12–18. The broader context of five woodcuts from Wilanów, which originated in The Rising Sun workshop of Dai family, has been discussed by Diana Długosz-Jasińska in her article “Historia i analiza treści pięciu chińskich drzeworytów noworocznych przedstawiających kobiety z dziećmi, z kolekcji Muzeum Pałacu Króla Jana III w Wilanowie, pochodzących z warsztatu Dai Lianzeng z Yangliuqing” (Długosz-Jasińska 2015).

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Fig. 3: Five woodcuts from Wilanów, originated in The Rising Sun workshop of Dai family, © photo by T.Rizov-Ciechański.

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Fig. 4: Portraits Wil.1883 and Wil.1871, © photo by T.Rizov-Ciechański. Fig. 5: Wil.1890, © photo by T. Rizov-­ Ciechański.

kept in the Museum of Applied Arts Vienna (MAK). They are dated to about the middle of the 18th century.13 They consist of a variety of paintings pasted on a canvas to make a continuous scene. Windows filled with pasted in representations of flowering trees with birds and animals on a yellow finely speckled background, are one of the elements of the scene. These are very similar (both stylistically and technologically) to the group of four wallcoverings in Wilanów (Wil. 1873 Wil. 1875 Wil.1888 and Wil. 1890 – fig. 5). The latter, with the silhouette of a Dalmatian, is almost identical. Wallpapers of the same size and technologically similar to the paintings described above from MAK and Wilanów adorn the walls of the Chinese Cabinet of the Schloss Favorite near Rastatt (Germany). They are believed to date back to the 1730s.14 Flowering trees that are filled with colorful birds are placed on a finely speckled gold background. The dating of the wallpapers from Rastatt and MAK suggests that those at Wilanów are also earlier than originally thought, dating from the end of the first half of the 18th century. The visible signs of nails suggest that Potocki had reused material taken from elsewhere for the decoration of his Chinese cabinet. 13 Murr 2014: 42. 14 Wappenschmidt 1989: 177.

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A number of investigations were carried out on the Wilanów collection in order to determine the techniques of their manufacture and identify the materials used (the nature of the paper support and the fibre composition, stratigraphic studies, line and colour application methods and techniques, the composition of paints and binders, the adhesives used for hanging the paper etc.). This included analysis in visible light (diffuse, side-lighting and transmitted), UV and IR luminescence as well as macroscopic and microscopic examination. The results allowed a preliminary identification of the original technological structure of individual works and also their secondary layers. Additional research using Raman spectroscopy, XRF spectrometry, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) offered insight into the substance of the works. It was possible to establish the palette by identifying the pigments used in the Chinese prints and paintings as well as their chinoiserie framings.15 A better recognition of the material composition of the artworks determined, to some extent, the course of later conservation-restoration work. On the other hand, for example, the Prussian blue found in the Chinese depiction, made possible a more precise dating.16 One of the most interesting discoveries made during technological examinations was the identification of tin powder used to create the speckled background in a few wallcoverings (fig. 6). For a long time we believed that the small dots were just spotted with ink, but our research showed that originally there were flakes of tin and tin covered with alloy of copper with zinc. Flakes of powdered metal were suspended in a medium of plant oil, but had darkened as a result of oxidation. On the basis of an analysis of the techniques, the information contained in the literature and received during consultation with experts and artists working in traditional Chinese workshops, it was found that techniques were used in the Chinese artworks which allowed the repetition of the motifs. These include the woodcut technique and drawing transfer by the pouncing and tracing. The colour layers were applied by the woodcut printing technique and painting, also probably using a template.17 15

Such pigments as Prussian blue, calcium carbonate (possibly shell) white, natural cinnabar, carbon black, and organic yellow were identified in the Chinese paintings itself, while the European-made borders showed Prussian blue, artificial azurite, natural red iron oxide pigment (in browns) and natural cinnabar. These topics were discussed at the conference ICOM-CC Graphic Document Working Group Interim Meeting, Paper Conservation: Decisions & Compromises in Vienna 2013 in the form of a poster presentation entitled “Conservator’s investigation of the chinoiserie in the Wilanow Palace” (Ciechańska et al. 2013), and also in Dzik-Kruszelnicka 2015. 16 The East India Company records for Canton list the earliest shipments of Prussian blue for the year 1775. The pigment was traded by about 1825, when a Prussian blue factory was set up at the northern gate of Canton. The industrial process was possibly acquired from a London manufacturer (Bailey 2012). 17 The poor surface condition of some objects eliminated clear technology definition for image transfer.  

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Fig. 6: Wil. 1873. Sample of spotted paper: a) Reflected light b) Raman spectra showing tin oxide presence in black areas c) Backscattered electron image of a sample (SEM-BSE view) showing tin presence in white areas which correspond with black spots seen in reflected light d) Map of tin presence on the sample. The darker the image the less amount of tin (blue areas contain no tin). White areas correspond with white areas on SEM-BSE image and black spots seen in reflected light, © Faculty of Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art, Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw.

Upon studying the successive layers, it was found that 54 works were lined with canvas and fixed to stretchers – in some cases this technique of mounting had been applied when they were first displayed on the walls in the 18th and 19th centuries, and some during conservation in the 20th century. The majority of the stretchers were then replaced with new ones. In the 1950s, most of the wallcoverings were mounted on canvas and tensioned on a wooden stretcher. In most cases, the artworks have undergone restoration and retouching in the past. Some of them had been repaired before the conservation in the mid-20th century. Several of the wallcoverings were once mounted on a wall in a different manner (as evidence by visible nail marks). Unfortunately the negative impacts of the post-war repairs have decreased the stability of the collection. This means that intervention was required because of their poor condition (figs.7, 8). The supports were heavily deformed causing flaking, cracking of thin papers and loosening between the papers and the linings. Colour areas were abraded or missing in many places. The paper supports were covered by a layer of surface dirt and also showed numerous stains and splashes. Poorly executed repairs on the reverse made the base cockle. Expansive retouching covered large fragments of the artworks, including stains or discolorations. The analyses of the condition of the artworks confirmed the initial hypothesis that at present the biggest risk to the historic matter of the entire collection is the form of the lining and the mounting on wooden stretchers (fig. 8).

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Fig. 7: Pictures show damage and poor condition of the collection, © photo by D. Dzik-Kruszelnicka, Z. Koss.

Therefore, the stretchers and canvas linings were removed as well as some of the earlier repairs that had caused the surface deformations. The objects then underwent conservation-restoration treatment. The procedures included mechanical dry cleaning, repair of torn fragments, consolidation of flaking layers of the thin paper, filling losses with paper or a suspension of cellulose powder and final flattening followed by reintegration of the image using pastel sticks.18 Relining the large-format works on handmade Japanese paper leaves, which aimed to stabilize the structure, was one of the most important and demanding steps. We made sure to leave some extra on the edges. Those margins were used to attach the objects to a new support (in a similar manner to the stretching of a canvas by fixing its edges to a stretcher). A honey-comb panel was used as a base. This rigid yet lightweight construction secures the reverse, creating a stable support. This kind of protection is especially important for transport and storage. Furthermore the free space behind the object allows air circulation and facilitates a safe detaching of the object from the added medium. The choice of mounting was dictated by earlier research that sought to identify the optimal solution.19 Selected types of mounting (such as an “aircushion” mount, inspired by the Far Eastern tradition, adapting solutions used in the construction of Japanese screens and karibari; attaching the full-surface to a support; and mounting using false-margins added or created during lining) were used on large-format, archival quality supports (such as a honeycomb panel; and a foam panel) and subjected to accelerated aging. Observation of the type and scale of the changes allowed the evaluation of their practicality in con18 The entire conservation-restoration process has been discussed by Dzik-Kruszelnicka 2016. 19 Ciechańska et al. 2015: 229–245.

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Fig. 8: Wil.1893 Surface deformations, © photo by T. Rizov-Ciechański.

servation-restoration practice. The method of false-margin mounting on a honeycomb panel proved most stable, and was applied to the Wilanów collection. Furthermore, the adopted solution made it possible to exhibit the items in specially designed show-cases. This essay indicates, of course, only selected results of research conducted within the project. One of the project’s benefits is an investigation of the Chinese artists’ technique, a subject rarely raised in the field of conservation-restoration of paper-based artworks. The practical side of the project includes establishing a new exhibition space that is being created in the museum. As it is impossible to recreate Chinese wall decorations in their original location, a new storage gallery in the so-called “Markoniówka” building in the palace complex will be partially used for this purpose. Selected works on paper will be displayed in two specially designed fan-like showcases. The future display of these objects

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will be possible by dint of the recently adopted support and conservation project, which brought back their beauty and restored their former glory.

References Bailey 2012: Bailey, K. 2012. A note on Prussian blue in nineteenth-century Canton. Studies in Conservation 57(2)/2012: 116–121. Ciechańska 2010: Ciechańska, M. 2010. Papierowe obicia ścienne w pałacu w Wilanowie: studium portretowe. Historia, technologia, konserwacja. Warszawa: Muzeum Pałacu w Wilanowie. Ciechańska 2016: Ciechańska, M. 2016. Chinese Wallpaper in Print-Room Style from Wilanów Palace. Technology and History. In: Between Science and Art, ed. M. Ciechańska, 108–123. Warszawa: n.p. Ciechańska et al. 2013: Ciechańska, M., Dzik-Kruszelnicka, D., Jezewska, E. and Kurkowska, J. 2013. Conservator’s Investigation of Chinoiserie in Wilanow Palace, Poster, ICOM-CC Graphic Document Working Group Interim Meeting, Austrian National Library, Vienna 2013. Online version: www.icom-cc.org/54/document/paper-conservation-decisions--compromises--extend- ed-abstracts--interim-meeting-graphic-document-working-group-vienna-april2013/?id=1185#.Ub30kfmePDs, accessed 10 June 2016. Ciechańska et al. 2015: Ciechańska, M., Dzik-Kruszelnicka D. and Koss, Z. 2015. W poszukiwaniu idealnego montażu: próba oceny przydatności różnych sposobów montowania obiektów wielkoformatowych na podłożu papierowym. Notes konserwatorski 17/2015: 229–245. Długosz-Jasińska 2015: Długosz-Jasińska D. 2015. Historia i analiza treści pięciu chińskich drzeworytów noworocznych przedstawiających kobiety z dziećmi, z kolekcji Muzeum Pałacu Króla Jana III w Wilanowie, pochodzących z warsztatu Dai Lianzeng z Yangliuqing. Ogrody Nauk i Sztuk 5: 552–561. Online version: nowadays.home.pl/ONiS/data/documents/ ONIS_2015=285=29=20552-561.pdf. Dzik-Kruszelnicka 2013: Dzik-Kruszelnicka, D. 2013. 波兰）多洛塔.德兹克.克鲁斯泽尔尼卡 2013：德兹克.克鲁斯泽尔尼卡，D. 2013. 波兰）维拉诺夫宫“中国风”壁纸艺术 试析.年画研究2013，北京：中国戏剧出版社，第123-132页。 Dzik-Kruszelnicka 2015: Dzik-Kruszelnicka, D. 2015. 波兰）多洛塔.德兹克.克鲁斯泽尔尼 卡 2015：德兹克.克鲁斯泽尔尼卡，D. 2015. 波兰）保护者的视角：中国版画技术 分析案例.年画研究2015,北京：文化艺术出版社，第129–132页。 Dzik-Kruszelnicka 2016: Dzik-Kruszelnicka, D. 2016. Discovering the Layers of Time, Meaning and Material Conservation. Restoration of a Wall Hanging from the Wilanów Collection. ERC Newsletter, ISSN 2225-7853,1/2016: 13–24. Online version: www.donau-uni.ac.at/imperia/ md/content/department/kunst-kulturwissenschaften/book_paper_conservation/erc_newsletter_1_2016_april2016.pdf, accessed 10 June 2016. Ekielska-Mardal 2010: Ekielska-Mardal, A. 2010. Konserwacja dekoracji ściennych Apartamentu Chińskiego w Wilanowie w latach pięćdziesiątych XX wieku. Dyskusje i dokumenty. Studia Wilanowskie 17/2010: 30–36.

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Laing 2014: Laing, E.J. 2014. Mothers and Sons: Four Newly Discovered 18th Century Chinese Prints. Orientations 44/2014: 12–18. Murr 2014: Murr, B. 2014. Chinesische Export-Tapeten in der Sammlung des MAK. ÖRV Journal 2014: 40–45. Wasilewska-Dobkowska 2002: Wasilewska-Dobkowska, J. 2002.“O sztuce u Chińczyków“: poglądy Stanisława Kostki Potockiego na sztukę chińską. Acta Universitatis Nicolai Copernici. Nauki Humanistyczno-Społeczne. Zabytkoznawstwo i Konserwatorstwo 33/2002: 29–53. Wappenschmidt 1989: Wappenschmidt, F. 1989. Chinesische Tapeten für Europa. Vom Rollbild zur Bildtapete. Berlin: Deutscher Verlag für Kunstwissenschaft. Zasławska 2009: Zasławska, D. 2009. Chinoiserie w Wilanowie. Warszawa: Neriton. Zasławska 2000: Zasławska, D. 2000. Chinoiseries w kolekcji Stanisława Kostki Potockiego w Wilanowie. Rocznik Historii Sztuki 25/2000: 65–104.

Emile de Bruijn

The Use of Chinese Prints as Wall Coverings in Mid-18th-Century Europe

Abstract In the middle of the 18th century Chinese prints were used as wall coverings in upper-class residences throughout Europe. This taste for Chinese prints seems to have influenced the production of Chinese export wallpapers. This paper offers a survey of some of the surviving European decorative schemes using Chinese prints, providing some evidence as to how this phenomenon spread through the continent. *** The circumstances surrounding the early use of Chinese wallpapers in Europe is still tantalisingly obscure. During the 17th century the European taste for Asian objects and materials had gradually increased, stimulated by the various East India trading companies. Japanese lacquer, Indian chintz and Chinese silk and porcelain were all eagerly imported and used in fashionable interiors. As Friederike Wappenschmidt has shown, Chinese pictures on paper began to be brought to Europe in substantial numbers in the 1690s.1 These pictures do not yet seem to have been fully-fledged wallpapers. Rather, they appear to have been sets of individual paintings and prints which were hung either as separately framed pictures or as continuous collages. Even at this early stage we already see a creative engagement on the part of the European consumers and craftsmen, adapting and combining these Chinese works of art to suit their needs and inclinations. The European demand for these pictures then seems to have inspired the Chinese painting and printing workshops to create larger prints which were even more suitable to being used as wall coverings. Those large prints, and the way they were visually integrated by the European paper-hangers, in turn, seems to have led to the development of Chinese painted panoramic wallpapers which were painted rather than printed. This paper will discuss several groups of Chinese prints which have been used as wall decoration in various historic houses across Europe. I will show how the same print has 1

Wappenschmidt 1989: 19.

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sometimes survived in houses located in opposite ends of the continent, illustrating how intensely popular these exotic products must have been and how highly developed the intra-European luxury goods trade was in the middle of the 18th century. I will describe Chinese prints at Saltram (England), formerly at Schloss Hainfeld (Austria), at Oud Amelisweerd (Holland), at Milton Hall (England), at Zámek Veltrusy (Bohemia), at Schloss Wörlitz (Anhalt-Dessau), at Ightham Mote (England), at Uppark (England) and at Felbrigg Hall (England). Some of these decorative schemes are difficult to date, but others have been reasonably well documented, allowing a certain chronology to emerge and providing evidence for the role of Chinese prints in the development of Chinese wallpaper. Saltram, a country house near Plymouth in England, contains some intriguing examples of the use of Chinese prints as wall coverings. The house was remodelled and redecorated for John Parker (1703–68) and his wife Lady Catherine Parker (née Poulett, 1706–58, daughter of the first Earl Poulett) between the mid-1740s and the late 1750s. John Parker came from a local landowning family and inherited Saltram in 1743, but the funds contributed by Lady Catherine enabled the rebuilding project. The interiors were decorated in the Rococo style, with fine plasterwork ceilings and with furniture supplied by the cabinetmaker Thomas Chippendale.2 The surviving chinoiserie elements in the interiors, which include a Chinese wallpaper on silk, Chinese paintings and prints on paper, Chinese mirror paintings and Chinese-style English furniture, appear to have been introduced during this period, although there is little precise documentation available. Of the four surviving decorative schemes at Saltram with Chinese wall coverings, two are collages of Chinese prints. The Chinese Dressing Room, situated on the first floor of the east front, was hung with multiple copies of two Chinese prints depicting elegant figures in gardens. The prints were arranged by the paper-hangers as alternating pairs and the edges were cut in various subtle ways in order to create the impression of a continuous panorama. When these pictures were originally created in a Chinese printing workshop, the outlines of the figures and the scenery were printed with carved wooden blocks, while certain details were added by hand in black ink. The colours were similarly painted in by hand and therefore differ slightly from print to print.3 As James Cahill has pointed out, the effect of shading, achieved by the gradation of the colour washes, is a stylistic element derived from Western art4 – something which may, on an unconscious level, have made these exotic pictures more accessible to European viewers. Part of the Chinese Dressing Room at Saltram is separated off with a partition, and here the paper-hangers combined the aforementioned prints with several additional fe2 3 4

Johnson 1998 (2005): 42–45. Observation by Andrew Bush, based on his inspections of the Chinese prints and printed wallpapers in the care of the National Trust. Cahill 2010: 67–98.

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male figures and two pairs of cranes, all cut out from other prints (fig. 1, centre). It so happens that the pair of cranes can also be found on a Chinese print in the collection of the Muban Foundation, London, and which had previously been at Schloss Hainfeld, a large moated country seat in Steiermark, Austria (fig. 2). In fact, the cranes at Saltram must have been cut out from other copies of this print. It shows the pair of cranes surrounded by roses, plum blossoms and a pine tree, which in Chinese traditional iconography are all symbols of longevity. In addition, the pairing of the male and female birds refers to the ideal of marital harmony and, on a cosmic level, to the dynamic harmony of opposites. Pictures like this one are part of a tradition of auspicious “bird-and-flower” imagery which has a very long history in Chinese art.5 At Schloss Hainfeld this print was part of a group of Chinese pictures decorating the so-called Chinesische Zimmer. Much of the contents of Schloss Hainfeld was lost at the end of the Second World War, and it is not certain whether the Chinese prints were brought in post-1945 or whether they formed part of the earlier decoration. If the latter, then they may have been introduced during the time of Johann Wenzel, Graf von Purgstall (1724–85), a well-travelled nobleman interested in agricultural and scientific improvement, who inherited Hainfeld in 1749.6 Another print in the Muban collection and with the same provenance from Hainfeld shows a pair of golden pheasants on a rock with a flowering peony behind them (fig. 3). This is again an auspicious juxtaposition, in which the pheasants signify “beauty” and the peony “wealth”. The same print, in more fragmentary condition, but recognisably identical, was discovered in 1992 at Oud Amelisweerd, a modest country house near the city of Utrecht in the Netherlands (fig. 4). There the print had been used to decorate an overmantel, probably soon after the house was built in 1770, but it had subsequently been covered over with another decorative paper. As a consequence, since it was less exposed to light, this print has probably preserved more of its original colours. Intriguingly, it also includes sections of lotus plants to either side, and a rose and another rock below, which appear to be fragments of another print or prints which have been skilfully collaged to the central image by the paper-hangers in order to make the overall picture fit the overmantel. Oud Amelisweerd was built for Gerard Godard, Baron Taets van Amerongen (1729–1804) and his wife Anna Susanna Hasselaer (1730–88). Taets van Amerongen came from an old aristocratic lineage, whereas his wife was from a wealthy merchant family with connections to the Dutch East India Company.7 Another room at Oud Amelisweerd has yielded fragments of another Chinese print, again used as an overmantel, this time depicting a female figure (fig. 5). Several copies 5 6 7

Rawson 2006. Hugelmann 1888: 714–715. Kamphuys 1993: 12–14.

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of the same print can also be found at Saltram, in the room now called the Study, which was probably a sitting room in the 18th century (fig. 6). The hand-painted colours are different, but the printed outlines appear to be identical. These prints have been incorporated into a wall covering made up of various Chinese prints and paintings separated by European paper strips printed with a key-fret pattern. The Saltram copies of this female figure survive largely intact, and here she can be seen to be wearing a crownless hat or sunshade and to have a basket slung over her shoulder. The decorative scheme in the Study, like the one in the Chinese Dressing Room, appears to date from the late 1740s or the 1750s. This is somewhat earlier than the approximate date – c. 1770 – at which the Chinese prints used as overmantels at Oud Amelisweerd seem to have been installed. In 1755 Baron Taets van Amerongen and his wife purchased a substantial town house in Utrecht, and in 1760 they moved to another one in the same city8, so perhaps the Chinese overmantels at Oud Amelisweerd had initially been used at one of those residences. Another Chinese figure who occurs several times at Saltram, both in the Study and in the Chinese Dressing Room, is an elegant lady holding a fishing rod and a newly-caught fish (fig. 1, left). The same female figure also appears in the Chinese Room at Milton, a large country house near Peterborough (fig. 7). This room was created in about 1750–51, when the house was being remodelled by the architect Henry Flitcroft (1697–1769) for William Fitzwilliam, third Earl Fitzwilliam (1719–56) and his wife Lady Anne, née Watson-Wentworth (d. 1769).9 This scheme therefore seems to be more or less contemporary with the Chinese wall coverings at Saltram. Indeed, the carefully arranged symmetrical collage of Chinese prints, separated by strips of European paper in the Chinese Room at Milton is very similar to the scheme in the Study at Saltram. The dating of the Milton scheme appears to be confirmed by the presence among the prints of images of Chinese almanacs for the tenth, thirteenth and fifteenth years of the reign of the Qianlong Emperor, corresponding to 1745, 1748 and 1750.10 This seems to suggest that these prints were brought to Europe soon after 1750 and installed at Milton in the early or mid-1750s. Still-life or trompe l’oeil prints depicting similar almanacs have also survived at Zámek Veltrusy, a country house in Bohemia, where they were grouped together on the walls of the Chinese Salon, framed by Rococo scrolls. These were installed for Rudolf, Count Chotek von Chotkov und Vojnín (1706–71) and his wife Maria Aloysia Stephania, née Countess Kinsky von Wchinitz und Tettau (1707–86), when the house was enlarged and redecorated following a flood in 1764. Rudolf Chotek was a member of a wealthy Bohemian landowning family and he became finance and trade minister in the Habsburg 8 Id.: 16. 9 Cornforth 2004: 264–265. 10 Personal communication from Professor Wen-Chin Hsu, Kaohsiung Open University. See also Hsu 2016: 11–15.

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administration. In 1754 he organised a trade fair in the grounds of Veltrusy which was attended by Empress Maria Theresia (1717–80).11 It would seem possible that Count Chotek’s involvement with trade may have enabled him to acquire these Chinese prints. His connections to the Habsburg court, where Chinese decoration was very popular, may also be significant. In addition to the Chinese still-life prints, there are also prints of female figures at Veltrusy. These include the lady wearing the sunshade also extant at Saltram and Oud Amelisweerd (figs.5, 6). There is also a female figure who appears, from the evidence of the cloak of leaves she is wearing, to be some kind of Daoist immortal, and who is holding a vase. This particular print at Veltrusy can also be found in the Chinese Dressing Room at Saltram (fig. 1, right) and in the Chinese Room at Milton (fig. 8). Another, somewhat smaller print in the Chinese Room at Milton shows a seated lady looking at a young child playing – slightly precariously – on top of a table (fig. 9). The print was modified by the paper-hangers, who extended the table towards the right, but cut out the back wall and painted a flowering plant in its place. The same print, but with fewer adaptations, can also be found in the 1. Chinesischen Zimmer (First Chinese Room) at Schloss Wörlitz in Anhalt-Dessau, where it was used as an overdoor together with another print (fig. 10). This room was decorated in chinoiserie style in about 1772, partly based on the illustrations in William Chamber’s book Designs of Chinese Buildings (1757) and partly with the use of genuine Chinese prints. The owner of Wörlitz, Fürst Leopold III. Friedrich Franz von Anhalt-Dessau (1740–1817), visited England in 1763 and 1766, but it is not known whether he brought the Chinese prints back himself. He may also have acquired them through the Leipzig art dealer Carl Christian Heinrich Rost (1742–98), who is known to have supplied the anglophile prince with English works of art and furnishings.12 The main wall surfaces of the 1. Chinesischen Zimmer were decorated with very large Chinese prints or printed wallpaper drops, set into the Chambers-derived panelling. One of these prints shows a pair of pheasants on a rock – the same combination of motifs, suggesting “beauty” and “wealth”, which is also found on the smaller prints in the Muban collection and at Oud Amelisweerd mentioned above. Exactly the same print can also be found at Ightham Mote in Kent and at Uppark in West Sussex, where it was integrated with other, similar drops to create panoramic schemes of wall decoration.13 It is not known when exactly the Chinese “wallpaper” scheme at Ightham Mote was created. The scheme at Uppark, however, is thought to have been supplied by the architect James Paine (1717–89) to Sir Matthew Fetherstonhaugh, first Baronet (1714–74) and his wife Sarah, née

11 12 13

Brožovský 1980. Communication from Dr. Ingo Pfeiffer, Kulturstiftung DessauWörlitz. De Bruijn et al. 2014: 29–30 and 45.

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Lethieullier (1725–88) in about 1750.14 Paine supplied a similar set of large prints or proto-wallpaper drops to William Windham II (1717–61) at Felbrigg Hall, Norfolk, in 1751, which were hung the following year.15 These dates suggest that a batch of these large prints came to Britain in about 1750. It is also at Felbrigg that this survey of Chinese prints in European historic houses comes full circle: a crane, cut out and applied on top of a corner of one of the large wallpaper panels at Felbrigg, perhaps to cover a damaged area, is identical to the cranes at Saltram and formerly at Hainfeld discussed above. As these examples illustrate, copies of Chinese prints from related sets spread right across Europe in the middle of the 18th century. The prints discussed here have been included on the basis that they all relate to one another in some way and can be linked almost as in a game of dominoes. However, other such Chinese prints are known in European historic houses and collections, and more will doubtlessly come to light. As yet the exact circumstances surrounding the importation of these prints into Europe is not clear. However, as described above, the earliest dated examples appeared in England in about 1750, which seems to suggest that they were imported through London and that some of them were then sold on to Continental dealers or agents. These fragile works on paper made remarkable journeys, first from China to Europe and then further along various European trade routes. The taste for these prints, and for Chinese things in general, was clearly a powerful market-shaping force which was felt across Europe. The fortuitous survival of at least some of these prints can help us to reconstruct this aspect of 18th-century European interiors. It also allows us to appreciate aspects of Chinese printmaking which may not have survived in China itself.

Concordance of groups of related Chinese prints ­m entioned above: 1. Pair of cranes in front of a rock with roses, plum blossoms and a pine tree Felbrigg Hall (National Trust), Norfolk, United Kingdom. One crane only, cut out and applied to the wall on top of large print or proto-wallpaper panel (see also under 8 below). Possibly installed 1752. Inv. no. NT 1400532. Muban Foundation, London, United Kingdom, formerly Schloss Hainfeld, Steiermark, Austria (fig. 2). Framed. Not known when installed at Schloss Hainfeld. Saltram (National Trust), Plymouth, United Kingdom. Cranes only, cut out and applied to walls together with other Chinese prints (fig. 1, centre). Installed 1740s–1750s? 14 Rowell 1995 (2004): 55–57. 15 Maddison 1995 (2003): 74–75.

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Fig. 1: A partition in the Chinese Dressing Room at Saltram, Plymouth, decorated with a Chinese print showing figures in a garden (bottom), a female figure with a fishing rod (left), a female figure with a vase (right) and a crane (centre), © National Trust Images/photo by Andreas von Einsiedel. Fig. 2: Chinese print formerly at Schloss Hainfeld, Steiermark, and now owned by the Muban Educational Trust, London, depicting a pair of cranes with roses, plum blossoms and a pine tree, © Muban Foundation.

2. Pair of pheasants on a rock with peonies Muban Foundation, London, United Kingdom, formerly Schloss Hainfeld, Steiermark, Austria (fig. 3). Framed. Not known when installed at Schloss Hainfeld. Oud Amelisweerd (MOA | Museum Oud Amelisweerd), Bunnik, the Netherlands. Used to decorate the overmantel, discovered under later wall coverings (fig. 4). Installed c. 1770? Inv. no. B207. 3. Female figure with a bamboo sunshade and a basket slung over her shoulder Oud Amelisweerd (MOA | Museum Oud Amelisweerd), Bunnik, the Netherlands. Used to decorate the overmantel, discovered under later wall coverings (fig. 5). Installed c. 1770? Inv. no. B208. Saltram (National Trust), Plymouth, United Kingdom. Applied to the wall as part of a collage of Chinese prints and pictures separated by European key-fret paper borders (fig. 6). Installed 1740s–1750s? Inv. no. NT 873000.

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Fig. 3: Chinese print formerly at Schloss Hainfeld, Steiermark, and now owned by the Muban Educational Trust, London, depicting a pair of golden pheasants on a rock with a flowering peony, © Muban Foundation.

Fig. 4: Fragment of a Chinese print discovered at Oud Amelisweerd, Bunnik, depicting a pair of golden pheasants on a rock with a flowering peony, and with sections of another print or prints added to either side and at the bottom, Collection MOA | Museum Oud Amelisweerd, photo by Colijn van Noort.

Zámek Veltrusy (Národní památkový ústav/National Heritage Institute), Central Bohemia, Czech Republic. Applied to the wall as part of collages of Chinese prints framed with European Rococo borders. Possibly installed second half 1760s. 4. Female figure holding a fishing rod and a fish Milton Hall, Peterborough, United Kingdom. Cut out and applied to the wall as part of a collage of Chinese prints and pictures separated by European key-fret paper borders and with added painted flowers (fig. 7). Installed c. 1751.

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Fig. 5: Fragment of a Chinese print discovered at Oud Amelisweerd, Bunnik, depicting a female figure, Collection MOA | Museum Oud Amelisweerd, photo by Colijn van Noort. Fig. 6: Chinese print used as part of a wall covering in the Study at Saltram, Plymouth, depicting a lady wearing a sunshade and with a basket slung on her back, © National Trust/ photo by Andrew Bush.

Saltram (National Trust), Plymouth, United Kingdom. Cut out and applied to a partition in the Chinese Dressing Room together with other Chinese prints (fig. 1, left); and applied to the wall in the Study as part of a collage of Chinese prints and pictures separated by European key-fret paper borders. Installed 1740s–1750s? Inv. nos. NT 872998 and NT 873000.

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Fig. 8: Female figure with a vase, cut out from a Chinese print and used as part of a wall covering in the Chinese Room at Milton Hall, Peterborough, photo by Andrew Bush. Fig. 7: Elements cut out from Chinese prints and used as part of a wall covering in the Chinese Room at Milton Hall, Peterborough, including a female figure with a fishing rod and a fish, photo by Andrew Bush.

5. Still-lives including almanacs Milton Hall, Peterborough, United Kingdom. Applied to the wall as part of a collage of various Chinese prints and pictures separated by European key-fret paper borders and with added painted flowers. Installed c. 1751. Zámek Veltrusy (Národní památkový ústav/National Heritage Institute), Central Bohemia, Czech Republic. Applied to the wall as part of collages of Chinese still-life prints framed with European Rococo borders. Possibly installed second half 1760s.

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Fig. 9: Female figure seated behind a table with a young child, cut out from a Chinese print and used as part of a wall covering in the Chinese Room at Milton Hall, Peterborough, photo by Andrew Bush. Fig. 10: Two Chinese prints used as overdoor decoration in the 1. Chinesischen Zimmer at Schloss Wörlitz, Anhalt-Dessau, including one depicting a female figure seated behind a table with a young child (right), © Kulturstiftung DessauWörlitz/photo by Diplom-Restauratorin Anke Weidner.

6. Female figure holding a vase Milton Hall, Peterborough, United Kingdom. Cut out and applied to the wall as part of collage of various Chinese prints and pictures separated by European key-fret paper borders and with added painted flowers (fig. 8). Installed c. 1751. Saltram (National Trust), Plymouth, United Kingdom. Cut out and applied to a partition in the Chinese Dressing Room together with other Chinese prints (fig. 1, right). Installed 1740s–1750s? Inv. no. NT 872998. Zámek Veltrusy (Národní památkový ústav/National Heritage Institute), Central Bohemia, Czech Republic. Applied to the wall as part of collages of Chinese prints framed with European Rococo borders. Possibly installed second half 1760s. 7. Female figure sitting behind a table in an interior with a child Milton Hall, Peterborough, United Kingdom. Applied to the wall as part of a collage of various Chinese prints and pictures separated by European key-fret paper borders, with

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part of the background of the print cut away and replaced with painted flowers (fig. 9). Installed c. 1751. Schloss Wörlitz (Kulturstiftung DessauWörlitz), Oranienbaum-Wörlitz, Germany. Used to decorate an overdoor together with another Chinese print (fig. 10). Installed c. 1772. 8. Pair of pheasants on a rock with peonies and irises Ightham Mote (National Trust), Kent, United Kingdom. Large print or proto-wallpaper panel, used as wallpaper in combination with related but different panels. Not known when installed. Inv. no. NT 825922. Uppark (National Trust), West Sussex, United Kingdom. Large print or proto-wallpaper panel, used as wallpaper in combination with related but different panels and at least one female figure cut out from a print, found under later wall coverings. Probably installed c. 1750. Inv. no. NT 138490. Schloss Wörlitz (Kulturstiftung DessauWörlitz), Oranienbaum-Wörlitz, Germany. Large print or proto-wallpaper panel, set into the wall panelling. Installed c. 1772.

Acknowledgements I am grateful to my colleague Andrew Bush, paper conservation adviser for the National Trust, for generously sharing his observations on Chinese prints and wallpapers and for opening my eyes to their material characteristics. Christer von der Burg has likewise been generous in sharing his connoisseurship on Chinese prints and providing access to the Muban Foundation collection. Sir Philip and Lady Naylor-Leyland kindly allowed Andrew Bush, Professor Wen-Chin Hsu and me to view the Chinese prints at Milton. Dr Ingo Pfeiffer, Annette Scholtka and Ute Winkelmann of the Kulturstiftung DessauWörlitz shared information and images relating to the Chinese prints at Schloss Wörlitz.

References Brožovský 1980: Brožovský, M. 1980. Státní zámek Veltrusy. Prague: Středisko stát. památkové péče a ochrany přírody středočes. kraje. Cahill 2010: Cahill, J. 2010. Pictures for Use and Pleasure: Vernacular Painting in High Qing China. Berkeley, Los Angeles and London: University of California Press. Cornforth 2004: Cornforth, J. 2004. Early Georgian Interiors. New Haven and London: Yale University Press.

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De Bruijn et al. 2014: Bruijn, E. de, Bush, A. and Clifford, H. 2014. Chinese Wallpaper in National Trust Houses. Swindon: National Trust. Hsu 2016: Hsu, W.-C. 2016. Eighteenth Century Suzhou Woodblock Prints in European Palaces, Castles and Manors. Bulletin of National Museum of History 4/2016: 8–25. Hugelmann 1888: Hugelmann, K. 1888. Purgstall, Johann Wenzel Graf von. In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie, Leipzig, Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften, vol. 26, 714–715. Leipzig: Duncker und Humblot. Online version: https://www.deutsche-biographie.de/ gnd138944199.html#adbcontent, accessed 1 July 2016. Johnson 1998: Johnson, C. 1998 (reprinted 2005). Saltram. London: National Trust. Kamphuys 1993: Kamphuys, N. 1993. Een baron, een koning en een jonkheer. In: Baronnen en kunstenaars: de geschiedenis van het landhuis Oud-Amelisweerd vanaf de middeleeuwen tot heden, ed. E. Hoek and N. Kamphuys. Utrecht: Stichting Oud Ameliswerd and Centraal Museum. Maddison 1995 (2003): Maddison, J. 1995 (reprinted 2003). Felbrigg Hall. London: National Trust. Rawson 2006: Rawson, J. 2006. Ornament as System: Chinese Bird-and-Flower Design. The Burlington Magazine 1239/148: 380–389. Rowell 1995 (2004): Rowell, C. 1995 (reprinted 2004). Uppark. London: National Trust. Wappenschmidt 1989: Wappenschmidt, F. 1989. Chinesische Tapeten für Europa: vom Rollbild zur Bildtapete. Berlin: Deutscher Verlag für Kunstwissenschaft.

Györgyi Fajcsák

“Asian Life” in Europe Chinoiserie Paintings at Eszterháza, Fertőd

Abstract The art of interiors in Eszterháza/Fertőd (Hungary) was deeply influenced by the China vogue of the 18th century. The earliest phase of the chinoiserie fashion in the Esterhazy palace Fertőd can be demonstrated by large-scale, blue-and-white wall paintings decorating several rooms of the Prince Nicolaus Esterhazy’s and Princess Maria Elisabeth Ungnad von Weissenwolff’s apartments. This paper focuses on the unique blue-and-white wall painting series remaining in the Prince’s Fireplace Salon on the ground floor, of which the pictorial source goes back to the illustrations of a book written by Arnoldus Montanus and published in Amsterdam in 1669. The scenes of the wall paintings have close connections with the chinoiserie pattern books published by Martin Engelbrecht in Augsburg between 1725 and 1756. The paper investigates the iconographical programme of the salon and follows the lineage of visual patterns used by decorators in late 1730s. *** The art of interiors in Eszterháza (Fertőd, Hungary) was deeply influenced by the China vogue of the 18th century. Lacquer cabinets1 as well as rooms decorated with Far Eastern porcelains and Chinese wallpapers enriched the interiors of the palace in the second half of the 18th century. The earliest wave of the chinoiserie fashion in the Esterhazy palace Fertőd can be demonstrated by large blue-and-white wall paintings, which covered several rooms of the prince’s and princess’ apartments. Nowadays three rooms have typical blue-and-white chinoiserie decoration, however there are several remnants in the other rooms as well.2 Originally the whole palace was decorated with blue-and-white chinoiserie paintings. 1 2

Fajcsák 2007, Fajcsák 2015. Fajcsák 2017.

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This paper focuses on one particular room, the Prince’s Fireplace Salon next to the bedroom of the prince on the ground floor where unique blue-and-white wall paintings remained. Three questions will be investigated: what kind of pattern was followed when the paintings were created, how were these prefigurations interpreted in Europe, and how were these wall paintings integrated in the iconographical programme of the building complex?

Chinoiserie Wall Paintings at Eszterháza The 18th century was the Golden Age in the history of the palace in Eszterháza. The most splendid period lasted almost three decades (from the late 1760s to the 1790s), but the history of the chinoiserie blue-and-white paintings goes back to 1720, to the time of the father of Nicolaus Esterhazy. Anton Erhard Martinelli (1684–1747) was appointed to build a new hunting castle for the Count Josef Esterhazy 3 in 1720. He had to build a one-storeyed 20-room large palace with a Grand Salon and a Sala Terrena (fig. 1). Unfortunately, the count died a year later in 1721. His widow Maria Octavia continued the project and according to the written sources Martinelli controlled several phases of the works. 4 First stage of the construction took a long period from 1720 to 1734. Heir of the hunting castle was Nicolaus Esterhazy (1714–1790), who married Maria Elisabeth Ungnad von Weissenwolff (1717–1790) in 1738, and got Eszterháza as his property. The young couple lived in Vienna but they spent significant time in Eszterháza as well. Because of these facts it can be supposed that Maria Octavia, the mother of Nicolaus Esterhazy played a significant role in furnishing the palace. She launched tenders for the inner decoration of the palace as early as 1732 because she wanted to finish the works until her son was fully grown. Sources indicate that she had to know the costs of these works.5 Supposedly, she wanted to follow the chinoiserie fashion of his age, which could be clearly demonstrated by the wall paintings of the prince’s apartment. This apartment of the Prince Nicolaus Esterhazy was on the right side of the middle section of the palace, his set of rooms opened from the Sala Terrena. The apartment of his wife Princess Maria Elisabeth Ungnad von Weissenwolff was on the left side, also on the ground floor. The first blue-and-white paintings were discovered in 1947 in the princess’ apartment

3 4 5

See contract or price quotation in Fatsar 2000:194–195. Valkó 1982: 76–77. Valkó 1982: 76/ Notes 16, 17.

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Fig. 1: The Esterhazy palace in the first half of the 18th century. Painting on canvas, c. 1760. © Eszterháza Centre of Culture, Research and Festivals, Fertőd.

in the first salon under the painted panneaux covered the walls; however, the extensive conservation of the paintings started only in the 1960s. Three rooms were reconstructed where blue-and-white paintings remained. The significance of these chinoiserie paintings lies in the fact that only these paintings remained from the first phase of the palace decoration. All other art historical evidences and materials belong to the Golden Age or later phases of the palace. Large-scale chinoiserie blue-and-white paintings are hardly known from the first half of the 18th century in Europe, which also makes these paintings all the more precious. Chronological succession of the reconstruction of the blue-and-white wall paintings started in the princess’ apartment in the Salon which was the latest blue-and-white decoration dated to the late 1760s. The reconstruction was followed in the prince’s apartment, in the Corner Salon, then in the Fireplace’s Salon. The oldest paintings were found in the Prince’s Fireplace Salon which can be dated back to the 1730s. The Prince’s Corner Salon’s blue-and-white chinoiserie paintings were painted later. They can be dated to the late 1750s and to the early 1760s. Searching the origin of the blue-and-white wallpaintings we have to go back to the porcelain cabinets of the Baroque palaces. The custom of decorating interiors with ex-

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traordinary materials was introduced in the late 17th century in Dutch territory, where – due to the activity of the East Indian Company – great quantities of Far Eastern lacquer and porcelain ware and other luxury products were accumulated.6 It is difficult to imagine what an overwhelming experience it was to behold the splendid gloss of brilliant porcelain, lacquer and mirror surfaces. Louise Henriette of Nassau (1627-1667) married Friedrich Wilhelm, the Elector of Brandenburg. She ordered the first Chinese porcelain cabinets to be built, around 1662, in Schloss Oranienburg, near Berlin, and later Sophie Charlotte von Hannover (1668–1705), wife of King Frederick I had a small mirror and porcelain cabinet built at Schloss Lietzenburg (now Charlottenburg Palace).7 The blueand white wallpaintings with Far Eastern decorations could imitate the view of a porcelain cabinet of that time.

The Prince’s Fireplace Salon Two walls of the Prince’s Fireplace Salon are decorated with chinoiserie blue-and-white paintings, one is on the southern wall (it is almost 13 square metres, 320 cm high, and 445 cm wide) and another one is on the eastern wall (it is almost 11 square metres, 320 cm high and 380 cm wide). The scenes are connected in the south-eastern corner, above the fireplace as well (this surface is 150 cm high, and 70 cm wide). Paintings are framed on the upper and bottom edges with bright trimmings. The background of the paintings is filled with strange buildings and unique exotic plants. Originally the whole salon was covered by chinoiserie paintings, whereby only the two walls mentioned above (fig. 2). The northern wall was also painted, but it was demolished in a fire. Two painting conservators (Ferenc Rády and János Bécsi) worked on the conservation of the paintings in 1971.8 Almost 40 % of the painting surfaces were in a very bad condition at this time. Wood coverings of the later inner decorations were fixed directly to the walls, which is why the original blue-and-white paintings were heavily destroyed. The conservators cleaned the dirty painted surfaces and conserved the deeper layers. The missing parts of the paintings were minutely reconstructed. Basic pictorial sources of the chinoiserie paintings were the so-called “travelling books”, which were published from the second half of the 17th century mainly in Amsterdam, 6 7

8

Jorg 1997. The porcelain cabinet of the Charlottenburg palace was designed by the architect Eosander von Göthe and was built in the period between 1703 and 1706. The mirrors were framed by porcelain artefacts arranged in a strict order; the friezes were embellished with dishes; large pitchers stood in the corners. Gyula Forster National Centre for Cultural Heritage Management, Budapest, Archives of Plans, Inv. no.: 25176.

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Fig. 2: Interior of the fireplace salon in the prince’s apartment at Eszterháza, © photo by Miklós Sulyok, Eszterháza Centre of Culture, Research and Festivals, Fertőd.

and later in Augsburg and Nuremberg. These books were very popular at that time, because of their extensive pictorial material. The first “travelling book” was written by Johan Nieuhof (1618–1672) in 1665. It was published by Jacob van Meurs in Amsterdam.9 Nieuhof reported the travel of the first trade delegation of the Dutch East Indian Company to China in 1655–1657 whose aim was to further the commercial relations with China. Nieuhof not only took part in this mission and travelled from the southern Guangzhou to Beijing but he depicted the various places. Nieuhof ’s first travelling book however had great significance because it consisted more than 150 pictures which were primary sources about the Far East, especially what China looked like (costumes, buildings, towns, figures, customs, etc.). Nieuhof ’s work became popular, it was published several time in several languages, his pictures were used everywhere.10 Similar travelling books were published soon afterwards. The Jesuit priest Athanasius Kirchner wrote his work entitled China Illustrata11 in 1667. Olfert Dapper reported the travels of the second and third trade delegation of the Dutch East Indian Company. It was published in 1670.12 One more travelling book belonged to this series written by Arnoldus Montanus 9 10 11 12

Nieuhof 1665. Ulrichs 2003. Kircher 1667. Dapper 1670.

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(1630–1683) and published in Amsterdam in 1669. 13 Montanus was a Dutch theologian and writer who never travelled to Japan. He wrote his book based on Japanese reports described by the bosses of the Dutch East Indian Company between 1649 and 1661. He wrote a long but not too highly prized work about Japan; however, the illustrations of the book, including 23 large and 71 small drawings, had significant value.14 Illustrations were the key points of such travelling books in the last quarter of the 17th century because they were the first pictorial materials about an unknown and mysterious world. This is one reason why these books were widely spread.15 They were very intensively copied and published in various forms, like pattern books. This resulted in the illustrations being heavily modified. Montanus’ book was the principal pictorial source in the prince’s Fireplace Salon at Eszterháza. However, painter(s) of Eszterháza did not use the book of Montanus itself, but copied the various scenes in a modified form following the pattern sheets of Martin Engelbrecht. Engelbrecht was a painter, engraver and publisher in Augsburg. He published several chinoiserie scenes from 1720 until 1756.16 He used not only Montanus’ travelling book as template but several other books (including J. Niehof, O. Dapper, etc.). He made hundreds of chinoiserie sheets and published them widely. His sheets were the basic pictorial sources for the decorators working in Eszterháza.17 Five illustrations of Montanus can be identified in three scenes on the walls of the Fireplace Salon in Eszterháza. The scenes follow each other on the central horizontal axis of the walls. However, the scenes are basically independent. The various pictorial elements in the foreground and background (like strange bridges, long stairs, flying birds and bending plants, etc.) join them slightly.

Elegant Lady in a Canopied Palanquin An elegant lady sitting in a two-wheeled canopied palanquin can be seen on the left side of the eastern wall painting (fig. 3). Her attendant pushes the carriage with a long beam. The lady is wearing European costume with a diadem in her hair. She is holding a patterned fan.18 The illustration of Montanus shows a Japanese figure seated with crossed 13 Montanus 1669. 14 Illustrations were made probably by Zacharias Wagenaer (Van Eeghen 1972: 258). 15 Montanus’ work was translated into several languages and published in German, in English and in French (Van Eeghen 1972: 259–270). 16 Engelbrecht 1725?. 17 Ibid. 18 Various depictions of the figure in a palanquin can be found in chinoiserie scenes: a lady is carried in the palanquin on a wall carpet entitled „Chinese Emperor” made in Beauvais Manufacture (1720–1730), a male figure is carried in the palanquin on a porcelain painting made by Johann Gregorius Höroldt

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legs in a two-wheeled canopied palanquin; who is wearing a patterned silk kimono and holding a folding fan (fig. 4). Based on Montanus’ black and white illustration Martin Engelbrecht made a colour picture depicting a similar scene. In the centre there is a canopied palanquin with an elegant lady in a European costume holding a fan. She is carried by a male attendant and accompanied by a rider. The scene in Eszterháza is based on the picture published by Engelbrecht (fig. 5) But who is the rider accompanying the lady? This figure can be recognized on another illustration in Montanus’ book. He was originally a samurai riding a horse with his attendant who was smoking. The samurai holds swords in his belt and he carries arrows on his back.19 Martin Engelbrecht compiled the two illustrations into one composition. An elegant lady is sitting in the palanquin and she is wearing European costume with a diadem in her hair. Next to the lady there is a rider. Here we can realize that the samurai transformed into a European rider holding a bayonet, but we can see the arrows above his left shoulder, which remained on the picture recalling the pictorial source. The scene in Eszterháza is based on the picture published by Engelbrecht.

Elegant Lady Walking under her Parasol The second scene of the eastern wall depicts an elegant lady who is walking under her parasol. The head of the lady is totally hidden by the parasol and it is unbelievable that she can move in this way. The pictorial source went back to the book of Montanus. An elegant Japanese figure can be seen in the foreground holding a framed fan and in the background there is our lady with her attendant under a large parasol. They are in a minor role (fig. 6). However, a completely new composition appeared in the picture made by Engelbrecht (fig. 7). Engelbrecht depicted a bearded man wearing a wide rimmed hat who bows to the walking lady under the large parasol. A European figure approaches to the lady who stretches her hand toward the gentlemen. The gesture and the movement of the bearded man reflect a European interpretation of the scene. Even though the gentleman’s hat and the parasol show the exotic origin, the whole scene appears in a well-known European pictorial context. Important analogy of the two scenes at Eszterháza can be found on porcelain decoration. Carl Wendelin Anreiter von Zierfeld (1702–1747) worked in the Du Paquier Man-

(1720s) and a porcelain cup in the collection of the Ferenc Hopp Museum of Asiatic Arts is decorated with a palanquin carrying a lady dated to 1851–1861. Inv. no.: 59.76. 19 Montanus 1669: 86.

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Fig. 3: Chinoiserie wall paintings on the eastern wall of the fireplace salon at Eszterháza, © photo by Miklós Sulyok, Eszterháza Centre of Culture, Research and Festivals, Fertőd.

Fig. 4 (left): An elegant lady sitting in a palanquin in the book by Montanus, 1669, © Austrian National Library, Vienna. Fig. 5 (right): An elegant lady sitting in a palanquin on the sheet published by Engelbrecht, c. 1725?, © Austrian National Library, Vienna.

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Fig. 6 (left): An elegant lady walking under her parasol in the book by Montanus, 1669, © Austrian National Library, Vienna. Fig. 7 (right): An elegant lady walking under her parasol on the sheet published by Engelbrecht, c.1725? © Austrian National Library, Vienna.

ufacture in Vienna and he decorated a teapot with these two scenes between 1725 and 1730.20 The outlined depiction of the figures, the use of monochrome colour, the similar trimming decoration on the cover of the teapot and on the wall paintings at Eszterháza as well as the depiction of the same scenes give us an important evidence that the wall paintings in the Fireplace Salon were heavily inspired by the contemporary chinoiserie porcelains as well. There is one significant difference in the order of the scenes. The two scenes appear in different sequence on the decoration of the teapot and on the wall of Eszterháza.

Collecting Crabs An other chinoiserie scene follows on the southern wall of the Fireplace Salon (fig. 8). There is a four-figured scene on the left side, which pictorial source can be found in the travelling book on China written by Joan Nieuhof. The original picture depicted a tea plantation with huge tea plants where the tea harvesters are bending and kneeling21 The scene appeared on the chinoiserie sheet made by Engelbrecht. Figures are also bending 20 Kräftner 2005: 370/ No.224. 21 Nieuhof 1669: 327, 330; Ulrichs 2003: Pl. 35.

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Fig. 8: Chinoiserie wall paintings on the southern wall of the fireplace salon at Eszterháza, © photo by Miklós Sulyok, Eszterháza Centre of Culture, Research and Festivals, Fertőd.

and kneeling but they are collecting crabs in his composition. A man holds a long pole where a shrimp hangs (fig. 9). Another bending figure is collecting crabs from the field into a tub. Knowing the model we can understand many small details of the painting at Eszterháza. This part of the original wall painting was seriously damaged and the conservators in 1971 did not know about the pictorial source of the blue-and-white wallpainting. This could be the reason why they did not reconstruct the real scene what we found at Engelbrecht. The most significant figure of the scene is a man bending his knee and wearing a long robe on the right side. His hat is similar to a diadem. He turns his face back, guiding us to the next scene, while he points to geese lying in front of him. Originally he collected these animals on the scene published by Engelbrecht. Both on the picture of Engelbrecht and on the wall of Eszterháza we can see a dancing boy in the middle section of the scene who is holding a blossoming twig in his hand. This figure is a well-known good-luck symbol of the Chinese decorative arts, especially on porcelains made in the 1720s and 1730s. He became favourite decorative motif on the chinoiserie porcelains of the time as well.22 22 Chinese blue-and-white wall vase in Eszterháza with the characteristic decoration of the dancing young

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Fig. 9: Scene of collecting crabs on the sheet published by Engelbrecht, c. 1725?, © Austrian ­National Library, Vienna.

A Ruler in Dutch Costume The right-hand scene of the southern wall shows a ruler in Dutch costume with his attendant. They are standing in front of a high canopied throne and figures are bowing around him as on the scene in the book by Montanus where bending figures were on the steps in front of the throne to pay their respect to the Japanese emperor.23. The cover of Montanus’s book24 shows a Japanese aristocrat whose train is carried by a European female figure. Further scene from the Montanus book also reflects a similar situation. A Japanese nobleman arrives to meet with Jesuits who are sitting on the floor in a hall. The Japanese wears a long kimono, holds a sword in his belt and his train is held by an attendant.25 The pattern book published by Engelbrecht also contains a similar scene: we can see a nobleman with a small boy who carries his train. Their costumes and accessories are Oriental: long robes, hats with long wings and feathers.26 In Eszterháza not a Japanese

23 24 25 26

boy. See Fajcsák 2011: 11/ Pl. 3. Montanus 1669: 356–357. Montanus 1669: Cover sheet; Ulrichs 2003: Pl. 77. Montanus 1669: 327. Engelbrecht 1725?: Vol. 1:74.

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appears, but a Dutch aristocrat with his attendant. They are wearing a typical late 17th century costume. The ruler is the count of the palace himself.27

Buildings, Plants, Trimmings A unique feature of the wall paintings in the Prince’s Fireplace Salon is the continuous, unframed appearance. Figures are large-scaled, important and dominant elements of the compositions, while buildings are comparatively small as they were of minor importance.28 Views of Asian towns and buildings appeared in the first travel books especially on the pictures of Nieuhof but they were not copied as intensively as the figures of the narrative scenes (beggars, scholars, monks, deities, etc). However, the favourite chinoiserie views consisted of characteristic monuments (such as tall pagodas, gates of the towns, curved eaves of the roofs) or objects (boats, junks). Martin Engelbrecht published typical Oriental buildings but not as much as figural scenes.29 His monuments have special characteristics like twisting high steps, walled building complexes, curved eaves and flags on the roofs. The exotic plants are important elements of the paintings too, since they divide the scenes. However there are no authentic Far Eastern plants. Popular botanical books with depictions of plants from all over the world such as from South America or India appeared in books depicting the Far East.30 From the investigation of the scenes that can be found in the prince’s Fireplace Salon, we perceive that the prime pictorial sources of the scenes were travelling books published in the second half of the 17th century. Their illustrations were used for creating fashionable chinoiserie compilations like pattern books and sheets made by Martin Engel­ brecht and other engravers. Pattern books were the main pictorial sources for decorators. They were used by carpenters, paper makers, textile weavers, painters, plasterers, etc. The pictures were drawn in various forms and sizes so they could be copied freely.31 Similar scenes were published in many variations. 32 Unfortunately, most of these sheets were

27 Montanus 1669: 356–357. 28 Montanus 1669: 401., Scetches of Niehoff remained. Compare some drawings and illustrations of the book. Ulrichs 2003: Pls. 4–5. 29 Engelbrecht 1725?: Vol. III: 347, 349, 350/ Pls 2667, 2677, 2678. 30 Main pictorial sources were Johannes Johnston: Historia naturalis (Amszterdam, 1657), Michael Boym: Flora sinensis (Vienna, 1656), Hendrik Adriaan von Reede tot Drakenstein: Horus Indicus Malabaricus, 12 kötet (Amszterdam, 1678–1703). See Ulrichs 2007: 51/ Note 17. 31 Similar pattern sheets were published by Paul Decker or Johann Jacob Baumgartner. See Eikelmann 2009: 361 (Kat. Nr. 125), 362 (Kat. Nr. 126) 32 Engelbrecht 1725?: Vol. I: 2, 93/ Pls. 2, 277.

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destroyed. After the end of the China-mode they were reused or demolished. Hardly any of them remained in collections. By investigating their pictorial sources and prefigurations of the Prince’s Fireplace Salon we can state that the wallpaintings of this room can be assigned to the earliest phase of the chinoiserie wall decoration in the palace. Primary pictorial sources of the various scenes were the illustrations of the book by Arnoldus Montanus from the mid-17th century, also the patterns for the chinoiserie sheets made and published by Martin Engelbrecht in Augsburg from 1720 to 1756. The third important source material of the wallpaintings can be identified in decorations of Viennese porcelain, especially the decorations of the Du Paquier Manufacture. The shaping of the figures, the outlined depictions, the compositions of the scenes and the shaded colouring show strong resemblances to the contemporary porcelains in those times. According to these items of evidence, we can date the wallpaintings of the prince’s Fireplace Salon to the second half of the 1730s33, while their pictorial sources trace back as early as 1660s. An imaginative world with fabulous elements appeared on the walls at Eszterháza where the Far Eastern elements were interpreted in European context. They were intensively intermingled and transformed in the European art. Interiors like prince’s Fireplace Salon inspiring a visualisation of a world far from a place and time was the ideal site for entertainment, and provided the aristocracy an opportunity to step outside of Europe. In this sense Nicolaus Esterhazy, the “Splendid”, had a magnificent dream as it took shape in his palace at Eszterháza.

References Dapper 1670: Dapper, O. 1670. Gedenkwaerdig Bedryf der Nederlandsche Oost-Indische Maetschappye, op de Kuste en in het Keizerrijk van Taising of Sina. Amsterdam: Jacob van Meurs. Eikelmann 2009: Eikelmann, R. 2009. Die Wittelsbacher und das Reich der Mitte. 400 Jahre China und Bayern. Katalog zur Ausstellung in München, Bayrisches Nationalmuseum. Munich: Hirmer Verlag GmbH. Engelbrecht 1725?: Engelbrecht, M. 1725?. Verschiedene illuminirte Kupferstiche, Vols. 1–11. Vienna: Austrian National Library. Fajcsák 2007: Fajcsák, G. 2007. Az örömök kertje. Kínaiak, mongolok, mandzsuk Eszterházán. Az Esterházy-kastély hercegi akosztályának lakk-kabinetje. /The Garden of Pleasures” Chinese, Mongols 33

Further questions like the name of the painter(s) are unsolved at the present stage of the investigations. It can be supposed that they were not well-trained painters. Probably they were decorators or drawers of wall papers.

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and Manjus at Eszterháza.Prince’s Lacquer Cabinet of the Esterházy Palace. Budapest: Műemlékek Állami Gondnoksága. Fajcsák 2011: Fajcsák, G. 2011. White Gold, Mohammedan Blue and Peach Blossom. Qing Chinese Ceramics in the Collection of the Ferenc Hopp Musuem of Eastern Asiatic (Catalogue raisonné). Budapest: Hopp Ferenc Kelet-Ázsiai Művészeti Múzeum. Fajcsák 2015: Fajcsák, G. 2015. Lacquer Cabinets in Eszterháza/Fertőd, Hungary-18th century Chinese Lacquer Screens int he Palaces of the Esterhazy Family. In: Investigation and Conservation of East Asian Cabinets in Imperial Residences (1700–1900). Laquerware and Porcelain. Conference 2013 Postprints, eds. G. Krist and E. Iby, Konservierungswissenschaft.Restaurierung.Technologie, Bd. 11, 25–40. Vienna-Cologne-Weimar: Böhlau. Fajcsák 2017: Fajcsák, G. 2017. Blue-and-white chinoiserie wall paintings in the Esterházy palace, Fertőd. Fertöd: Eszterháza Centre of Culture, Research and Festivals (forthcoming). Fatsar 2000: Fatsar, K. 2000. Anton Erhard Martinelli 1720. évi tevékenysége Süttörön [Activity of Anton Erhard Martinelli in Süttör in 1720]. Ars Hungarica 2000/1: 191–196. Jorg 1997: Jorg, C.J.A. 1997. Chinese Ceramics in the Collection of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Amsterdam: Philip Wilson, the Rijksmusuem. Kircher 1667: Kircher, A. 1667. China monumentis qua sacris qua profanis nec non variis naturae et artis spectaculis…illustrata. Amsterdam: Janssonius a Waesberge. Kräftner 2005: Kräftner, J. 2005. Baroque Luxury Porcelain. The Manufactories of Du Paquier in Vienna and of Carlo Ginori in Florence. Lichtenstein Museum. Munich: Prestel Verlag. Montanus 1669: Montanus, A. 1669. Gedenckwaerdige Gesantschappen der oostindischen Maatschapy int Vereenigte Niederland aan de Kaisaren von Japan. Amsterdam: Jacob van Meurs. Nieuhof 1665: Nieuhof, J. 1665. Het Gezantschap Der Neêrlandsche Oost-Indische Compagnie, aan der Grooten Tartarischen Cham, den tegenwoordigen Keizer van China. Amsterdam: Jacob van Meurs. Nieuhof 1669: Nieuhof, J. 1669. Die Gesantschaft der Ost-Indischen Gesellschaft in den Vereinigten Niederländern an den Tartarischen Cham, und nurmehr auch Sinischen Keyser berrichtet durch die Herren Peter de Gojern und Jacob Keizern. Amsterdam: Mörs. Ulrichs 2003: Ulrichs, F. 2003. Johan Nieuhofs Blick auf China (1655-1657). Die Kupferstiche in seinem Chinabuch und ihre Wirkung auf den Verleger Jacob van Meurs. Wiesbaden: Harrasowith Verlag. Ulrichs 2007: Ulrichs, F. 2007. Johan Nieuhof ’s and Olfert Dapper’s Travel Accounts as Sources for European Chinoiserie. In: A Taste for the Exotic. Foreign Influences on Early Eighteenth-Century Silk Designs, Riggisberger Berichte Bd. 14, ed. A. Jolly, Abegg Stiftung, 45–57. AbeggStiftung: n.p. Valkó 1982: Valkó, A. 1982. Újabb adatok a fertődi (eszterházi) kastély építéstörténetéhez. [New data to the building history of the palace at Eszterháza/Fertőd]. Ars Hungarica 1982/1: 75–84. Van Eeghen 1972: Van Eeghen, I. H. 1972. Arnoldus Montanus’s book on Japan. Quarendo 1972/2: 250–272.

Katarína Lacková, Katarína Tánczosová

Conservation and Restoration of the Wall Decoration of two East Asian Interiors in Slovakia The Holíč Palace, Holíč, and the Erdödy Palace, Bratislava

Abstract The study presents different types of East Asian interiors which can be found in Slovakia by focusing on two selected examples. One of them is the so-called “Chinoise Hall” in the summer residence of the royal Habsburg family in Holíč, the second one a small room in the city palace of the aristocratic Erdödy family in Bratislava. The topic is discussed based on the theme of the wall decoration programme. From the perspective of heritage care, the main focus of this study is on describing the restoration process of these two representative interiors. *** East Asian cabinets are quite rare in Slovakia. Cabinets of such extent and importance, as we know them from European imperial residences, are hard to find in our region. Also, the term “East Asian cabinet” is not really apt for examples from our provenance. More often, it is better to refer to the less specific term “Oriental cabinet”. This does not include explicitly East Asian – Chinese and Japanese objects – but various Oriental objects of Middle and Far East, Turkish, Egyptian or Indian origin.1 Such collections had developed mostly in residences of the local nobility, which tried to imitate the lifestyle of ruling families. At the end of the 18th and throughout the 19th century, the vogue for contemporary Orientalism spread, and most of the local aristocratic residences were furnished in this manner. Several examples of rooms and halls conceived in this fashion are known to us, although they never specifically served the purposes of an East Asian

1

Such examples are represented in the castle in Topoľčianky (Slovakia), or in the collection of Lubošinský family in the Balneological Museum in Piešťany (Slovakia).

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or Oriental cabinet per se. The original function of these places is mostly unknown.2 The Asian character of these rooms is expressed in an overall decoration programme, mostly in wall decoration (wallpapers, textile decoration, or wall paintings). Problems with an in-depth interpretation of rooms and halls in Slovakia are mainly caused by insufficient field research. This is largely the result of an incomplete coverage status of the original decoration and its fragmental preservation, which often results in inadequate or unprofessional heritage care.3 Two different examples of such interiors are introduced in the following text. The first is the palace in Holíč, where the Chinoise Hall is a singular and unique masterpiece of its kind in an imperial residence in Slovakia. The second one, the Erdödy Palace in Bratislava, presents a much commoner type of the local East Asian interiors and represents a whole group of other similar examples which can be found there. The issue of wider interpretation of these examples and analogous cases is also outlined through the history of conservation and restoration of these two interiors.

Leather Hangings in the Imperial Palace in Holíč The imperial residence in Holíč got its final form after Emperor Francis I of Lorraine, husband of Empress Maria Theresa, became its owner in 1736. He started an extensive restructuring of the building and transformed a former manor house into an opulent palace, which made Holíč a favourite summer residence of the imperial Habsburg family.4 The reconstruction started in 1736 and finished in the late 1760s. It also included the decoration of the palace interiors. The most valuable part of the interiors and their decorations is the so-called Chinoise Hall. This chamber has a rectangular ground plan and is located in the middle of the first floor. Reportedly, it was originally used as a smoking room or a dining hall.5 Together with the chapel, the Chinoise Hall is the only room in which original decorations from the 18th century survived. The main part of the decoration programme consists of twelve large-scale leather wall hangings covered with paintings in the chinoiserie style. The decorative programme of the room is complemented with sixty chinoise scenes painted on timber panelling underneath the leather hangings 2

3 4

5

For example, this is also the case of the so-called Chinese Room in the manor house in Humenné, Slovakia. The chamber is specific because of illusive wall paintings of Asian genre scenes. The room was never fully interpreted (Labudová 2007: 229–248). Labudová 2007: 229–248. In addition to the restructuring of the main building Emperor Francis I. had built a fayence manufactory, a glaze powder and oil pressing mill, a distillery, a sawmill, three malt-houses and a stone-pit (Zelina 2011). A smoke room is suggested by Marek Zelina M.A. (Zelina 2011); information about the function of the room as a dining hall is taken from the article of Szabolcs Serfőző (Serfőző 2008: 323).

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Fig. 1: Holíč Palace, the Chinese Hall, the wall hanging frames in the east part, current condition, 2015, © K. Lacková, K. Tánczosová, 2015.

and on panels around the windows and on the doors. The artistic concept of the entire hall is focused on genre figural scenes set in exotic landscapes, surrounded by Oriental architecture, animals and plants. These paintings represent European interpretation of chinoise paintings on decorative paravents in a slightly idealised form using European ornamental and decorative elements. Despite these adaptations, basic knowledge of Chinese art of the fifteenth to the eighteenth centuries can be observed, especially in the landscape details, colour schemes, composition and adequate morphology (Havlík 1999: 5). This decoration programme is unique in Slovakia in both its extent and quality. The only issue is the poor condition in which the palace and the wall hangings had been left during the 20th century. This is why the hangings had to be transferred, conserved and stored in 1999 in a place with suitable climatic conditions.6

6

The palace had survived World War I. without any damage, but after 1918 it was used inadequately and regardless to its heritage values. Only the Chinoise Hall had been protected. After World War II. the chamber stayed unused. The critical state of the wall-hangings is the result of unsatisfactory climatic conditions, mainly continuous changes of temperature and humidity in the room (Galamboš 2000: 78).

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Fig. 2: Holíč Palace, the Chinese Hall, the wall hanging in the south part of the eastern wall, condition before final preservation, 1999, © Archive of the Monuments Board of the Slovak Republic, file no. R3526, fig. 63–64.

The leather hangings were originally fastened onto blind wooden frames with iron nails.7 Twelve large-scale wall hangings consist of six wider (300 to 600 cm in width) and six narrow (70 to 90 cm in width) leather pieces of 380 cm length. Hangings of this size were made by glueing several smaller pieces of leather together. To make the transition even and barely visible, each piece was thinned on the margins. These attachments were technically so perfect, that they did not suffer damage when the hangings started to tear and fall apart.8 Because of the constant temperature and moisture changes in a room that had not been used since the 1940s the leather started to dry and shrink. As a result the leather was torn in several places.9

7 8 9

Galamboš 1999. Galamboš 2000. The spontaneous release of the leather hangings from the iron nails was also caused by the corrosion of the nails which damaged the leather in several places (Galamboš 2006: 32).

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In addition, the chinoise paintings themselves were damaged. These decorations on the leather with their unusually lush and vivid colour scheme had been originally very distinctive. An extremely lively impression was gained through the silver foundation on which the scenes were painted with several layers of oil-tempera enamel. Unsatisfactory conditions caused drying of both the silver base and colour layers, which caused little flakes to fall off in patches.10 The leather hangings also had a secondary decoration in the form of a cast geometric ornament around the paintings. The leather pieces were already very thin and this geometric adornment weakened the material even more in several areas. In combination with climatic changes this caused irreversible damage to the wall hangings.11 The whole situation became Fig. 3: Holíč Palace, the Chinese Hall, the wall alarming in 1998, when one of the leather hanging depicting a genre scene adorned with hangings fell to the ground. Subsequently, rich flower ornaments, condition before final preservation, 1998, © Archive of the Monuit was decided to take the hangings off and ments Board of the Slovak Republic, file no. conserve them until they could be wholly R3527, fig. 59. and thoroughly restored.12 The works were performed under the supervision of restorer Assoc. Prof. Ivan Galamboš. The most challenging task was to manipulate the leather hangings and their wooden frames during dismantling. Before they were taken down, unprofessional and inappropriate interventions had to be removed. In the early 1990s, leather pieces were underlaid in torn areas with a thick canvas and wooden panels.13 In previous years the transfer of 10 11 12 13

Galamboš 2006. Galamboš 2006. Galamboš 2000. It is probable that the wall hangings were already unprofessionally restored several times before the conservation. After the first intervention, they had been taken down and backed with thick canvas in torn areas. The second time, the leather hangings had not been transferred but the problematic fragments

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Fig. 4: Holíč Palace, cylindrical storage system of the leather wall hangings from Holíč, condition after final preservation, 1999, © Archive of the Monuments Board of the Slovak Republic, file no. R3527, fig. 111.

the hangings were stabilized in a makeshift manner by propping the window frames with boards to prevent them from falling.14 After the transfer of the decorative hangings from the walls they were cleaned, the nails removed and the leather pieces taken off the frames. Subsequently they were given biocide treatment to prevent any future mould and other bacterial activity, and also conservation preparants,15 while torn areas were fixed with tape. All the work was done directly in the Chinoise Hall.16 Prepared leather hangings could be stored on specially made and easily movable iron stands, which consisted of a system of cylinders which provided optimal airflow. Dia­ had been backed again with wooden plates covered in adhesives which were inserted under the leather (Galamboš 1998). 14 Galamboš 1998. 15 Preparants used during the process were only widely described in the restoration report. It mentions an unknown stabilizer, glue and a softener specified as a 50% solution of ethylalcohol with addition of menthol (Galamboš 1999: 6). 16 Galamboš 1998.

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meter of the cylinders has been set (50 cm) with the intention of avoiding a long-term addictive effect on the shape of the leathers. In addition, the hangings were reeled with the decorative side up, using interlayer separation (jute, respectively canvas) to prevent the damage of the paintings.17 The leather hangings were to be stored and preserved indefinitely until restoration. In 1999 a restoration proposal was introduced and it was planned to return them to their original place.18 But the restoration of the hangings is meaningless until the Chinoise Hall together with the entire building of the palace is reconstructed and restored. At present, there is an ongoing reconstruction of the surrounding stables and the building of the tobacco hall.19 Restoration of the main palace is not planned in the near future for financial reasons.20 One of the transferred wall hangings was restored thanks to Dr. Renate Zedinger, who wished to display the hanging at the exhibition “Lothringens Erbe” in the year 2000 at Schallaburg Castle (Austria)21. Financial support came from the Austrian side. For the exhibition, the hanging was not placed back into the wooden frame. Instead, its upper side was reeled on a cylinder and the rest hung freely in air-conditioned showcase.22 Today, only the paintings on wooden panels in the chinoiserie style remain in the Chinoise Hall. These include sixty genre scenes painted on wooden panels outlined with a strip. The character of the paintings is comparable to the ones on the leather hangings decorations. The painting was again laid out in several enamel layers on a silver foundation, which was applied on a chalk base. The preserved green oil colour on the framing wood panelling is obviously secondary.23

17 The cylinders consist of a system of bigger (50 cm in diamater) and smaller (25 cm in diameter) circles. This system is covered by a cardboardcoating. The cylinders are 70 cm and 90 cm wide. Another system was created from the cylinders, with dimensions corresponding with those of the wall hangings. These cylinder-systems are stored on iron tubes inserted in movable stands (Galamboš 1998). 18 Galamboš 1999. 19 These spaces now serve as a part of the local cultural house and congress center. 20 The reconstruction of the palace has been planned since the end of the 1960s, but the intended utilization of the building has changed several times and so the reconstruction has been postponed. Partial reconstruction work caused even more problems because of its poorly chosen destructive method. Functional and undamaged constructions had been unaccountably removed and replaced by contemporary materials (eg. concrete ceilings, wall cementation or plaster removal). The issue of ownership of the building is another reason for its present alarming condition. After 1989, the city owned the palace but decided to sell it to a private company in 1996 because of its financial incapacity. The company had great plans with the palace but they never started the reconstruction. In 2007 the city repurchased the building back and is currently slowly working on the revitalisation of the entire estate (Zelina 2011). 21 See also Zedinger 2000. 22 Galamboš 2006: 34. 23 Havlík 1999: 7.

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Fig. 5: Holíč Palace, painted door panels with genre scenes, current condition, © K. Lacková, K. Tánczosová, 2015.

The painted panels are in dire need of restoration treatments or at least a temporary stabilization and conservation similar to the wall hangings. Because of a long-term decay of the palace and still unacceptable conditions, we observe constant deterioration of the paintings. Although not yet stricken by a significant mass decrease, their current state is so disturbing that they are in danger of an overall loss of the authentic painting in the future.24 Nowadays, the hall is used for cultural events and for wedding photo shoots. The Chinoise Hall is open to the public during visitor tours, regularly from May to September. The origin of the chinoiserie decorations in the Chinoise Hall is still unsettled. In the restoration report of 1998 it was assumed that the wall hangings are of French provenance and were made by an unknown artist, but this hypothesis is not supported by any facts.25 An interesting theory is postulated by the art historian Szobolcs Serfőző in his study on 24 The panel paintings were exposed to weather conditions in the past because of the alarming conditions of the original windows, since they were leaking and several windowpanels were even missing. Therefore their appearence has been damaged by high moisture and even direct contact with water (rain, snow). The wood is highly damaged by woodworm infestation. Due to a lack of any current research, it is still not determined whether the woodworm is still active. These factors resulted in an extensive cracking of the paintings and lability of polychromy which led to irreversible decomposition (Havlík 1999: 7). 25 Galamboš 1998.

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Holíč Palace. He relates the chinoise decorative hangings to Jean-Baptiste Pillement.26 Pillement was one of the most important artists working in the chinoiserie style in the second half of the 18th century. From 1763 on he worked at the Viennese court of Maria Theresa and Francis I. of Lorraine, where he was involved in the decoration of the porcelain room in Schönbrunn Palace in 1765. The Chinoise Room in Holíč was most likely finished at this time, but it is presumed that Pillement played an important role in their creation. The production of Oriental leather wall hangings in the 18th century was a speciality of England, mainly manufactured in London. Before his arrival in Vienna, Pillement had worked in London and during his activity he published several samplers with chinoiserie scenes.27 Even though the scenes on the leather hangings and panelling from Holíč have not yet been identified and compared to Pillement’s samplers, it is not excluded that they might have been inspired by them. It is highly probable that Pillement could have influenced the integration of the mentioned scenes into the decorative programme of the Holíč’s Chinoise Hall.28

The Erdödy Palace in Bratislava In the framework of first investigative research in 1995–1996 as preparation for the planned conservation of the whole palace, valuable wall paintings and stucco decorations were found in rooms nos. 10, 12, 13 and 16 of the Erdödy Palace. The most important findings were the chinoiserie wall paintings in al secco uncovered in the room no. 10 in the piano nobile. Decorations were found on all four walls and the ceiling, unfortunately all of them only fragmentarily preserved. The paintings originally displayed exotic fauna and flora – butterflies, dragonflies, exotic birds such as parrots, cranes or swans, sugarcane, water-lilies, vines, cacti or Oriental fruits. The colour composition of the scenes was gentle but radiant, in shades from light-green to dark-green combined with yellow, red, brown and blue. Neither the original function of this room nor its use as an Oriental cabinet have as yet been determined. During the aforementioned condition survey it was also discovered that these chinoiseries are actually linked to the establishment of the palace at the end of the 18th century and its later modifications in the 19th century. The palace in its current shape was created after count Johan Nepomuk Erdödy (1723–1789) started an extensive and radical redevelopment of the building in 1770. The reconstruction was supervised by Matthias, or Matej Walch, a well-known Pressburg master builder active in the second half of the 18th

26 Serfőző 2008: 324–325. 27 Gordon-Smith 2004: 188. 28 Serfőző 2008: 324–325.

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Fig. 6: Erdödy Palace, the Room with Chinoiseries, view from the western entrance, current condition, © K. Lacková, K. Tánczosová, 2015.

century. The reconstruction entailed the connection of four consecutive single houses into one greater structure and included a Rococo modification of the definitive form, based on principles of contemporary style and taste.29 The palace is located in the old town of Bratislava and presents an example of prestigious city palace architecture.30 Over time, the palace was modified several times. The last and definite rebuilding in the 20th century radically changed the building’s ground plan. Several parts of the original plaster and wall decoration were damaged during this overhaul.31 A secondary plaster was applied on many walls, which covered and simultaneously preserved the subjacent wall paintings. These rediscovered wall paintings contribute to the importance of Erdögy Palace as one of the few scattered, well-preserved interiors in the old town with this type of wall decoration.

29 Štassel et al. 1996. 30 Pavlovský et al. 1996: 5–6 31 Pavlovský et al. 1996: 6–7

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Fig. 7: Erdödy Palace, fragment of the ceiling painting – bird, left: condition before restoration, 1996; right: current condition, 2015, © Archive of the Monuments Board of the Slovak Republic, file no. R3.492/b, fig. 63–65.

The conservation and restoration work performed by the Monuments Board of the Slovak Republic’s studios finally started in August 1997 and was finished during October 1998. The findings and restoration treatments in “the room with chinoiseries” (room no. 10 on the first floor) will be discussed in the following. Altogether, paintings from three periods were detected after a sounding-out survey and removal of secondary plaster. From the illusive paintings of the end of the 18th century only a fragment could be found, located above the room’s main entrance. In contrast the superior chinoiseries dating to the beginning of the 19th century were found on all four walls and the superior. It was also decided to uncover this layer and subject it to intensive restoration. The latest wall painting from the second half of the 19th century was likewise decorated with chinoiserie motifs. It wholly covered the earlier chonoiserie layer, although it respected most of its shapes and colour composition, which is why this layer was thoroughly removed after a detailed photo-documentation.32 Subsequently the uncovered, second layer of chinoiserie paintings was restored and reconstructed as much as possible, to restore the original artistic value of the interior. Paintings on the ceiling posed a great problem however – the preserved plaster was in a crucial condition and as much as fifty percent was lost. Furthermore, the ceiling con32 The fragment of the oldest painting layer was conserved and covered with new plaster (Kavecká et al. 1999).

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struction under the plaster consisted of wooden boards and rushes, which were critically decomposed. The whole ceiling was in danger of falling down and destroying the wall decoration. It was decided to reconstruct the ceiling – in this case this meant building a whole new construction, which is why the original plaster had to be removed.33 The preserved decorative details would be taken down. After the reconstruction of the ceiling and the application of a plaster ground they will be returned to their original positions. Transferred details were cleaned, re-sculpted and retouched with tempera and watercolours. Fragments with preserved decorative details were then reattached to their original place using detailed sketches and graphic documentation. The rest of the plaster was covered with lime-based whitewash.34 The chinoiserie paintings on the walls were preserved in a much better state than the ceiling decoration, but still fragmentary. The goal of the restoration was to create a uniform aesthetic piece – for this purpose, fragmental motifs were merged with an imitative retouching in tempera and watercolour. To recreate the scenes in as much detail as possible, several similar analogies should be collected, which the restorers could work with. Gathering such models posed a problem, because chinoiserie paintings are not a conventional wall decoration type in Slovakia. Therefore it was decided to consult original Japanese paintings.35 The intended purpose of the room could not be clarified as yet, neither could we specify it as an explicit Oriental cabinet. This lack of overall knowledge is linked to the general state of research in this area as explained in the introduction. There are evidently huge holes in the records of the wall decorations in Erdödy Palacew –apart from the research done in the framework of the restoration, there has never been an in-depth artistic and historical survey or contextual research which would help to specify the function of the wall paintings or to identify their origin. To sum up, our current research proves that even in Slovakia we know several cases of chinoiserie wall painting in urban interiors, comparable in character with those in the Erdödy Palace or Holíč. There is a famous wall painting in one of the rooms of the House of Nicolas Schneider Trnavský in Trnava.36 The decoration dates to the 1780s and also depicts exotic landscape with its specific fauna and flora in a very delicate pastel

33

Information from art historian Zuzana Tahy M.A., responsible for the artistic and historical part of the restoration proposal, 10/2015. 34 Kavecká et al. 1999: 8 35 Information from art historian Zuzana Tahy M.A., responsible for the artistic and historical part of the restoration proposal, 10/2015. 36 The house is currently used as a museum – The House of Music of Nicolas Schneider Trnavský, which is a part of the West Slovakia Museum in Trnava, Slovakia.

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Fig. 8: Bratislava, Erdödy Palace, chinoiserie painting on the southern wall of the Room with Chinoiseries and Trnava, The House of Mikuláš Schneider Trnavský, chinoiserie painting – comparison, © K. Lacková, K. Tánczosová, 2015; Jana Žuffová, 2002.

colour scheme.37 Another comparison is a palace house in Spišská Nová Ves. During reconstruction works in 2003, chinoiserie wall paintings from the end of the 18th century were found on the walls and the ceiling of a room on the first floor of this building.38 In this case, the paintings depict figural scenes set in an Oriental landscape, completed with exotic plants and animals, mostly birds. Art historian Eva Spaleková suggested that motifs in Spišská Nová Ves could be inspired by the book “The First Voyage around the World” by Antonio Pigafetta.39 She is even so confident as to identify several specific scenes or bird species which Pigafetta describes in his book.40 The issue of interpretation of local interiors designed in chinoiserie style still has to struggle with insufficient field research and lack of public presentation. For an exact determination of the overall dec37 Žuffová 2002: 22 38 The House on Letná ulica no. 51 in Spišská Nová Ves was created in 1795 by merging two houses together. The paintings were discovered randomly under new layers of plaster on vaults during the reconstruction of rooms in the first floor in 2003. After a deeper survey, paintings were also found on all four walls. 39 Spaleková 2006. 40 Antonio Pigafetta took part in an oversea expedition led by Farnãe Magalhães in 1519–1522. During this expedition, the seaway to the Pacific Ocean was discovered and later the Malaysian-Filipino area. Pigafetta describes the cruise, the seas and the isles, local people and their customs. He also describes the local fauna and flora. Eva Spaleková states, that it is possible to identify scenes using his narrations (Spaleková 2006: 56–60).

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oration programme and potential sources of motifs as we can find in the Erdödy Palace and in Holíč, it is necessary to perform an extensive research which would hopefully lead to a better identification and classification of these rooms.

References Galamboš 1998: Galamboš, I. 1998. Dokumentácia k reštaurátorskému prieskumu pri snímaní maľovaných kožených tapiet v „Čínskej sále“ v objekte kaštieľa Holíč. Bratislava: archív Pamiatkového úradu Slovenskej republiky, sign. R3527. Galamboš 1999: Galamboš, I. 1999. Reštaurátorský návrh na reštaurovanie kožených maľovaných tapiet v Čínskej sály v kaštieli Holíč. Bratislava: archív Pamiatkového úradu Slovenskej republiky, sign. R3671. Galamboš 2000: Galamboš, I. 2000. Záchrana kožených tapiet z „Čínskej sály“ kaštieľa Holíč. In: Sborník z konzervátorského a restaurátorského semináře, ed. P. Stöhrová, 77–82. Písek: Technické museum. Galamboš 2006: Galamboš, I. 2006. Kožené tapety z Holíčskeho kaštieľa. Pamiatky a múzeá 3/2006: 31–34. Gordon-Smith 2004: Gordon-Smith, M. 2004. Jean Pillement at the imeprial Court of Maria Theresa and Francis I in Vienna (1763 to 1765). Artibus et Historiae 50/2004: 187–214. Havlík 1999: Havlík, M. 1999. Holíč – kaštieľ, výtvarná výdoba Čínskej sály. Zásady na reštaurovanie. Bratislava: archív Pamiatkového úradu Slovenskej republiky, sign. R3526. Kavecká et al. 1999: Kavecká, J., Pavlovský, L., Kožár, V. et al. 1999. Dokumentácia vykonaných reštaurátorských prác. Reštaurovanie maliarskej a štukovej výzdoby interiéru Erdödyho paláca (Ventúrska ulica č. 1) Bratislava. Bratislava: archív Pamiatkového úradu Slovenskej republiky, sign. R3492/a. Labudová 2007: Labudová, Z. 2007. Dekoratívna výmaľba v architektúre Košíc a okolia v 19. storočí – vybrané príklady. In: Osobnosti a súvislosti umenia 19. storočia na Slovensku. K problematike výskumu dejín umenia 19. storočia, 2007, eds. D. Bořutová and K. Beňová, Bratislava: Stimul. Pavlovský et al. 1996: Pavlovský L. et al. 1996. Zisťovací reštaurátorský prieskum maliarskej a štukovej výzdoby interiéru objektu č. 1 na Ventúrskej ulici (Erdödyho palác) v Bratislave. Bratislava: archív Pamiatkového úradu Slovenskej republiky, sign. R2933/a. Serfőző 2008: Serfőző, S. 2008. Schloss Holitsch und die Wallfahrtskirche Sassin zur Zeit Franz Stephans von Lostringen. Szenen der Ablenkung, Repräsentation und Frömmigkeit. Das Achtzehnte Jahrhundert und Österreich. Jahrbuch der Österreichischen Gesellschaft zur Erfroschung des Achtzehnten Jahrhunderts 23/2008: 315–518. Spaleková 2006: Spaleková, E. 2006. Nástenné maľby v meštianskom dome v Spišskej Novej Vsi. Pamiatky a múzeá 1/2006: 56–60.

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Štassel et al. 1996: Štassel, I., Tahy, A. and Obuchová, V. 1996. Erdödyho palác, Ventúrska 1. Pamiatkový komplexný prieskum. Program obnovy a adaptácie. Bratislava: archív Mestského ústavu ochrany pamiatok, sign. V1138. Zedinger 2000: Zedinger, R. 2000. Lothringens Erbe. Franz Stephen von Lothringen (1708 – 1765) und sein Wirken in Wirtschaft, Wissenschaft und Kunst der Habsburger Monarchie: Ausstellung Schallaburg, 29 April bis 29 Oktober 2000. St. Pölten: Landesmuseum. Zelina 2011: Zelina, M. 2011. Aktualizačný list nehnuteľnej národnej kultúrnej pamiatky. Elektronická evidencia Pamiatkového úradu Slovenskej republiky AIS OP (09/2011). Žuffová 2002: Žuffová, J. 2002. Nový pohľad na počiatky mesta Trnava. Pamiatky a múzeá 1/2002: 18–25.

Additional Literature Gruber, A. (ed.). 1996. The History of Decorative Arts. Classicism and the Baroque in Europe. New York, London, Paris: Abbeville Press. Koldeweij, E. 2000. Gilt Leather Hangings in Chinoiserie and Other Styles: An English Speciality. Furniture History 36/2000: 61–101. Pavlovský, L., et al. 1997. Návrh na reštaurovanie pamiatky. Reštaurovanie maliarskej a štukovej výzdoby interiéru objektu č. 1 na Ventúrskej ulici, Erdödyho palác Bratislava. Bratislava: archív Pamiatkového úradu Slovenskej republiky, sign. R3217/a–c. Ragač, R. and Fialová, I. (eds). 2011. Stopy hospodárskych aktivít Františka Štefana Lotrinského na cisárskom panstve Holíč. Skalica: Regionálna rozvojová agentúra Skalica. Ragač, R. et al. 2010. Zlatý vek cisárskej rezidencie v Holíči v období Františka Štefana I. Lotrinského. Skalica: Regionálna rozvojová agentúra Skalica.

Annette Scholtka

Restoration of the Chinese Rooms in Wörlitz Palace

Abstract The Neoclassical Wörlitz Palace has two rooms of the chinoise style in its belétage. From 2012 to 2016, the wall decoration was restored, including the painted wall surfaces, the Chinese wallpapers, the Chinese silk hangings, the Chinese woodcuts, the Chinese lanterns and the chinoise lanterns. *** Wörlitz Palace is the first palace of German Neoclassicism. When it was built (1769– 1773), it was epoch-making (fig. 1). The Prussian King Frederick the Great jealously said that throughout Berlin there were no other topics of conversation than that the Prince of Anhalt had built a new house. To be precise, the prince he mentioned was Prince Franz of Anhalt-Dessau, and his architect was the famous master builder Friedrich Wilhelm von Erdmannsdorff. The palace has two rooms of the chinoise style in its belétage: a Night Room (fig. 2) with a moon and stars on a dark ceiling and a Day Room with a golden sun and four dragons on a bright blue sky (fig. 8). Chinese rooms had already been fashionable in the Baroque and Rococo era. But in Wörlitz Palace they were not just put up for amusement, but designed with a deeply educational concern and in appreciation of foreign culture. This new wave of chinoiserie was inspired by works of the architect Sir William Chambers, who had repeatedly travelled to China. Wörlitz’s master builder Erdmannsdorff adhered closely to Chamber’s originals in his designs for the Chinese Rooms. Thereby, the designs of the rooms are a mixture of creations from German craftspeople, following Chambers’ drafts, and original imports from China: while wall designs and furniture were made by local craftspeople, wall hangings, woodcuts and lanterns were imports from China. We had to restore the painted wall surfaces, the wallpapers, the silk wall hangings, the woodcuts and the lanterns. The wall design imitates wooden surfaces but it is stucco, painted with oil colour. The walls have been repainted only once within the last 240 years, whereby the original wall colours were copied exactly. Therefore we only had to clean and to preserve the polychrome wall design.

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Fig. 1: Wörlitz Palace, © KsDW.

The Night Room was originally covered with Chinese wallpapers, alternating with Chinese silk wall coverings, so called Pekings.1 The Chinese wallpapers can be dated back to around 1750 and are thus approximately twenty years older than Wörlitz Palace2. They were traded, probably, from China via England. The black outlines of the images were block-printed and then finished in colour by hand3. Perhaps they were kept in storage for a while before being used, perhaps acquired second hand, we don’t know. Unfortunately, the silk wall hangings were so heavily damaged in 1830 that they had to be replaced only sixty years after the first decoration of the room. But where could they find compatible wall coverings at that time? They remembered they owned wallpaper remnants from the Chinese House in Oranienbaum-Wörlitz nearby. The Chinese House in Oranienbaum-Wörlitz was decorated with wallpapers 24 years later than Wörlitz Palace, in 1797. These Chinese wallpapers with huge birds were fully hand-painted. Only the outlines were traced from a model.4 We are not sure where Prince Franz bought those wallpa-

1 2 3 4

Rode 1788. Kind information of Emile de Bruijn, see his paper in this publication. Strietzel 2016. Strietzel 2016.

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Fig. 2: The Night Room, prior state, © KsDW.

pers. In the 1790s they could be purchased in Berlin without problems.5 It’s possible that Prince Franz did so. In any case, there were two and a half lengths of wallpaper left from Oranienbaum and they were used in Wörlitz Palace to replace the damaged silk wall hangings sixty years after the original decoration of the room. The wallpapers from Oranienbaum were too narrow for the panels. So they added small pieces of paper on both sides and painted them according to the design of the walls, a grey wood imitation. To mount the wallpapers on the wall, they were glued on canvas. Canvas and paper act 5

See Chinese wallpapers at Paretz Mansion.

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Fig. 3: Wallpaper, prior state, © Strietzel. Fig. 4: Wallpaper, prior state, © Strietzel.

in completely opposite ways. The paper stretches when confronted with humidity and the canvas shrinks. Therefore the wallpapers soon showed blister formations and bumps. In addition, Wörlitz Palace has remained in its original state as a summer residence of the 18th century. There is no heating and no air-conditioning system at all. The changes in humidity levels in the rooms were nearly the same as the changes in humidity levels outdoors. Thus the paper even developed tears and losses (fig. 3). So the main preservation goal was to stop the damage mechanism. To achieve this, the restorers had to get rid of the canvas. The removal was supposed to be as gentle as possible. First tests conducted in 1995 using moisture resulted – to the horror of the restorers – in an increase of stains on top of the papers. This was caused by degradation products of the glue on the reverse side of the wallpaper. They penetrated to the front and appeared brown. Therefore the removal of the canvas and the glue residues had to take place with a dry method, step by step. But we had by no means reached the end of the required work. In wide areas, the extremely thin front sheet parted with the original lamination sheets (fig. 4). These were thin paper sheets of bad quality with wood pulps and glue residues again. They had to be removed gradually with a dry method as well before we could glue the wall paper on its supports. The reverse side is covered with non-aging, wood pulp-free Japanese paper to

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handle it and to glue it on a karibari.6 The historic Chinese method for paper mounting on a karibari is well-known, today. A karibari is a wooden grid which is covered on both sides with 5 layers of Japanese paper. The third layer has the effect of many little air cushions. This allows a balancing of the tension if humidity changes. One length of wallpaper on such a karibari was added to the wall one year ago. It tolerates humidity changes without any problems (fig. 5). Another damage factor regarding wallpapers is light. Daylight turned the paper brownish and the colours of the plants were bleached. This is why the originally bright backgrounds appear dark today and the dark mountains and rocks have lost their intensive colour. In the bright areas only the undercoat has remained. The contrasts are now the opposite of what they were in the original. This process is irreversible. But concealing the damage and the losses with retouching is out of question. Nevertheless, we were able to achieve an improvement by cleaning and by laminating on bright non-aging papers. In addition we added UV-light protection Fig. 5: Wallpaper, final state, © KsDW. films to the windows and the staff have to semi-close the blinds on bright days. The Day Room is also covered with original Chinese tapestries. Here, silk hangings were used. Given the extremely high photosensitivity of silk, it is astonishing that these hangings have survived until today. All the silk hangings in the other rooms of the palace had gone, but the tapestries of the Day Room were painted and highly valuable, why those responsible in former times tried to restore them a hundred years ago. Roller blinds were installed and the silk hangings were glued on cotton fabric. Unfortunately, 6

Troschke 1997.

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Fig. 6: Conservation of the silk hangings, © Zimmermann.

Fig. 7: Conservation of the silk hangings, © Zimmermann.

this measure caused water stains, blisters and glue stains. In many places the silk rubbed off. However, removal of the doubling would have been an unreasonable stress for the tapestries. It was decided not to undo the former restoration but to perform conservation treatments to prevent further damage. The blisters were backfilled with an acrylic glue (Lascaux ® 498 HV).7 Behind the missing parts Japanese paper was applied (fig. 6). It was coloured first and prepared with binders (Lascaux ® 360 HV : 498 HV, 1:2).8 Afterwards the reactivation with heat followed. The result is really excellent (fig. 7). Where no new fixation was needed, the missing parts were only retouched. In the future, the survival of the silk tapestries will additionally depend on an appropriate light protection. In the Day Room four coloured Chinese woodcuts are located above the mirrors. These woodcuts were in an alarming condition and more than a quarter of the images had already been lost. They were in danger of falling down why there had been former attempts to reattach them to the walls. However, as a result, the areas directly next to the fixed areas dropped down. The reason for this is that different sorts of glues and binders were used in the past, so that an interesting accumulation of organic compounds of the last century can be found underneath the woodcuts. It revealed that neither a reattachment of the woodcuts to the wall nor a removal without substantial loss was possible owing to the huge amount of varying glues. Therefore it was decided to temporarily stabilize the original woodcuts with a facing of Japanese paper. Perhaps our grandchildren will find methods to conclude this conservation work. We produced facsimiles and mounted them on top of the originals with an intermediate layer of micro-corrugated board.9 This allows balancing the tension during moisture fluctuations. The optical result

7 See also: Zimmermann 2016. 8 Ibid. 9 Teuffert 2015.

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Fig. 8: The Day Room, final state, © KsDW.

is satisfying, even perfect and the preservation and protection of the original woodcuts should be ensured. We had less trouble with the lanterns in both Chinese Rooms. In the Night Room, we find lanterns from German craftspeople following Chambers’ drafts. Both their wooden frames and their silk components were heavily damaged. It was not possible to use the original silk strings and tassels anymore. So they were preserved and safely stored in our depot; meanwhile reconstructed, new strings and tassels are exhibited in the Palace. In the Day Room the lanterns found there are imports from China. The condition of the stained glass was excellent. Only the hangers of beads showed a few losses. The enamel parts had to be stabilized in parts.10 The missing beads were replaced. We hope the four dragons will hold the lanterns tight and bring light and luck to the newly restored rooms (fig. 8).

10 Paraloid B 72 (10% in Ethylacetat). See also: Kaspar and Lauterwald 2016.

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References Kaspar and Lauterwald 2016: Kaspar and Lauterwald GbR, Atelier für Restaurierung. 2016. Dokumentation 2016, unpublished report, Leipzig. Rode 1788: Rode, A. von. 1788. Beschreibung des Fürstlichen Anhalt-Dessauischen Landhauses und Englischen Gartens zu Wörlitz. Dessau: Heinrich Tänzer. Strietzel 2016: Strietzel, A. 2016. Dokumentation 2016, unpublished report, Großwechsungen. Teuffert 2015: Teuffert, C. 2015. Dokumentation 2015, unpublished report, Berlin. Troschke 1997: Troschke, K. 1997. Malerei auf Papier und Pergament in den Prunkräumen des Schlosses Schönbrunn. Wissenschaftliche Reihe Schönbrunn, vol. 3. Vienna: Schloss Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsgesellschaft. Zimmermann 2016: Zimmermann, I. 2016. Dokumentation 2016, unpublished report, Berlin.

Rainald Franz

New Information about the Dubsky Chamber Scientific Work, Cleaning and Conservation of a Unique Viennese Porcelain Cabinet in Chinoiserie Style

Abstract The Porcelain Cabinet chamber from the Dubsky Palace in Brno, Czech Republic, nowadays on permanent display in the Austrian Museum of Applied Arts (MAK) has always been acknowledged as an outstanding masterwork of interior decoration and the art of porcelain of the early Viennese Porcelain Manufacture. It is a rare example of a living room in the best sense, encompassing decorative details from the 1720s to the 1790s with partial additions occurring from 1830 to the late 19th century, moved from a grand palace to a much smaller house, adopted, and yet still preserving its identity as a fashionable cabinet. Ever since 1904, when parts of it were shown in the Austrian Museum of Art and Industry, paving the way for the purchase for the museum in 1912, it has been in the focus of porcelain experts and art historians.The paper discusses the history, conservation and invenotrizing of the cabinet at the MAK and before and new sources on the cabinet from the MAK Archive. *** Around 1700, it became fashionable in Europe to decorate rooms as so-called “Porcelain Cabinets.” In the beginning, only European faience was available, but with time it was replaced with Chinese imports and, from 1700 on, with Japanese porcelain.1 The Porcelain Cabinet chamber from the Dubsky Palace in Brno, Czech Republic, was one of the first rooms to be decorated with European porcelain. Its porcelain was produced by the newly founded Vienna porcelain manufacture of Claudius Innocentius Du Paquier (1718–44).2 The cabinet is seen as the masterwork of the early Viennese porcelain man1 2

Windisch-Graetz 1956: 5–7. Chilton 2009.

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Fig. 1 a: View of the Dubsky Chamber as installed now in the MAK, © Austrian Museum of Applied Arts / Contemporary Arts, Vienna.

ufacture, the second oldest in Europe after the one founded in Meissen by Johann Friedrich Böttger for Augustus the Strong. From the coat of arms of the Czobor von Szent-Mihály family over the mirror, the decoration of the room can be traced back to the years after 1724.3 In this period, Duchess Maria Antonia of Czobor, Frau auf Göding, born Princess of Liechtenstein, daughter of Johann Adam Andreas I, had purchased a house on the main square of Brno and embellished it with a new cabinet. Johann Adam and his father Eusebius had supported the founding of the Vienna Porcelain Manufacture by Du Pacquier, which was established in 1718 in the “Liechtensteinsches Dörfl” near the Alserbach.4 3 4

Wittwer 2009: Vol. 2: 1030–1093 (text), 1107–1109 (notes); Vol. 3: 1344–1363 (inventory).Leisching, 1902. Kräftner and Lehner-Jobst 2006.

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Fig. 1 b, c: View of the Dubsky Chamber as installed now in the MAK, © Austrian Museum of Applied Arts / Contemporary Arts, Vienna.

The first printed history of the Vienna porcelain manufacture was published in 1887 by Jacob von Falke (1825–1897), director of the k. k. Österreichisches Museum für Kunst und Industrie; the state manufacture had closed in 1864, and he had taken over its bequest for the museum until 1867. He makes no mention of the private room.5 It was only in 1902 that Julius Leisching (1865–1933), architect and director of the Moravian Museum of Trade and Industry (1893–1921) in Brno, published his brochure on the occasion of the third conference for directors of museums of the decorative arts.6 Leisching writes about the porcelain room, which at that time was still on site in the Palais Rudolfsgasse 3, the former Neue Fröhlichgasse no. 174 in Brno. Leisching already cites the Indian cabinet for Empress Amalia, wife of emperor Joseph I of Austria, which was installed and painted in the Hofburg in 1702–1709 as one of the forerunners of Asian cabinets in Vienna and the Austrian Empire. He cites sources for payments to the “Indianischen Kammermaler Christian Hauser” in 17127 and refers to the first real porcelain cabinet in print, produced by Daniel Marot in his copper engraving of 1712.8 5 6 7 8

Falke 1887. Leisching 1902. Leisching 1902: 4. Print from the Series „Nouveaux Lievre de Cheminées a la Hollandoise, invente par D. Marot Archi-

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The French Huguenot Marot (1661–1752), son of a court architect of Louis XIV who had fled to the Free Netherlands from religious persecution in France, worked for the Dutch governor in The Hague; he was to become English court architect of William III of Orange, whom he followed to London in 1694. His interiors combine Dutch porcelain rooms – popular there already in the 17th century because of the vast import of China by the East India Company (founded in 1602) – with French order and symmetry in room decoration.9 In Vienna at the court of Joseph I and Charles VI, Imperial Chancellor Fig. 2: Daniel Marot, chimney wall with porFrederic Carl of Schönborn (1674–1746) celain installed, print, MAK KI 2267-10, © followed this taste when he had his garden Austrian Museum of Applied Arts / Contempalais redecorated and embellished with porary Arts, Vienna. the addition of a porcelain room with cupola. It was built and decorated by his favorite architect Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt and drawn in 1719 for print by Salomon Kleiner, finally being published in 1723. It is called “ein eigenes Porcelan und Spiegel Cabinet”, a mirror and porcelain cabinet of its own.10 Leisching also mentions the porcelain cabinet installed in the Berlin palace of Charlottenburg in 1700. “Dessein du cabinet de Porcelaine à Charlottenburg du coté de l’entree vis a vis les trois Fenetres qui donnent sur le petit jardin d’oranges”, as we read on the print by Martin Engelbrecht after Friedrich Eosander von Göthe from 1718.11 And Leisching cites in his booklet the legend that the Dubsky Chamber used to form part of the decoratecte”, Nouveaux Lievre de Cheminées a la Hollandoise, invente par D. Marot Architecte MAK KI 2267-10. 9 On Daniel Marot, see: Bowett 2007: 85–100. 10 Kleiner, Salomon, after Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt, “ein eigenes Porcelan und Spiegel Cabinet”, the porcelain cabinet in the garden palais of Imperial Chancellor Frederic Carl of Schönborn, drawing 1719, print, Vienna, 1723, see: Prange 2000 and Kleiner 1971. The palais, later owned by the counts of Laudon, nowadays houses the Österreichisches Museum für Volkskunde. The porcelain and mirror cabinet is lost. 11 Engelbrecht, Martin, after Friedrich Eosander von Göthe, “Dessein du cabinet de Porcelaine à Charlottenburg du coté de l’entree vis a vis les trois Fenetres qui donnent sur le petit jardin d’oranges”, print, Augsburg, 1718. Published in Wittwer 2009: 1038.

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tion of the imperial castle of Schönbrunn, matching the Vieux Lacque Room and the “Chinese Cabinets” – an idea he rejects, likewise the supposition that the Dubsky porcelain chamber had been planned for the castle of Hetzendorf for Joseph I or for Prince Eugene in Schloss Hof; nor did he think it was meant to be incorporated into the Winterpalais or later in the Lower Belvedere for Prince Eugene.12 Nevertheless, he was the first to address with great clarity the evident similarities with Viennese interior decoration of the same time putting the cabinet in a high aristocratic context. Julius Leisching was able to study the room in the Brno palace on site and gives the measurements of the paneling: the Fig. 3: Kleiner, Salomon after Johann Lucas cabinet was situated adjacent to the main von Hildebrandt, “ein eigenes Porcelan und room on the first floor of the palais, ac- Spiegel Cabinet”, the porcelain cabinet in the cessible from there or from the rooms garden palais of Imperial Chancellor Frederic oriented by two doors towards the court- Carl of Schönborn, drawing 1719, print, Vienna, 1723, © Austrian Museum of Applied yard of the building. Leisching speaks of a Arts / Contemporary Arts, Vienna. narrow but long room of strange splendor. The length of the room was 7.31 metres, the window-wall had a width of 4.44 m, while the back wall only measures 3.60 m.13 The irregular quadrangle of the room results from limited space based on the form of the ground plot on which the palace was built. Leisching already observes the discrepancies in the decoration of the room; between the examples of early Viennese porcelain produced prior to 1730, and the ornamentation of the wall paneling and some of the furniture, the earliest dating for which can only be to the 1740s; however, he declares himself unable to clear the mist and obscurity surrounding the room completely. However, Leisching’s publication had aroused interest in the room. In 1903, museum director Arthur von Scala decided to mount a major presentation of the Vienna Porce-

12 13

Leisching 1902: 6. The print after the drawing of Salomon Kleiner for the gold cabinet from 1730 can be viewed here. See the description in Leisching 1902: 12–15 and the plan kept in the MAK Archive, MAK Zl. 546/1912.

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Fig. 4: The Dubsky chamber as installed in the Dubsky palais in Brno, historical photo, pre– 1904, MAK VS 210 B, © Austrian Museum of Applied Arts / Contemporary Arts, Vienna.

lain Manufactory’s output at the Imperial Royal Museum of Art and Industry, ÖMKI (today’s MAK). The show, entitled Ausstellung von Alt-Wiener Porzellan [Exhibition of Old Viennese Porcelain], opened on 21 March 1904, contained over 2,300 objects, and is to this day regarded as an epoch-defining portrait of the Vienna Porcelain Manufactory.14 Alongside museums from Austria-Hungary and Germany, its more than 170 lenders included the Imperial House, members of the high aristocracy and wealthy collectors. The exhibition, curated by Josef Folnesics, featured the Dubsky Chamber most prominently, as the whole first room which was given to the presentation, with Guido Count Dubsky providing a large number of loans . The catalogue states that photos of the chamber in Brno were shown to give the impression on site, and letters to Eduard Leisching kept in the MAK Archive tell us that 200 copies of his brochure were bought on the occasion of the exhibition for the k. k. Österreichisches Museum für Kunst und Industrie, to be sold to the public.15

14 Folnesics and Braun 1904. 15 Folnesics and Braun 1904: 1–2. MAK Archive Zl. 113/1904.

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Having taken over the collection of Glass and Ceramics in the MAK in 2012, I decided to feature this exhibition in a show designed to document the range and quality of this legendary presentation, as well as to illuminate it in material, analogue and digital form. A purpose-compiled database documented the objects shown in the former exhibition, with special mention of those objects still present in the collection. Working on the database with my colleague Leonhard Weidinger, it soon became clear that the photo collection of the MAK still kept the pictures of the objects and loans available for the exhibition in 1904, including pictures of the Dubsky Chamber on site in Brno.16 So it was possible to illustrate the 1904 catalogue in retrospect. The pictures show the original setting of the room, including Fig. 5: Detail of the Dubsky Chamber as phoporcelain and furniture pieces, which are tographed for display within the exhibition, Alt-Wiener Porzellan, k. k. Österreichisches no longer part of the room. For example, Museum für Kunst und Industrie, MAK Guido Dubsky presented a pilgrim flask Collection VS 210 A, © Austrian Museum of to the Moravian Museum of Trade and Applied Arts / Contemporary Arts, Vienna. industry in Brno in 1902 as thanks for Leisching’s article. The 1904 exhibition put Viennese porcelain back on the agenda for scientific efforts to study the story of the Viennese Porcelain Manufacture, and the list of collectors showed the interest for the topic in Austrian high aristocracy and among wealthy collectors. New archival material made accessible in archives in Vienna and the Czech Republic makes it possible to rewrite the story of the takeover of the Dubsky porcelain cabinet for the k. k. Österreichisches Museum für Kunst und Industrie. Furthermore, a process of cleaning, restoring and fully inventorying the room in the MAK in all its details has started in 2012, still ongoing, with the help of my assistants Lisa Nowy, Harald Bauer and Michael Macek and the Conservation Department of the MAK, headed by Manfred Trummer and sup16 On the presentation, see: www.MAK.at. Old Viennese Porcelain, 1904, MAK Vorbildersammlung, VS 210 ff.

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ported by students from the Institute of Conservation of the University of Applied Arts, Vienna.17 When going through the inventory, it became clear, that the whole room had been inventoried under only one number, Ke 6201/1912. During the process of dusting and fixing the porcelain pieces in the room, work started on inventorying the furniture, porcelain plaques and objects and photographing them piece by piece. Everything was put into the museum’s new central database. Moreover, the ways of mounting the objects could be studied, also in comparison with the Schönbrunn Chinese Cabinets. While studying the chandeliers in the room, it was found that one of them had been hung in extremely fragile condition, merely tied together with metal threads. It had to be taken down and is at present undergoing conservation in the museum’s conservation department.18 Furthermore, missing parts of the wooden wall decorations were remounted. When Arthur von Scala stepped down as director of the Imperial Royal Museum of Art and Industry, ÖMKI (today’s MAK) in 1909, his follower was Eduard Leisching (1858–1938), vice director since 1897. He was Julius Leisching’s brother and had staged the famous exhibition Der Wiener Kongress in the Imperial Royal Museum of Art and Industry, ÖMKI (today’s MAK) in 1896. Archival material in the MAK makes it clear that both the Imperial Royal Museum of Art and Industry and the Moravian Museum of Trade and Industry Brno made efforts to purchase the Dubsky Chamber, when an offer was made by an intermediate of Albrecht Count Dubsky, the son of Guido, in 1912.19 The Vienna Museum was offered the chamber for 285,000 crowns (approximately 1.4 m €) with all parts of decoration, paneling windows and furniture. It seems that the 1904 exhibition had aroused interest, and Albrecht Dubsky clearly declared his will to sell the room to the Vienna or the Brno Museum.20 Publications like Edmund Braun’s and Josef Folnesics’s Geschichte der k .k. Wiener Porzellanmanufaktur (1907) reviewed by Ludwig Hevesi added to its fame.21 As the Imperial Royal Museum of Art and Industry was far from being able to finance the purchase, Eduard Leisching approached the Ministry, the high aristocracy and wealthy collectors to raise the sum. He also was supported by the strong will of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and Leopold Salvator – both interested in the protection of monuments – that the Dubsky Chamber should be installed in the Vienna Museum.22 Finally, Eduard Leisching won the competition with his brother Julius; he was able to raise 200,000 crowns from a wealthy sponsor, and the contract of sale was 17 The cleaning and inventorying project was started in 2012 and will be finished in June 2016 with the reinstallation of the restored third chandelier. 18 The project will be finished in summer 2016 with the reinstallation of the chandelier. 19 MAK Archive Zl. 325/1912. 20 MAK Archive Zl. 546/1912. 21 Braun and Folnesics 1907; Hevesi 1908. 22 MAK Archive Zl. 325/1912.

New Information about the Dubsky Chamber

Fig. 6: The third chandelier from the Dubsky Chamber during conservation work in the laboratory of the Conservation Department of the MAK, Vienna. Reconstruction of missing pieces, © Austrian Museum of Applied Arts / Contemporary Arts, Vienna.

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signed.23 In the archive of the museum we still find the inventory that was made before the take-over of the chamber by Julius Leisching and Josef Folnesics on 26 March 1912.24 Following the deinstallation in Brno, made diligently by the Viennese firm of Franz Schönthaler und Söhne under surveillance of Leisching and Folnesics, studies started on the room’s fixed wall paneling and its rear sides as well as the porcelain. Julius Leisching and Josef Folnesics published their studies and observations in two separate articles in Kunst und Kunsthandwerk, the museum magazine, in 1913.25 The room was transported to Vienna and installed prominently in the museum in gallery number XII within the Fig. 7: Hand-written Inventory of the Dubconnecting building between the Stubensky Chamber compiled by Julius Leisching ring and the Weiskirchnerstrasse building. and Josef Folnesics as of 26 of March 1912, The MAK archive holds a vast amount of MAK-Archive Zl. 546/1912, © Austrian Mumaterial demonstrating Julius Leisching’s seum of Applied Arts / Contemporary Arts, Vienna. efforts to popularize the Dubsky Chamber by inviting the imperial family, high aristocracy, ministers, high officials and generals to visit the new room and by sending them the articles by Julius Leisching and Josef Folnesics.26 One could call it a “Parallelaktion” in the sense of Robert Musil’s The Man without Qualities. After the sale, Count Albrecht Dubsky asked for permission to have the Viennese painter Ella von Murad produce watercolours of the Dubsky Chamber as installed in the museum.27 The two watercolors, dated 1914, 1915 and signed, are the only colored picture sources we have of the newly installed room as seen in the museum. They survived the wars and the confiscation of the Dubsky castle of Lissitz / Lissice and form part of the collection of the castle.28 23 24 25 26 27 28

MAK Archive Zl. 546/1912. MAK Archive Zl. 546/1912. Leisching 1913: 281–299; Folnesics 1913: 300–317. MAK Archive Zl. 546/1912. MAK Archive Zl. 594/1914. The painter is cited as Frau Ella von Murad, Wien VII, Stiftgasse Nr. 85. Collection Castel of Lissitz/Lysice, signed Gab. Murad-Michalowski, 1914, 1915, published in Leindl and

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Fig. 8: Ella von Murad: Two watercolours of the Dubsky Chamber already installed in the Royal Imperial Museum of Art and Industry, Vienna, 1914, 1915, castle of Lissitz/Lissice, © castle of Lissitz/Lissice.

In early 1943, extrications of precious objects from the museum started because of Allied bombardments. The Dubsky Chamber was taken from Vienna to Waidhofen, whence it was returned to the museum unharmed in 1947 and installed in its old place.29 It was only in 1989, when a complete restructuring started, that the Dubsky Chamber was moved to the new Baroque room of the permanent collection, where it has been installed since 1992.30 After twenty years in place, substantial cleaning and restoring of parts of the room had become necessary. The last extensive study dedicated to the room was done by Samuel Wittwer in the three volume publication Fired by passion Viennese Baroque Porcelain of Claudius Innocentius du Paquier, published on the occasion of the 2009 exhibition in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Wittwer took up the ideas of Leisching and Folnesics and tried to go further in systematizing the examination of the room. His attempt to sort out the types of porcelain plaques, vases and bowls laid good foundations for the now finished ordering of decorative details in the room. At present, we can count 1563 porcelain

Stangler 1997: 133. 29 MAK Archive Zl. 530/43 30 Noever 2002.

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plaques in the Dubsky Chamber. Wittwer’s hypotheses about the story of the room and the dates for the stages of its redecoration culminated in the colorful scheme as published in the article.31 However, for his study Wittwer had no access to the sources kept in the MAK Archive and in the Brno Archives used here. It is evident that Maria Antonia of Czobor, Frau auf Göding, born Princess of Liechtenstein, brought a smaller room to her palace, which the Czobor owned on the main square of Brno. This room was embellished after the death of her mother, Maria Theresia of Liechtenstein, widow of Johann Adam I, the so called “Croesus Autriacus” in 1737, when Maria Antonia inherited a large fortune.32 The model for the embellishment was taken from the rooms her sister Maria Theresia Anna Felicitas of Savoy-Carignan commissioned to be installed in her palais on Johannesgasse 15 in Vienna around 1740 by one of the court architect-designers working for Maria Theresia and her late husband’s uncle Prince Eugene. These included Jean Nicolas Jadot, Nikolaus Pacassi, Claude Le Fort du Plessis, who designed the new doors, the paneling and the new trumeau mirror over the chimney, the window panelling and the supraportas of the Dubsky Chamber, at that time still Czobor and Liechtenstein-chamber.33 The room remained in place until the death of Carl Hrzan. His heir sold it to Emanuel Piatti von Dirnowitz in 1770. In 1745, the palace in Fröhlichgasse came into the possession of Johann Georg von Piatti, whose son Emanuel Piatti von Dirnowitz inherited it in 1762. The first description of the room was published after his death; in it the author spoke of a purchase from the Czoborfamily for 300,000 fl.34 The Piatti moved the room to their house in Rudolfsgasse / Fröhlichgasse. The addition of paintings, and of a wallclock signed by the Brno master clockmaker Sebastian Kurz also dates from the Piatti period, around 1790.35 The palace received its current name when Emanuela von Piatti, the daughter of Johann Georg, married Franz Dubsky von Trebomyslic in 1805.The family’s coat of arms was formerly painted over that of the Czobor and was only removed in 1912, when the room was purchased by the museum. Later additions of porcelain from the Herend Porcelain Factory (founded in 1839) and items from the Viennese Porcelain Factory dated 1847 show that extensive restoration and re-adaptation of the room must have been carried out around 1850. The console table on the long wall also very probably dates from this period.36 31 32 33 34 35 36

Wittwer 2009. Kräftner and Lehner-Jobst 2006. On the rooms: http://www.sfl.li/xstorage/pdf/Geschichte_Savoyensches_Damenstift.pdf Wittwer 2009. Nowadays in the collection of the MAK and in the Dubsky Chamber, Inv. No. Ke 6201-97. See the pictures taken for the 1904 exhibition Ausstellung von Alt-Wiener Porzellan, k. k. Österreichisches Museum für Kunst und Industrie, MAK Collection VS 210 A.

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Fig. 9: The Salon of the palais of Maria Theresia Anna Felicitas of Savoy-Carignan on Johannesgasse 15 in Vienna, historic photo, © Austrian Museum of Applied Arts / Contemporary Arts, Vienna.

The Dubsky Chamber is a rare example of a living room in the best sense, encompassing decorative details from the 1720s to the 1790s with partial additions occurring from 1830 to the late 19th century, moved from a grand palace to a much smaller house, adopted, and yet still preserving its identity as a fashionable cabinet and masterwork of the Vienna Porcelain Manufacture. Ever since 1904, when parts of it were shown in the Austrian Museum of Art and Industry and bought for the museum in 1912, where it still is today, it has been acknowledged as an outstanding masterwork of interior decoration and the art of porcelain, which, unlike many other porcelain cabinets, has survived – let us not forget – through the collective work of art historians and conservators. It will be featured prominently in the exhibition the MAK is preparing for 2018 on the three hundredth anniversary of the founding of the Vienna Porcelain Manufacture.37

37 The Dubsky Chamber will be featured prominently in the 2018 exhibition and catalogue.

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References Bowett 2007: Bowett, A. 2007. The Engravings by Daniel Marot. Furniture History 43/2007: 85– 100. Braun and Folnesics 1907: Braun, E.W. and Folnesics, J. 1907. Geschichte der k. k. Wiener Porzellanmanufaktur. Vienna: Druck und Verlag der K.K. Hof- und Staatsdruckerei. Chilton 2009: Chilton, M. (ed.) 2009.  Fired by passion: Barockes Wiener Porzellan der Manufaktur Claudius Innocentius du Pacquier, 3 vols. Stuttgart: Arnold‘sche Verlagsanstalt. Falke 1887: Falke, J. von. 1887. Die k.k. Wiener Porzellanfabrik Ihre Geschichte und die Sammlung ihrer Arbeiten im k.k. Österreichischen Museum. Vienna: Druck und Verlag von Carl Gerold’s Sohn. Folnesics 1913: Folnesics, J., 1913. Das Porzellan im Zimmer aus dem Dubsky’schen Palais, Kunst und Kunsthandwerk 1913/XVI, vol. 5: 300–317. Folnesics and Braun 1904: Folnesics, J. and Braun, E.W. 1904. K.K. Österreichisches Museum für Kunst und Industrie. Ausstellung von Alt-Wiener Porzellan. März bis Mai 1904. Catalogue and introduction. Vienna: k. k. Österreichisches Museum für Kunst und Industrie. Hevesi 1908: Hevesi, L. 1908. Das Porzellanbuch. In: Altkunst-Neukunst. Wien 1894–1908, ed. L. Hevesi, 148–156. Vienna: Karl Koengen. Kleiner 1971: Kleiner, S. 1971. Wiennerisches Welttheater, vols 3 and 4: Wahrhafte und genaue Abbildung aller Kirchen und Klöster ... [Reprint der “Vera et accurate delineatio” und der drei nachfolgenden Serien in zwei Bänden]. Graz: Akademische Druck- und Verlagsanstalt. Kräftner and Lehner-Jobst 2006: Kräftner, J. and Lehner-Jobst, C. 2006. Barocker Luxus Porzellan. Die Manufakturen Du Paquier in Wien und Carlo Ginori in Florenz. Vienna: Liechtenstein Museum. Leindl and Stangler 1997: Leindl, D. and Stangler, G. Zeugen der Intimität. Privaträume der kaiserlichen Familien und des böhmischen Adels. Aquarelle und Interieurs des 19. Jahrhunderts (Ausstellungskatalog). Horn: Schallaburg, Kulturamt der Nö. Landesregierung. Leisching 1902: Leisching, J. von. 1902. Das Porzellanzimmer im Graf Guido Dubsky’schen Palaste zu Bruenn. Brno: Mährisches Gewerbemuseum. Leisching 1913: Leisching, J., 1913. Das Brünner Porzellanzimmer aus Dubsky’schem Besitze, Kunst und Kunsthandwerk 1913/XVI, vol. 5: 281–299. Noever 2002: Noever, P. 2002. MAK-Österreichisches Museum für angewandte Kunst / Gegenwartskunst (Museumsführer). Munich: Prestel Verlag. Prange 2000: Prange, P. 2000. Salomon Kleiner zum 300. Geburtstag, ex. cat. (Schriften des Salzburger Barockmuseums, 24). Salzburg: Salzburger Barockmuseum. Windisch-Graetz 1956: Windisch-Graetz, F. 1956. Das Porzellankabinett im Österreichischen Museum für angewandte Kunst. Alte und Moderne Kunst I 1/1956: 5–7. Wittwer 2009: Wittwer, S. 2009. Ein Raum macht Geschichte – und die Geschichte einen Raum. Das Porzellanzimmer aus dem Palais Dubsky. In: Fired by Passion. Barockes Wiener Porzellan der Manufaktur Claudius Innocentius Du Paquier, ed. M. Chilton, vol. 2: 1030–1093, 1107–1109; vol. 3: 1344–1363. Stuttgart: Arnold‘sche Verlagsanstalt.

Angelika Futschek

Royal Aspirations: The Asian Porcelain Collection of the Esterházy Princes1

Abstract After years of research in many archives in Austria, Hungary and France, for the first time it is possible to gain a detailed insight into the collecting practices of the Esterházy princes. The first porcelain was acquired by Prince Paul Esterházy I in the second half of the 17th century. While the holdings of Asian porcelain increased only slightly up until the time of Prince Nikolaus I, it was during his rule, in the second half of the 18th century, that this collection expanded significantly. Nikolaus I was a passionate collector and purchased porcelain through numerous agents in Paris. Although porcelain was only of secondary importance to his grandson Nikolaus II, he acquired a wonderful collection of Asian and European porcelain in Paris that had originally belonged to King Louis XVI of France. After losses during the World War 2 only a small part of this collection’s former splendour has survived. *** Collecting porcelain in Europe’s princely houses was usually the domain of the princesses who, from the 17th century, filled entire cabinets with these exquisite treasures from China and Japan.2 In the course of their long history, the Esterházy princes also owned exquisite porcelain that was not only intended for the table but was also on display in the many rooms at their numerous residences. In this particular case, the prince was usually in charge of collecting. Nikolaus I and Nikolaus II are described as “manic collectors” in the literature,3 but it was precisely as a result of this passion that their residences blossomed into veritable “fairy kingdoms”.

1 2 3

This essay is a summary of findings from my PhD thesis at the University of Vienna. See Futschek 2017. On the importance of princesses as collectors, see: Riemann-Wöhlbrandt 1990: 51–63. See for example: Körner 2013.

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Until now it was difficult to establish exactly when the first pieces were bought. On the one hand, this was due to the lack of inventories, which, especially in the early 18th century, are either incomplete or non-existent. On the other, there are not many invoices and still fewer letters concerning the acquisition of Asian works of art, whether these were lacquer furniture, wall coverings or porcelain. These purchases were usually funded from personal coffers or were gifts to the family. They were therefore not included in a palace’s inventory but belonged to a particular princess or prince and, as such, were also excluded from the fideicommissum of primogeniture, established by Prince Paul Esterházy I in 1695. Through intensive research over recent years, it has finally become possible to gain an initial insight into the princes’ collecting practices from the late 17th century to the mid19th century.

First Purchases of Asian Porcelain under Prince Paul ­E sterházy I (1635–1713) It seems that the first Asian porcelain came into the family’s possession in the second half of the 17th century under Paul Esterházy I. During his rule, the prince purchased many objects in Europe that were intended for his Kunst- und Wunderkammer and, in this way, expanded the original holdings amassed by his father Palatine Nikolaus. During his travels, the art-loving prince came into contact with other collectors, such as the Bavarian elector, whom he visited in 1653 with his brother-in-law Franz Nádasdy4 (1623–1671).5 The first invoice for Asian porcelain dates from 20 November 1665, when, in addition to a beautiful desk and snail, both made of silver-gilt, Prince Paul Esterházy I purchased “Zwey Porzellane Schallen” (two porcelain dishes). These were mounted by the imperial court jeweller Georg Fleischhacker and added to the Kunst- und Wunderkammer at Forchtenstein Castle as exotic objects.6 Over time, it appears that little was added to the collection of Asian porcelain. The inventory of 1685 mentions in its own category – labelled number “5” – besides numerous ivory vessels, only a few examples made of porcelain. These pieces are vaguely described leaving only three examples that are definitely Asian porcelain. The numbers 24 to 26 at the end of the list all cite a porcelain cup with foot rims and handles set in silver: 24. Eine schöne Tasse aus Porzellan, in Silber gefasst mit Füßen. 25. Eine andere Porzellantasse, in Silber gefasst mit Füßen und Henkel.

4 5 6

Franz Nádasdy himself owned an impressive treasury. See: Ács 2014: 256. MNL, P108, Rep. 48, Fasc. 10 860.

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Fig. 1: View inside the Kunst- und Wunderkammer at Forchtenstein Castle, © Esterházy Privatstiftung.

26. Eine, zu der vorhergehenden, ähnliche Porzellantasse mit Füßen und Henkel. Unfortunately these pieces with silver mounts are no longer in the Kunst- und Wunderkammer at Forchtenstein Castle. After this, the holdings of Asian porcelain seem to have increased only slightly. In 1692, Paul I established a new treasury in the extended rooms above the cannon corridor in the north wing, where he had more space and could better present his assortment of treasures and curiosities. In his will of March 1695, the prince did not term this a treasury but a “Cabinetum”, or “Kunstkammer”. The rooms could be accessed from every floor of the castle’s main building via a hidden, narrow spiral staircase. The very simple rooms (fig. 1), with murals that still exist in their original state, were structured with basic black wall cabinets. The objects were discretely hidden away in the darkness inside these numbered cabinets. In cabinet 43/44, porcelain and ceramics acquired a new display case.

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A new taste under Prince Paul Anton Esterházy II (1711–1762) and his wife Princess Maria-Anna (1713–1782) In contrast to the Kunst- und Wunderkammer at Forchtenstein Castle, it seems that there was no, or very little, Asian porcelain at Esterházy Palace in Eisenstadt until the 1730s. A first inventory of 1721 makes no mention of either faience or porcelain in the many rooms on the ground floor or upper storey (“Zu ebener Erden” and “In den oberen Stock”). It was probably Princess Maria-Anna Esterházy who changed this. She was born into the Lunati-Visconti family and was the wife of Prince Paul Anton Esterházy II.7 Maria-Anna Lunati-Visconti grew up in Lorraine and was a lady-in-waiting to Duchess Elisabeth Charlotte, the mother of Francis Stephen who later married Maria Theresa. Maria-Anna accompanied the duchess and her children Karl Alexander and Anna-Charlotte on their many travels to various residences such as Lunéville or Commercy. These chateaux boasted exquisite Oriental art including porcelain and many lacquer cabinets. Duchess Elisabeth Charlotte was a great connoisseur of Asian art and she shared this passion with her brother Philipp II of Orléans and her father Philipp I, the brother of the French king. The Lunati-Visconti family also owned a large array of Asian porcelain at their residences in Nancy and Chateau de Frouard, probably purchased on their many trips to Paris. An inventory from 1732 lists Japanese and Chinese porcelain, such as mantelpiece ornaments, vases or cups at a value approaching 10,000 Gulden in the currency of Lorraine: Japon trois vrnes fort grandes auec leurs dettus……………….. trois vrnes et deux vases fond violet et blanc a fleures d’or….. Deux grands vases fond blanc fleures Bleu, rouge, et or………… Trois moyennes vrnes fond blanc et bleu auec un chien doré sur le couuert…… Vne garniture de cheminée de trois vrnes, quatre vases dont deux sont couuerts, fond blanc fleures or, rouges et vertes…… […]

3000. 2000. 600. 150. 100.

The time she spent in Lorraine left a lasting impression on Maria-Anna Lunati-Visconti. After she married Prince Paul Anton Esterházy II in December 1734 in Lunéville and moved to Eisenstadt in October 1735, the new princess wanted to introduce this taste to

7

For further details about Princess Maria-Anna Esterházy, née Lunati-Visconti, see: Futschek 2016.

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Fig. 2: Detail of the family tree “Theatrum Genealogicum” with Esterházy Palace in Eisenstadt, Jakob Hoffmann, based on a design by Colin de Marienburg, copperplate engraving, 1694, © Esterházy Privatstiftung, Forchtenstein Castle – archives.

the palace there (fig. 2). She was behind redesigning the Esterházy Palace’s now old-fashioned rooms. Rooms were renovated and switched around and many new pieces of furniture acquired. The refurbishment was entirely in keeping with the princess’ wishes. Her first documented purchase of Asian porcelain was in August 1739. She bought “2 feine japanische blaue und weiße Porzellantöpfe” (two exquisite blue-and-white Japanese porcelain jars) from Nicolaus Hoffecker’s shop “Holländer zu dem Wappen von Amsterdam auf dem Graben”. There is no evidence of any other pieces of Asian porcelain being purchased by the couple in the first decades of the 18th century. However, it seems that at this time there was already Asian porcelain at the palace and that this was used for dining. For example, the couple commissioned imitation Chinese plates from the porcelain manufactory in Vienna. It is interesting that these plates not only bear the characteristic double ring mark in underglaze blue on the underside but also that a bluish glaze imitated the Asian porcelain’s bluish shade. In the palace, porcelain was exhibited on lacquer furniture, on console tables, and mantelpieces, but there was no specifically designated “Chinese Salon”. The pieces were confined to a small number of rooms – the princess’s bedroom, the adjoining games

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Fig. 3: Pair of candlesticks, Blanc de Chine with European mounts, from the former bedroom of the princess at Esterházy Palace, first half of the 18th century, © Esterházy Privatstiftung, Esterházy Palace – Tafel- und Silberkammer.

room, the toilette boudoir, the two rooms flanking the Great Hall and the prince’s bedroom and adjacent small room. Today, two candlesticks with Blanc de Chine cockerels (fig. 3) are the only pieces we know were displayed in the palace during the 18th century. These were first displayed in the princess’s bedroom and then in her toilette boudoir. They reflect the taste of the time as Madame de Pompadour had acquired a similar piece at Lazare Duvaux in Paris. Unfortunately documents from this period relating to Asian porcelain are very rare as these objects were paid for from private coffers and were passed down through the family. Prince Paul Anton II not only bequeathed jewellery to his wife but also porcelain. And when Princess Maria-Anna died without children, she left this porcelain to her brother-in-law, the future Prince Nikolaus Esterházy I.

The “Fairy Kingdom” of Prince Nikolaus Esterházy I (1714– 1790) Nikolaus Esterházy I developed an interest in Asian porcelain early on. In June 1736, he purchased “einige Wackelpagoden und chinesische Schalen” (several nodding pagoda figures

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Fig. 4: Urns and vase with a powder-blue glaze and gilt-bronze mounts. Presumably from the estate of Madame de Pompadour, China, c. 1760, © Esterházy Privatstiftung, Esterházy Palace – Tafel- und Silberkammer.

and Chinese dishes) from Nicolaus Hoffecker’s shop “Holländer zu dem Wappen von Amsterdam”. After becoming head of the family in 1762, Prince Nikolaus I invested more into the palace in Eszterháza – now Fertöd in Hungary – transforming this into a “Hungarian Versailles”. He thus laid the foundation stone for a unique collection of artworks and created the “Esterházy Fairy Kingdom” that is mentioned so frequently in the literature. The prince was always adding to his porcelain collection and he housed part of this in his Porzellankammer, a room devoted to its display. But the many rooms in the palace were also adorned with Asian porcelain, wall coverings, and lacquer furniture. Contem­ poraries sang the praises of this interior decoration with Count János Pálffy, who published his travel diaries under the pseudonym Gottfried von Rotenstein, among their number.8 In the palace’s 126 rooms, the exquisite, predominantly Asian porcelain (such as tea sets and vases) was mainly exhibited in the state rooms, grouped around the central Sala Terrena and the adjacent large dining room.

8

See: Rotenstein 1793.

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Nikolaus I employed agents for his purchases and they acquired these most precious objects on the European art market. In Paris he also purchased furniture, fabrics and decorative art from dealers in fine objects de la Frenaye, d’Esperelles or from Monsieur Gentil. It was the palace inspector Michael Kleinrath who issued instructions to purchase these pieces, travelling to Paris himself to buy art for the princes. Kleinrath not only acquired European porcelain but also lacquer cabinets with gold painting. It is therefore plausible that he purchased Asian porcelain at the same time. Paris was a particularly attractive location for collectors in the 18th century. The many sales of great Parisian collectors’ estates, such as Jean de Jullienne (1686–1766), August Blondel de Gagny (1695–1776), as well as Madame de Pompadour (1721–1764), brought exquisite collections onto the market that, in turn, were purchased by renowned collectors. As a result, Paris was an important centre for furniture, silver, and also Asian porcelain. After acquiring numerous art objects there, within a short period of time Prince Nikolaus I could decorate his residence at Eszterháza in the latest taste. One special acquisition that deserves highlighting are the twelve blue Chinese vases and urns with ormolu mounts from the estate of Madame de Pompadour (fig. 4). Gottfried von Rotenstein even mentioned this in the account of his travels, in which he emphasized the substantial price of 1,050 Kremnica ducats9.

Prince Nikolaus Esterházy II (1765–1833) shops in Paris Fortunately, there are more references to porcelain, admittedly predominantly European, after the accession of Prince Nikolaus II in 1794. However, documentation of Asian porcelain purchases while he was in power is still less detailed than researchers would hope. It is striking that Prince Nikolaus II gave less attention to his porcelain collection than previous heads of the family. He focused mainly on enlarging his collection of paintings and engravings, his library, and collection of minerals. He also commissioned paintings and sculptures from stellar contemporary artists such as Francois Gerard or Antonio Canova, thus giving his collection prestige. The prince transformed his recently acquired palace in the district of Mariahilf in Vienna into a museum to house his art collection. This was even open to the public a few days a week. In the same way as his forefathers, however, Nikolaus II could not entirely turn his back on this “white gold” as it was needed at his lavish court. On becoming head of the family, he inherited a large collection of European and Asian porcelain purchased by his predecessors, especially his grandfather Prince Nikolaus I. When it came to adorning his own court, he engaged the services of mostly bourgeois experts who purchased these ex9

Rotenstein 1793: 164.

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quisite pieces on the European art market on the prince’s behalf. In 1810, Chevalier de Reul acquired an entire collection of predominantly Japanese and Chinese porcelain for the prince from the Parisian collector Jacques Marc Sorot. It was agreed that the sum of 55,000 francs would be paid in annual instalments as a pension. The special qualities of this collection, however, stem from its provenance. An inventory that came to light during the course of research, a “Catalogue” in French (fig. 5), revealed that this collection originally belonged to the French King Louis XVI (1754–1793). He had predominantly acquired the pieces at sales of aristocratic estates in the second half of Fig. 5: Title page of the “Catalogue” with a list of the porcelain purchased on the instructions the 18th century. The king had planned to of Prince Nikolaus II in 1810, © Esterházy Priinstall a museum in the Louvre to present vatstiftung, Forchtenstein Castle – archives. his abundant and diverse Asian porcelain, but the project was never realized. We are still in the dark about how part of his porcelain collection came into the possession of Jacques Marc Sorot. The pieces acquired by Prince Nikolaus II comprised 327 object groups divided into fifteen categories in the inventory as follows: Nr. 1 – 43: Porcelaines anciennes de premiere qualite coloriée (Vom Porcellan der ältesten Vorzüglichen Gattung mit vermischten Farben Verzierungen) Nr. 44 – 71: Porcelaine d’ancien japon de couleur (Von Japonischen Porcellan mit Farben) Nr. 72 – 88: Porcelaines dancien céladon du japon et de chine (Von Meer-grünen Porcellan aus Japon und…) Nr. 89 – 120: Pagodes et animaux (Götzen Bilder und Thiere) Nr. 121 – 134: Porcelaine de truite fin d’ancien japon (Von berühmten feinen Altesten Japonischen Porcellan) Nr. 135 – 145: Porcelaines d’ancien blanc du japon (Von Weissen Alt-Japonischen Porcellan) Nr. 146 – 195: Porcelaine bleu celeste d’ancien la chine (Von himmel-blauen Chinesischen Porcellan)

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Fig. 6: Centrepiece with Blanc de Chine elements and Meissen swans, with gilt-bronze mounts, 1745–1749, © Esterházy Privatstiftung, Esterházy Palace – Tafel- und Silberkammer.

Nr. 196 – 204: Porcelaines voilette d’ancien chine (Von Violfarben Chinesischen ältesten Porcellan) Nr. 205 – 231: Porcelaines de truité fin d’ancienne la chine (Von Ruhmwürdigen feinen ältesten Chinesischen Porcellan) Nr. 232 – 235: Porcelaines d’ancien bleu et blanc (Von Weissen und Blauen ältesten Porcellan) Nr. 236 – 257: Porcelaines coloriees de premier et seconde qualité d’ancien la Chine (Von Aeltesten, mit Farben vermischten, chinesischen Porcellan, der Ersten, und zweyten Beschaffenheit) Nr. 258 – 261: Porcelaines craquelée de la chine (Von Chinesischen Pretzel Porcellan) Nr. 262 – 314: Pagodes et animaux de Porcelaines de la chine ( Götzen Bilder und Thiere, von Chinesischen Porcellan) Nr. 315 – 323: Ancien Laque du japon et de la chine (Von ältesten Japonisch- und Chines­i­ schen hellen Hartz, oder sogenandten Lack) Nr. 324 – 327: Ancienne terre des indes (Von der ältesten Indianischen Erde) As the old inventory numbers are now lost, it is still difficult to link the existing por-

Royal Aspirations: The Asian Porcelain Collection of the Esterházy Princes

Fig. 7: Centrepieces in the form of a ship, Japan, late 18th century, © Esterházy Privatstiftung, Esterházy Palace – Tafel- und Silberkammer, photo by Objektrestaurierung. Fig. 8: Pair of birds, Japan, late 17th century, © Esterházy Privatstiftung, Esterházy Palace – Tafel- und Silberkammer.

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celain to this catalogue. An attribution could nonetheless be made in the case of select examples. Of the original 327, to date, 67 ensembles have definitely been traced back to the collection of Louis XVI. These pieces are still in the stores at Esterházy Palace in Eisenstadt. There are also objects for which this lofty provenance cannot be ascribed with any certainty, but their exceptional quality makes this plausible. Pieces that have been definitely identified include an ensemble of Blanc de Chine wine pots (fig. 6), which were altered into decorative pieces by adding Meissen swans. An exquisite decorative ship (fig. 7) or a unique pair of birds (fig. 8) can also be attributed to the collection of Louis XVI. The prince had transported the collection from Paris to Eisenstadt where the boxes were stored on the ground floor and left untouched for over six years until 1817. Prince Nikolaus II’s wife, Princess Maria Josepha Hermenegilde (1768–1845), had finally moved some of the pieces to the palace at Wallnerstraße in Vienna, where they were displayed on console tables and in cabinets on the second floor. However, the majority of the porcelain from Paris was left in boxes at Esterházy Palace until 1824 – so for over fourteen years. That year the prince had finally transferred the collection to his palace in the Mariahilf district in Vienna. Here the porcelain was to be displayed in a room that had previously housed part of the library. Before this could happen, the room had to be adapted, more shelving installed, and the walls decorated with Chinese silk pictures. In the 1826 inventory this new room was described as the “Chinese Room”. The Esterházy collection of porcelain reached its heyday under Prince Nikolaus II. So much was lost during the World War 2 that it is now only a shadow of its former state, but it still conveys a sense of the past splendour of the collection belonging to the Esterházy princes.

References Ács 2014: Ács, P. 2014. Türkenkriege und Adelskulturen in Ostmitteleuropa vom 16. bis 18. Jahrhundert. Leizpig: H-Soz-Kult. Futschek 2016: Futschek, A. 2016. Fürstin Maria-Anna Esterházy (1713–1782). Ihre Wurzeln in Lothringen, ihr Leben in Eisenstadt und Wien. Mitteilungen aus der Sammlung Privatstiftung Esterhazy, Band 7. Eisenstadt: Esterhazy Privatstiftung. Futschek 2017: Futschek, A. 2017. Mit königlichem Anspruch: Die asiatische Porzellansammlung der Fürsten Esterházy. PhD thesis, University of Vienna. Körner 2013: Körner, S. 2013. Nikolaus II. Esterházy und die Kunst. Vienna: Böhlau Verlag. Riemann-Wöhlbrandt 1990: Riemann-Wöhlbrandt, G. 1990. Der Porzellanbesitz der Landgräfin Maria Amalia. Zur Rolle der Damen beim Entstehen der landgräflichen Porzellansammlung.

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In: Porzellan aus China und Japan: Die Porzellangalerie der Landgrafen von Hessen-Kassel, Ausstellungskatalog Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Kassel, 51–63. Berlin: Dietrich Reimer Verlag. Rotenstein 1793: Rotenstein, G. von. 1793. Lust Reisen durch Bayern, Würtemberg, Pfalz, Sachsen, Brandenburg, Oesterreich, Mähren, Böhmen und Ungarn in den Jahren 1784 – 1791.3. Dritter Theil. Leipzig: Friederich Schneider.

Lee Prosser

Queen Mary’s Porcelain at Kensington Palace

Abstract In her short life and brief reign, Queen Mary II of Great Britain assembled an unparalleled collection of East Asian luxury products in her private rooms at Kensington Palace. They included almost 800 pieces of porcelain which epitomised a lifetime of collecting. Though most was dispersed on the queen’s death, the rooms survive in outline and the collection is so well documented, that a reconstruction can be proposed with some confidence. In the light of new research, they demonstrate a highly innovative and careful arrangement according to colour, shape and type, combining the porcelain with rich, co-ordinated textiles, and East Asian or imitation lacquer furniture within a carefully considered interior decorative scheme. *** Queen Mary II (1662–1694) was the English collector of East Asian porcelain par excellence and the inspiration for a culture of collecting in late 17th century England (fig. 1). Her short life and brief reign of just over five years coincided with the height of popularity for exotic East Asian imports, for which she was an important promoter, both for textiles, porcelain and lacquered furniture.1 Her accession, with her husband the Prince of Orange as King William III after the constitutional revolution of 1688 also coincided with the building of a new royal palace at Kensington in west London and the extension of the existing palace of Hampton Court. Rather than a grandiose edifice, Kensington was identified with the new parliamentary monarchy by its outward modesty, but its interiors were lavish and unlike the existing royal residences, their design was guided by the queen who could plan them from the outset. In just under two years, the architect Sir Christopher Wren transformed a pre-existing courtier’s house by adding pavilions to the four corners of the building and making other ad hoc additions. In one pavil-

1

The diarist Daniel Defoe also commented that the queen promoted the popularity of ‘east India. Callicoes, such as were then called Masslapatan chintz, Atlasses and fine painted callicoes’ (quoted in Marschner 1998a: 56).

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ion, the queen created a suite of small, intimate rooms for her private use, which overlooked a flower garden for displaying her collection of exotic plants, which included auriculas and cacti. During the course of the works, and in the absence of the king abroad, the queen had the pavilion extended northwards and westwards in 1690–1, to create new rooms. Almost twenty years ago, detailed consideration of the collections was undertaken and published2, but the subject is worth revisiting with the benefit of further research, and will help guide the future presentation and restoration of the rooms. ­K ensington Palace has undergone Fig 1: Portrait of Queen Mary II by Willem much rebuilding and enlargement since Wissing, Royal Collection Trust/ © Her its inception, particularly from 1719 by the ­Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2016. Hanoverian kings, and again in the early 19th century. However, the Queen’s Apartments, built by Mary II have remained essentially unaltered in outline (fig. 2). Today, they comprise five rooms on the principal floor as well as the impressive staircase, all open to the public, though three more rooms are currently used as storage. The most significant space is the Queen’s Gallery, a large room measuring some 25 by 7 metres, with two fireplaces, and seven windows along the east wall (fig. 3). This connects with the King’s State Apartments via a series of small rooms which include a closet, dining room, drawing room and bedchamber, all of very modest proportions. The rooms are now all dressed in sober style, either with heavy oak Bolection panelling, or a mixture of panelling and plain upper walls for textiles or wallpaper. Several of its once elaborate fireplaces have been replaced with simple marble surrounds, though some originals remain. Only the gallery preserves original decorative features in the form of mirrored overmantles (fig. 4) and over-doors by Grinling Gibbons as a hint of the original method of display, though also much altered. The storage rooms once comprised a stool room, dressing room and the queen’s “new bedchamber”, in which she died just after Christmas 1694. These spaces are now very plain, having been badly damaged in 1940 when an incendiary bomb landed on the 2

Hinton and Impey 1998.

Queen Mary’s Porcelain at Kensington Palace

Fig 2: Exterior of the Queen’s Apartments, viewed from the north, © Historic Royal Palaces.

Fig 3: The Queen’s Gallery, © Historic Royal Palaces.

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Fig 4: The Queen’s Gallery overmantles now dressed with East Asian porcelain, © Historic Royal Palaces.

roof and caused a serious fire. Originally, more rooms were included on the lower floors, known from historical accounts to have included a preparation room for chocolate and a garden or flower room, which were connected to the upper floor by the grand stair and a secondary, back staircase. The lower floor was extensively modified in the early 19th century, but survives in outline. The rooms can be reconstructed and repopulated with their collections from several sources. They include the payment bills for construction of the palace, which are descriptive and were copied into a single, large ledger surviving in the National Archives.3 They record the supply of decorative details such as carvings, mirrors with frames, and chimneypieces. Information regarding the subsequent provision of soft furnishings is contained in the Wardrobe Accounts of the Lord Chamberlain’s department, with payments to the many artisans supplying furniture, textiles and trimmings.4 These accounts offer an important description of the rooms and corroborate the final, and most important source, a pair of inventories taken after the queen’s death, in 1697 and 1699, 3 4

National Archives: TNA Work 19/48/1. National Archives LC9/281.

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Fig 5: Pair of porcelain jars and covers, Jingdezhen, 1645–60, Royal Collection Trust/ © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2016.

which list in great detail, not only the furnishings but also the 787 pieces of porcelain (including some small objects of jade and other materials) which were present in the apartment, describing individual pieces and noting their position in the rooms, either on walls, chimney-pieces or furniture. Both these inventories have been published.5 A further copy of one of the inventories, now housed in the British Library but containing additional information has also been transcribed.6 Since that time, individual pieces of Mary’s collection have been identified, tentatively, in the Royal Collection and the analysis undertaken in the 1990s enables us to identify the diverse range of pieces, which included kakiemon, blanc de chine, blue and white and the great variety of plain and polychrome porcelain (figs.5, 6).7

5 6 7

Delft Town Archives, Weeskamer, Coll. De Brienne, No.176. Lunsingh Scheurleer 1962 BM Add Ms 56078; see Marschner 1998b. Shulsky 1998.

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Porcelain was not exclusive to Kensington. It existed in other aristocratic houses, but usually in one or two rooms only. However, at Kensington, it was displayed in the most abundance and exclusively within these rooms; the accounts mention it nowhere else in the palace.8 At Hampton Court Palace, surviving designs and the existing chimneypieces in the State Apartments suggest that massed porcelain was intended to be displayed there too, though they were not finished in the queen’s lifeFig 6: Wax seal of William and Mary on the time.9 However, the Water Gallery, a 16th underside of the jars, Royal Collection Trust/ century building on the river Thames © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2016. close to the palace was fitted up as a retreat or a maison de plaisance for the queen while building works were underway on the main complex.10 The diarist Celia Fiennes noted that there were four closets opening off a main room, known as the “Looking Glass Closett”, the “Marble Closett”, the “Bathing Closett” and the “Delft Ware Closett”, at least one of which was “panell’d all with Jappan”11. In terms of materials and of themed textiles and matching furniture, the Water Closet appears to have provided an important precedent for the decoration of Kensington, though the building was demolished in 1700. Other designs for the Queen’s Closet at Hampton Court appear to show panels painted with flowers, a theme replicated in textile at Kensington.12 Unlike the Water Gallery, Kensington was an entirely new project which could be guided from start to finish under the hand of the queen. Within a year of purchase, the pavilions, courtiers’ ranges, stables, kitchen and new lodgings had been built, but the new pavilion for the queen was, unusually, not sited in a prominent position with good views (as was the king’s), but to the north-west of the house, reinforcing its status as a private wing. In June 1690, the queen ordered the extension of the pavilion, which was partially cut back and enlarged to create a new gallery, staircase and lower rooms. Within three months, the accounts suggest that the new range was substantially complete, and 8 9

One or two pots are noted in inventories, but they are not described as of porcelain. Another theory is that these designs were intended as a homage to the queen, and the display of the residual collection. See Edwards (forthcoming). 10 Thurley 2003: 172. 11 Morris 1947: 59. 12 Bristow 1996: 27.

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finishing touches were being added by the master craftsmen in the form of elaborate carved chimneypieces, mirrors and frames. The last great addition, by the master-joiner was of an impressive new timber staircase at the end of the range. Though the palace is conservative architecturally, the staircase reveals innovation, and was made to a new pattern – that of the elegant open-string balustrade, which was to become the universal form of the 18th century. The overall decorative theme suggested by the accounts is of rooms lavishly dressed in textiles, mostly velvet, arranged in wall-pane drops with embroidered elements, silk window curtains in matching or complementary colours, and furniture upholstered ensuite.13 The furniture itself was predominantly japanned, whether as imports, or in imitation of lacquer, with many pieces clearly modified to suit new purposes. They include the usual array of tables, chairs, cabinets and stands, but also chests, a japanned clock in the gallery, and occasionally lacquered shelves for porcelain. One account concerns the fate of an Indian drum, which was ordered to be cut up and refashioned into a tea table and stands for cabinets, for which Mary earned approbation for her supposed vandalism14. Mirrors feature prominently in almost every room, either in gilded frames or decorated with flowers, but clearly forming a backdrop or centrepiece for ceramics displayed on wall mounts. The rooms themselves varied in terms of opulence, though all were dominated to a greater or lesser degree by porcelain. The dining room was perhaps the simplest in style, but had striped silk curtains and chairs covered with silk, screens and 48 pictures in black frames. The porcelain was arranged over the chimney in six rows, and included cups, saucers, and red tea pots. The drawing room had mirrors in glass frames, with its porcelain organised over the chimney and doors, comprising mostly jars, basins and bottles, usually in rising patterns with larger pieces at the centre. The earlier bedchamber retained, even at the queen’s death, yellow flowered velvet hangings and a profusion of cabinets, tables and stands, some plated with silver, and a table covered with green velvet. On the basis of careful consideration by Linda Shulsky, there was no blue and white in the room, but polychrome porcelain in abundance, probably disposed in a pyramidal form over the chimney and on pedestals with three rows which included fine coloured flasks, ribbed pots of “fine colours” and high bottles of purple and green, totalling 193 pieces. This was the most of any room, with 84 pieces over the chimney alone.15 The new bedchamber contained an angel or half-tester bed erected in 1693, with feet carved “very rich […] with figures Japann’d black”.16 This compares with the bed in the 13

Lunsingh Scheurleer presumed that the walls were hung with tapestries, but subsequent research into the wardrobe accounts clearly describes textiles. 14 Constantine Huygens, cited in Marschner 1998a: 56. 15 Shulsky 1998: 44. 16 LC9/280 fo.89.

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Water Gallery at Hampton Court.17 In the dressing room, japanned canopy chairs were set against green velvet hangings, hung in panes with other velvet and Venetian brocade, with curtains of the same material covering both windows and doors, all en-suite with the cushions on the chairs. Two round black shelves are described as being mirrored on the underside, presumably as a reflective backdrop, and four shelves on each side of a wall mirror carried porcelain. Forty-eight pieces of predominantly blue and white were piled on a walnut cabinet inlaid with white. Many of these are described as having gilt mounts and were probably selected for age and preciousness.18 At the end of the range lay the closet and the adjoining gallery. The closet was fitted up with blue genoa damask, for which almost 50 metres were provided for hanging “in panes”.19 A great frame of glass 3.5 metres long and 2.1 metres wide must have dominated the room, which only measures 7 by 3.5 metres, and was carved with figures, leaves and flowers of jasmine and gilt by John Pelletier in March 1692. The porcelain appears to have complemented the colour scheme, with much blue and white, mostly plates arranged over the chimney and on a japanned tortoiseshell cabinet. Despite the tiny size of the room, pedestal stands also supported stacked basins. The gallery was the grandest room, though paintings were never displayed and it was instead, a salon or room of entertainment20, where 154 pieces of porcelain were displayed on cabinets, stands, tables and shelves, as well as above doors and over the two chimneys, which each had 19 pieces21. Crimson was the predominant colour for the walls, with panes of velvet embroidered with silk and divided by textile pillars complimenting seven white flowered Indian damask window curtains, cut from 46 metres of silk. Most of the furniture was lacquered, and included twelve chairs with India silk cushions, protected by crimson taffeta cases; couches with backs and elbows of India silk and matching cushions. Floor carpets were also present, including one “large very fine Persian carpet” which was supplied by Francis de la Pierre for £63 in July 1693.22 Lighting was provided by 30 glass sconces by James Catignon, which cost £500. There were also many screens – Gerrit Jensen supplied four leaves of a screen with japanned mouldings while the inventory notes two eight-leaf screens, a six-leaf screen, together with four small hand-screens. The porcelain was arranged under desks and cabinets, which alternated with tables, presuma-

17 18 19 20 21 22

Thurley 2003: 172. Shulsky 1998: 46. LC0/280, fo.188v: Gaunt and Knight 1989: I (3), 120. Hardy 1998: 80. Shulsky 1998: 48. LC9/280. fo.111v.

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bly on the opposing wall to the windows, or between them, but all arranged with careful symmetry. Corner cabinets “alygazant” are also mentioned to fill every available space.23 At the base of the staircase (which had no porcelain) the garden room completed the sequence and formed an introduction to the external terrace with its flowers in pots. Like the upper floor, the decoration was lavish, with cabinets, a marble table on a carved white frame and 35 “India” pictures in black frames hanging on the walls. Porcelain was arranged both under the tables and cabinets, and in shelves above, comprising basins in red, white and green colours. Corner shelves on the outer wall were stacked eight high, which supported plates, saucers, tea cups and flasks. An unusual feature was the inclusion of seven Delftware sconces, not found or implied in any of the other rooms in combination with the East Asian material.24 For the origins of this ensemble of lacquer and porcelain, we must turn to the influences exerted on Mary during her tenure as Princess of Orange. The diarist and observer Daniel Defoe was in no doubt that as queen she introduced the fashion to England. “She brought in the custom, or Humour” as he called it, “of furnishing houses with China-Ware, which increased to a strange degree afterwards, piling their China upon the Tops of Cabinets, Scrutores, and every Chimney-Piece, to the Tops of the Ceilings, and even setting up Shelves for their China-Ware, where they wanted such Places, till it became a grievance in the Expence of it, and even injurious to their families and Estates”25. This was not strictly true, as porcelain displays had existed in aristocratic houses at an earlier date.26 However, Mary was in a supreme position to set the fashion on a sure footing and to bring the prevailing Continental influences to bear on the design. In the Netherlands, the influence of Daniel Marot was strong, particularly at the couple’s Dutch residence of Het Loo. The same inferences can be drawn at Kensington, though Marot’s links to the palace cannot be established with any certainty. At Kensington however, the rooms step beyond mere arrangement of furniture and porcelain, with subtlety invested in the use of colour and co-ordination and a most careful selection of the collection itself, which even today deserves further research. The final effect appears to have been achieved by almost continual alteration, reflected in the wardrobe accounts through the early 1690s, when colours were changed, furniture exchanged and new pieces added, suggesting experimentation and evolution almost until the moment of the queen’s death. By 1694 each room seems to have settled into a particular theme, with the porcelain arranged in a manner sensitive to the wall hangings and the matching or complementary upholstery. Thus the gallery was crimson, the closet 23 24 25 26

Alygazant may have been a descriptive term for an exotic wood such as tulip-wood. Delftware was generally reserved for garden rooms, grottos, or used outside, as at Het Loo. Cole 1927: 166. Impey 2002 on Burghley House.

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blue, the dressing room green and the old bedchamber yellow. In 1688 Randle Holmes had published his “Academy of Armoury”, where red represented associations with dignity, blue with piety and sincerity and so forth and it is intriguing to speculate whether these colours had a symbolic meaning, or were merely a reflection of personal, feminine taste and the desire for contrast.27 Most significantly, the use of different colours departed from the norm of a single tone used en-suite throughout apartments at this date. Textile wall hangings were present in the King’s Apartments, but were mostly of damask and reflected a more limited range of green and olive, and occasionally crimson, but with no additions such as embroidery. In the queen’s rooms, the convention was abandoned in preference to the unification of furnishing set against an ever-changing palette. The chimneypieces may also have been specially selected, with several in purple-veined marble. Decoratively, there also existed a connection between the apartment and the exterior terrace with its exotic flowers. Thus the internal materials were often textured, the velvet embroidered or patterned with flowers, the mirrors in the closet painted with flowers, and flower pictures present in several rooms.28 The arrangement of the porcelain cannot have been incidental to this backdrop. On the basis of its characteristics, examined in detail by Linda Shulsky, colour must have played a part in the display. Thus an exclusive selection of blue and white porcelain is found in the closet with its blue genoa damask, reminiscent of the Water Gallery at Hampton Court and perhaps further analysis may reveal a subtle relationship elsewhere. Symmetry of both furniture and porcelain was also paramount with the only deviation in the dressing room, among the most private and intimate of spaces where older, individual or one-off shapes were collected together. Selection and arrangement was made on the basis, often of paired pieces and arrangements on either side of a central feature, rising to pyramidal shapes, with the larger pieces set under tables or over doors. Plates and open shapes would be displayed together, not to the particular advantage of the individual pieces but for massed effect, so that a bowl could stand within a bowl of larger size, which would stand within yet another bowl, subsuming the individual component to the greater design. John Hardy compared the Queen’s Apartments at Kensington to a combination of the Galerie des Glace with a Trianon de Porcelaine.29 Alas these lavish interiors are no more. They existed for just three or four years as a dazzling reflection of Queen Mary’s imagination and were stripped after her death, when much of the porcelain was given away by to the king’s favourite the Earl of Albemarle. From there it was sold and ulti-

27 Bristow 1996: 49. 28 Mary had watched Monnoyer painting a mirror with flowers. 29 Hardy 1998: 82.

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mately dispersed. Her legacy is perhaps the endurance of the fashion, with the survival of a few porcelain rooms to the present day. But it is clear that these intimate rooms were the boldest and the most precocious interiors existing in England at that time, with the greatest creativity invested in the combination and integration of the three complementary materials: textiles, lacquer and porcelain.

References Bristow 1996: Bristow, I.C. 1996. Architectural colour in British interiors 1615–1840. London: Yale University Press. Cole 1927: Cole, G.D.H. (ed.). 1927. Daniel Defoe, Daniel: a tour through the whole island of Great Britain (1724–27). London: J.M. Dent. Edwards (forthcoming): Edwards, S. (forthcoming). Kensington. Palace of the modern monarchy. London: Yale University Press, Historic Royal Palaces. Gaunt and Knight 1989: Gaunt, P. and Knight, C. 1989. A history of Kensington Palace, 12 volumes. N.p.: unpublished. Hardy 1998: Hardy, J. 1998. Pretty show pots. In: Kensington Palace and the porcelain of Queen Mary II, eds. M. Hinton and O. Impey, 79–84. London: Historic Royal Palaces/Christie’s. Hinton and Impey 1998: Hinton, M. and Impey, O. (eds.). 1998. Kensington Palace and the porcelain of Queen Mary II. London: Historic Royal Palaces/Christie’s. Impey 2002: Impey, O. 2002 Japanese porcelain at Burghley House: the inventory of 1688 and the sale of 1888. Metropolitan Museum Journal 37: 117–131. Lunsingh Scheurleer 1962: Lunsingh Scheurleer, T. 1962. Documents on the furnishing of Kensington House. In: The thirty-eighth volume of the Walpole Society, ed. M. Whinney, 15–58. London: The Walpole Society. Marschner 1998a: Marschner, J. 1998. Queen Mary II as a collector. In: Kensington Palace and the porcelain of Queen Mary II, eds. M. Hinton and O. Impey, 49–58. London: Historic Royal Palaces/Christie’s. Marschner 1998b: Marschner, J. 1998. An account of the Queen’s china at Kensington [c.1693]. In: Kensington Palace and the porcelain of Queen Mary II, eds. M. Hinton and O. Impey, 85–99. London: Historic Royal Palaces/Christie’s. Morris 1947: Morris, C. 1947. The journeys of Celia Fiennes. London: The Cresset Press. Shulsky 1998: Shulsky, L.R. 1998. Queen Mary’s collection of porcelain and its display at Kensington Palace. In: Kensington Palace and the porcelain of Queen Mary II, eds. M. Hinton and O. Impey, 27–48. London: Historic Royal Palaces/Christie’s. Thurley 2003: Thurley, S. 2003. Hampton Court; a history. London: Yale University Press.

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Additional Literature Claxton, J. 2010. The Countess of Arundel’s Dutch Pranketing. Journal of the History of Collections 22/2: 187–196. Davids, R. and Jellinek, D. 2011. Collectors, dealers and scholars in the field of Chinese ceramics in Britain. Oxfordshire: Roy Davids. Erkelens, A.M.L.E. 1996. “Delffs porcelijn” van koningin Mary II. Ceramiek op Het Loo uit die tijd van Willem III en Mary II. Zwolle. Apeldoorn: Paleis Het Loo, Zwolle: Waanders Uitgevers. Impey, O. and Marschner, J. 1998. “China Mania” A reconstruction of Queen Mary II’s display of East Asian Artefacts of Kensington Palace of 1693. Orientations 29/10: 60–1.

Filip Suchomel

Chinese Porcelain in the Czech Aristocratic Collections of the 17th, 18th and 19th Century

Abstract In my short article I would like to deal with the topic of Chinese Porcelain, which is a significant phenomenon in the Modern European Period, and with the development of porcelain collections in Central Europe, chiefly in Bohemian lands and Moravia. An interest in exoticism aroused by the new overseas discoveries could be seen here only a little later than in the south of Europe, and it resulted in the establishment of the first collections that included non-European artefacts. It was the Roman Emperor Rudolf II who accumulated a number of rarities and curiosities in his “Kunstkammer”, including a collection – a very unique one at that time – of weapons, Asian lacquers, blue and white wares, mostly coloured Chinese porcelain and so on. Rudolf ’s passion for collecting could have been inspired by his uncle Ferdinand of Tyrol, a famous collector of curiosities who housed his collection at Ambras Castle near Innsbruck. *** The Kunstkammer of Rudolf II had been purposely built since 1583 when Rudolf moved his residence from Vienna to Prague, and exotic porcelain held a very unique position there. Although this singular art collection of Rudolf, which included almost 700 items, has not been preserved to this day, we can figure how unusually rich it was thanks to several inventories that described it in the early 17th century. The most significant source, an inventory list written between 1607 and 1611 by a court archivist and miniaturist Daniel Fröschl,1 informs us that Rudolf ’s property included not only blue and white wares but also plain wares without any painted ornaments; it even contained goods adorned with overglaze enamels on coating, which was totally exclusive in transalpine Europe. Moreover, most of the mentioned wares were fitted with golden and silver mounts, which emphasised even more how precious the work was. Rudolf acquired porcelain thanks 1

See Bauer and Haupt 1976.

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to his contacts on the Iberian Peninsula, because he had strong family bonds there in the royal house of Habsburgs.2 Since we cannot find any Ming dynasty porcelain in the current collections of Prague Castle, when mapping the usage of the oldest porcelain at Prague Castle, the only remaining sources of higher importance are results of archaeological surveys. Majority of the found older porcelain shards belonged to a group of export Fig. 1: Fragment of a dish excavated in the kraak porcelain from Wan-li period and areas of Kanovnická Lane and Golden Lane (Prague Castle). Porcelain, underglaze cobalt they might come from the era of Rudolf decoration. China, around 1600, © Prague II’s reign (fig. 1). Castle Administration Office. However, predominantly smaller porcelain pieces were found, such as bowls, ornamented plates with characteristic trapezoid cartouches along the rims; to put it in other words, it was quite commonly used tableware.3 No matter how singular and outstanding Rudolf ’s collections of art were, fate did not preserve them. There’s no doubt that part of the collection had left Prague Castle already before the Thirty Years’ War started; another part was looted and plundered by Swedish soldiers in 1648 and art works continued to be taken away from Prague even afterwards.4 But let us proceed to the following century when the interest in exotic Asian production was not confined only to the richest European royal families but spread also to all ranks of aristocratic society. The amount of goods imported by East Indian companies from the Far East to Europe was rapidly increasing, which resulted in a real frenzy and obsession with exoticism – also fostered by a growing number of people who indulged in drinking coffee, tea and chocolate, in other words, exotic drinks which had been unheard of a few years before. Porcelain was no longer an unattainable rarity, nevertheless, it was still considered an expensive, trendy thing, and to have it and show it demonstrated how rich the owner was. The development of such collecting activities in Bohemia and Moravia was also significantly encouraged by the Dutch example; actually the Netherlands were an important source of inspiration for the rest of Europe in this respect. However, we can assume that such influences were mediated and filtered through neigh2 3 4

For more information see Suchomel 2015: 54–55. Compare Frolik et al. 1988. On the question of the Rudolf‘s collections compare e.g. Fučíková et al. 1997, Konečný et al. 1997, Fučíková et al. 1988.

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Fig. 2: Inventarium Geschlossen Sachen Wörcs 1685, © State Regional Archives in Plzeň, Baden Court Privy Council 1571–1771, inv. no. 8.

bouring Germany. In this connection it’s necessary to mention Franziska Sibylla Augusta von Sachsen-Lauenburg, a woman who can be undoubted considered an extraordinary personality interested in exotica, and who took a liking to various lacquer techniques, including the oriental ones, in her early childhood and devoted her time to describing innumerable lacquer skills in her family castle in Ostrov nad Ohří.5 Surviving archive materials are of great help when examining the local collections because they have not been preserved to this day. An inventory dating back to 16856 and describing items that could have been found in each room in Ostrov Castle at that time lists not only 165 faience pieces but also “Fünf Verschläge mit Porzellan”7, which could point to the fact that porcelain had already been part of the Sachsen-Lauenburg collection when Sibylla was only 10 years old (fig. 2). 5 6 7

Compare Grimm 2000: 238–239 and Suchomel 2015: 56–58. Thanks are due to Marcela Suchomelová for processing the chateau inventories of the Sachsen-Lauenburg’s chateau in Ostrov nad Ohří. Cf.: Státní oblastní archiv v Plzni (Klášter u Nepomuku) State regional archives in Plzeň (Klášter u Nepomuku), Bádenská tajná dvorská kancelář / Secret court office in Baden (1588 – 1771/1774), inv. n. 7 (Sign. 8, kt. 2), Inventarium [ … ] Herschats. Schloss ... aus im Lustgartenen [ … ], Johann Philip Riedel, am Tag Georgis Anno 1690. – , fol.64 verso, see also: Renner 1941: 536.

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After Sibylla’s marriage to the Baden margrave Ludwig Wilhelm in 1690, the Ostrov collection grew even more through acquisitions of works from her husband’s property; the young couple decided to remodel the so-called White Castle in Ostrov into a modern residence that would follow the latest fashion trends, which meant having porcelain and lacquer decoration there. According to the inventory from 1690, one could have found chiefly casual tableware, such as cups, goblets, but also small decorative bottles, vases and jars which might have originally belonged to the margrave himself.8 Apart from the blue and white ware, it’s also possible to identify tableware with brown glaze and colourful wares with red ornamentation, which was something highly uncommon in Central Europe at that time. Unfortunately, shortly after the married couple moved from Ostrov to Baden after 1700, all the porcelain was moved there too and was incorporated into other collections, for example into a collection housed in Favorite Castle in Rastatt. Sachsen-Lauenburg collections were not the only collections of exotica in Bohemia. There were several palaces and houses being built in 17th and 18th centuries Baroque Prague and in their interiors we could also find objects produced in China and supposedly also in Japan. One of the most prominent magnates of that time was Václav Vojtěch of Šternberk who, after having reconstructed his summer residence in Troja, had also built his new family residency near Prague Castle; and in this new palace Sternberk created an oriental room decorated with imitations of exotic lacquer panels and étagères used to exhibit genuine porcelain wares and their copies (fig. 3). Another example which proves that porcelain was used as a decoration in castle interiors in Bohemia is a recently found inventory thanks to which we can draw a picture of the interior of the Prague Gallas Palace in the Old Town in Prague. Jan Václav Gallas9 served as an emperor’s ambassador in England between 1705 and 1711 and such a position enabled him to become familiar with the most remarkable examples of how the exotica were used to adorn the local English aristocratic residencies. Jan Václav Gallas started to admire new fashion trends and achievements in crafts, so it’s not surprising that after his arrival from London he had part of his property moved from his London home back to Central Europe. Afterwards Gallas was appointed the highest Czech marshal, and for this reason he started to develop a sufficiently unique residency in a rather provincial Prague to represent his worldly-wisdom. He commissioned some of the most prominent artists and architects, such as Johann Bernhard Fischer of Erlach, an architect, and sculptor 8

9

Cf. Státní oblastní archiv v Plzni (Klášter u Nepomuku) State regional archives in Plzeň (Klášter u Nepomuku), Bádenská tajná dvorská kancelář / Secret court office in Baden (1588 – 1771/1774), inv. n. 7 (Sign. 8, kt. 2), Inventarium [ … ] Herschats. Schloss ... aus im Lustgartenen [ … ], Johann Philip Riedel, am Tag Georgis Anno 1690. – , fol.64 unpaginated. The subject of the Gallas family and their collections is repeatedly treated by Martin Krummholz, who published a series of authoritative treatises on the theme, e.g. Krummholz 2005, 2007, 2011 and 2013.

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Fig. 3: Johann Adalbert Kratochvil, Oriental cabinet in Sternberg Palace, Prague, around 1710, © Filip Suchomel.

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Fig. 4: Johann Adalbert Kratochvil, Chinese nobleman and a bush with a monkey. Oriental cabinet in Sternberg Palace, Prague, around 1710, detail, ©Filip Suchomel. Fig. 5: The furnishings of Philipp Josef von Gallas in Prague (1720), © State Regional Archives in Litoměřice, Historical Collection (Family Archives) of the Clam-Gallas Family, inv. no. 1964.

Matyáš Bernard Braun. It is obvious that Gallas’ residence must have been furnished and designed in accordance with the latest trends and boasted of many cleverly integrated examples of exotic objects including the period porcelain; they all should have proved how sophisticated and worldly-wise their owner was, which was made evident by carefully made inventory lists of his possessions that describe his mobile property and

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interior from the period between 1710 and 1721.10 Some of them also inform us about a rather extensive collection of porcelain pieces of various forms. These are illustrated in many inventories and accompanied with simple sketches of their shapes in order to facilitate their identification (fig. 4). The Inventories also mention blue and white wares, white porcelain and Japanese porcelain. Based on unambiguous clues, the category “Japanese” could have included porcelain which was decorated with underglaze cobalt and overglaze enamels and gold, in other words with I­mari wares (of Japanese origin) or Chinese Imari, but it’s also possible that there was other, colourfully ornamented porcelain ware (such as Chinese famille Fig. 6: Inventory of porcelain sent to Rome vert). The tableware was placed either on from Prague (May 1715), © State Regional fireplace mantels or on upper ledges of Archives in Litoměřice, Historical Collection lacquer and wooden cabinets, which was a (Family Archives) of the Clam-Gallas Family typical and frequently used way of install- (1529–1947), inv. no. 1954. ing exotica also in England. As the drawings and sketches show, there were plenty of vases and small lidded boxes, often fitted with mounts of precious metals. The fact that the porcelain wares were highly treasured by the nobility can be also seen in the specialized inventory dedicated only to porcelain imported to Rome from 1715, which illustrates the richness of the whole collection (fig. 5). Porcelain objects were of many various shapes, ranging from bowls, boxes, jars, beaker vases, incense burners to cups, bottles, flacons and also porcelain figures. The cabinets held beaker vases, lidded jars, pots of Near Eastern type, round bodied bottles, and flasks, small jars, and small lidded boxes. Furthermore, the records obviously show that the collection also comprised of more precious older celadon plates or bowls produced in the Longquan workshops. Although the inventories never mention Chinese porcelain directly, we assume that most of the things were in fact of Chinese origin, and only a mi10 Suchomel 2015: 59–63.

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nority was produced in Japan.11 Because the majority of Gallas’ porcelain collections were described as a blue and white type we can assume that the collections contained mainly Chinese products made especially for the European markets. But let us continue. There’s one source, which is very rare in the Czech context and which illustrates the contemporary interest in exotica and curiosities: we can draw on sketches and little paintings found in a manuscript written by Jan Rudolf Sporck and called Delineationes;12 they not only depict his contemporaries, saints, townscapes, copies of paintings by various artists, but also things used on a daily basis, medals, coins, weapons, natural history specimens, Orientalia and other rarities. They were captured by Sporck himself between 1717 and 1741 and it seems that he mostly portrayed those objects that he considered in some way related to the art collection he was building at that time. We can assume that some of the sketches show Sporck’s Prague collection which he had accumulated in his palace in Panská Street in the New Town. Several sketchbooks also depict examples of exotica. It is in this sketchbook where we can find several interesting examples which prove how widespread oriental goods were in Central Europe of the second quarter of 18th century.13 We can see not only oriental porcelain and pottery, but also lacquer work, enamels, and some less common rarities, such as containers made from amber and precious stones. Placing and distribution of each piece in Sporck’s palace can be seen in several views of palace interiors, where we can notice shapes which might represent oriental goods too, chiefly contemporary porcelain and pottery. Page No. 112 in volume IV titled “VASCULUM SINaa dictu et terra BUCCERA” even shows us a detailed depiction of a small tea pot of Yixing ceramics (fig. 6).14 Another example of Chinese origin might be found in the very same sketchbook: an angular storage box decorated with painted cartouches and motifs of a bird sitting on a branch and a lid portraying a small lion, an ink-bottle or a small vase, or rather a tobacco snuff box.15 Some pages picture Chinese and Japanese lacquer work. Sporck’s manuscript represents a remarkably interesting contemporary material which gives us evidence that

11

Compare: Státní oblastní archiv v Litoměřicích (Děčín), State Regional Archives in Litoměřice/Děčín, Historická sbírka (Rodinný archiv) Clam-Gallasů, Frýdlant /Historical Collection (Family Archives) of the Clam-Gallas Family(1529–1947), inv. no. 1949, 1954,1959, 1964. 12 On Sporck’s Delineationes cf. Seifertová and Ševčik 1997: 63–72, Slavíček 1993: 13–16, Slavíček 2007, Suchomelová 2015, Suchomel 2015: 64–66. 13 Compare Královská kanonie premonstrátů na Strahově Prague, Delineationes Sporckianae, DE III 22 – LIBER IV (1719–1734), fol. 217r. 14 Compare Královská kanonie premonstrátů na Strahově Prague, Delineationes Sporckianae, DE III 22 – LIBER IV (1719–1734), fol. 112r. 15 Compare Královská kanonie premonstrátů na Strahově Prague, Delineationes Sporckianae, DE III 21 – LIBER V (1736–1738), fol. 20r; DEIII 21 LIBER V (1736–1738), fol. 218r.

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the interest in exotica did not cease or fade away in the 1730s.16 The collections which have been mentioned so far have not been preserved to this day, or at least we are not able to identify them. To conclude my short text I would like to mention a set of objects from which the majority has been preserved and which illustrates how rich the collections of Asian porcelain were in Bohemia. This collection was linked with a prominent provincial nobleman of Wal- Fig. 7: Yixing teapot. Jan Rudolf Sporck, ­Delineationes Sporckianae (1736–1738) Liber lenstein family and even today it repreIV., fol. 112r.(Delineationes DE III 22), sents a set of more than thousand pieces of © Ota Palán. Far Eastern porcelain. Being deposited at Mnichovo Hradiště Castle and partly also at Duchcov Castle, the group of objects belongs to one of the most compact porcelain collections in Bohemia.17 It grew after several family properties were joined together; they originally came from the castles in Mnichovo Hradiště, Doksy, Duchcov, Bělá pod Bezdězem, and Liblice. The Mnichovo Hradiště and Duchcov collection can be considered as a typical example of aristocratic interest in Orientalia in Central Europe. The collection’s fate was rather complicated in the 20th century because Wallensteins handed the Duchcov Castle, their main residence, over to the state after the agrarian reform in 1920 (they left only a small part of the porcelain collection at Duchcov Castle) and transported most of their mobile property to other family residencies. When identifying Wallenstein collections it is again the inventory of the Duchcov Castle which plays an important role; it informs us about the existence of groups of porcelain wares as early as in 1740 or 1749, the majority of which was stored in the cabinet/room of porcelain in Duchcov Castle. We can imagine what it looked like for example thanks to a description from 1820, which was written by Friedrich Petry,18 however, no picture portraying it has been preserved to this day. Unfortunately, we don’t know when exactly the Duchcov porcelain cabinet/room came into existence and what it looked like, but we suppose that it had already been built in the 18th century, i.e. in an era when such decorations were of the greatest interest. 16 Compare Královská kanonie premonstrátů na Strahově Prague, Delineationes Sporckianae, DE III 21 – LIBER V (1736–1738), fol. 16r, also DE III 21 – LIBER V (1736–1738), fol. 18r, 21r, 23r, 25r. 17 Suchomel 2015: 74–86. 18 Petry 1820: 18.

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Undoubtedly it was furnished with Chinese and supposedly Japanese porcelain. The castle was open to German guests already at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries and Franz Adam Wallenstein had a partially new installation made in 1814. However, we don’t know when exactly the porcelain wares were made part of the collection. Rudolf Just, a well-known Prague collector of 1940s and 1950s, was of the opinion that some of the exhibits from the rich collection of faience and Meissen porcelain could have been acquired by Franz Josef Georg of Wallenstein around 1741 from Saxon chancellor Heinrich von Brühl, though, we do not know if even oriental porcelain could have ended up in the collections in this way.19 Yet, it is possible that a cabinet with porcelain had already existed at Duchcov Castle at that time, and that the Meissen pieces Fig. 8: “Extract Aussr Hoffmeisters Inventario So were there just to make it richer and more Sict an noch Würklich in duxer Schloss an verschiedenen Porcelaine, Ziehe, Kupffer, geschier, amenable. Moreover, there is evidence that Blech und Eissen Werk befindet… A(nn)o 1760”, the Duchcov owners had close contacts © State Regional Archives in Prague, Family with the court of the elector of Saxony Archive of the Wallensteins – Duchcov, inv.n. and that the elector had also visited DuchRAV–DU 3127. cov.20 It was in 1741 when a unique Duchcov group of 268 painting, including the famous Vermeer’s “The Procuress”, was sold and became part of the Dresden Wettinov’s collection; the purchase might have been brought about by complicated political agreements after Maria Theresa gained the Austrian throne. Wallenstein porcelain collections developed in various ways. There are examples showing that for instance a nobleman of a lower rank Michael Kreisinger of Eckersfeld sold his porcelain pieces to Franz Josef Jiří Wallenstein in the period between 1743 and 1753. The richness of the collection is also

19 Just 1959: 28. 20 Kreuz 1933: 66.

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Fig. 9: Mnichovo Hradiště Castle, Japanese room decorated with Japanese and Chinese porcelain and furnishings with large Japanese jars in the middle. Japanese porcelain: 1700–1740, Chinese porcelain: 1690–1730, © Michal Hladík.

illustrated in photos portraying the condition of the Duchcov collection at the end of the 19th century when part of Duchcov Castle was opened to public. Many porcelain pieces in the collection have been preserved to this day. The huge quantity of Japanese porcelain (which might be Chinese in fact), the glaze of which is ornamented with red enamel and gold, is for example mentioned in the Duchcov inventory from 23 May 1760.21 The mentioned porcelain wares undoubtedly refer to a set of beaker vases and lidded jars that have been preserved in large quantities in both Mnichovo Hradiště Castle and Duchcov Castle till now. Late 18th century inventories also list large numbers of so called “Indianische Schüsseln” which might signify a multitude of obviously Chinese porcelain wares. Mnichovovo Hradiště inventories from 1801 and from the period between 1803 and 1809 also contain references to porcelain of Japanese and Chinese origin; and there’s an interesting entry informing us about a large set of colourfully decorated porcelain

21 Compare Státní oblastní archiv v Praze (Mnichovo Hradiště)/ State regional archives in Prague (Mnichovo Hradiště), Rodinný archiv Valdštejnů – Duchcov/ Family archives of the Wallensteins – Duchcov inv. no. 3127, Item II.

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figurines, here referred to as Japanese work. These could be identified as part of a set which has been preserved in the castle collections to this day; yet, we consider most of it Chinese work chiefly from late 18th century. An interesting fact is that inventories of Doksy dominion from 1810 also mention large porcelain containers of Japanese origin and many jars from China. The large jars might be identified with large Japanese-style lidded jars called tsubo that can be still found at Mnichovo Hradiště Castle.22 Although the whole Wallenstein collection has undergone many alterations and has been divided into several parts, we may venture to say that it is, as a whole, unparalleled in the Czech Republic in terms of quantity, even if we can find vast collections of Chinese and Japanese porcelain at other residencies linked for example with the Schwarzenberg (Castles Hluboká and Český Krumlov), Lichnowsky (Hradec nad Moravicí Chateau), Černín (Chateaux Chudenice and Vinoř) and Dalberg (Dačice Chateau) families. But the description of these interesting collections is not a subject of this article.

References Bauer and Haupt 1976: Bauer, R. and Haupt, H. 1976. Das Kunstkammerinventar Kaiser Rudolf II. 1607–1611. Jahrbuch der Kunsthistorischen Sammlungen in Wien, vol. 72 (XVI). Vienna: A. Schroll & Co. Frolik et al. 1988: Frolík, J., Žegklitz, J. and Boháčová, I. 1988. Kanovnická ulice (Canons‘s street) No. 73. In: Castrum Pragense, Archeologický ústav AV ČR, eds. J. Frolík and Z. Smetánka, vol. 1, 43–56. Prague: Archeologický ústav AV ČR. Fučíková et al. 1988: Fučíková, E., Bukovinská, B. and Muchka, I. (eds.). 1988. Die Kunst am Hofe Rudolfs II. Hanau: Dausien Verlag. Fučíková et al. 1997: Fučíková, E., Bradburne, J.M. and Bukovinská, B. (eds.). 1997. Rudolf II and Prague: The Court and the City. London-Prague: Thames & Hudson. Grimm 2000: Grimm, U. 2000. „In einem so weit entfernten Deutschen Palast vortrefflichste Seltenheiten so magnific und von einer so hohen Hand so nett rangieret“: Zu den Lackarbeiten am Hofe der Sibylla Augusta, Markgräfin von Baden-Baden. In: Japanische und europäische Lackarbeiten, ed. M. Kühlenthal, 237–254. Munich: Bayerisches Landesamt für Denkmal­pflege. Just 1959: Just, R. 1959. Umbemalte Augustus Rex-Vasen. Mitteilungsblatt der Keramikfreunde der Schweiz 48/1959: 27–28. Konečný et al. 1997: Konečný, L.J., Bukovinská, B. and Muchka, I. (eds.). 1997. Kreuz 1933: Kreuz, A. 1933. Geschichte der Stadt Dux. Dux: Carl Scheithauer. Krummholz 2005: Krummholz, M. 2005. Obrazová sbírka Jana Václava Gallase [The picture collection of Jan Václav Gallas]. Umění/Art 53(3)/2005: 273–285. Online version: http://www. umeni-art.cz/en/issue-detail.aspx?v=issue-issue-828. 22 For more on the Wallenstein inventories, compare Suchomel and Suchomelová 1997: 56–57.

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Krummholz 2007: Krummholz, M. 2007. Clam-Gallasův palác, Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach: Architektura, výzdoba, život rezidence. Prague: Archiv hl.města Prahy. Krummholz 2011: Krummholz, M. 2011. Gallasovský hofmistr Johann Heinrich Dienebier (1677– 1748). Theatrum historiae 9/2011: 375–395. Krummholz 2013: Krummholz, M. 2013. Gallasové – barokní kavalíři a mecenáši (1630–1757). Dissertation, Charles University, Prague. Petry 1820: Petry, F. 1820. Das Schloß Dux in Böhmen nach seiner neuerlichen Umstaltung: nebst einer skizzirten Beschreibung der daselbst befindlichen bemerkenswerthen Gegenstände. Teplitz: n.p. Renner 1941: Renner, A.M. 1941. Schloss Schlackenwerth, die Heimat der Markgräfin Sibylla Augusta von Baden, Nach dem Schloßinventar von 1685. Zeitschrift für Geschichte des Oberrheins 93/1941, NF 54/ 3: 503–572. Seifertová and Ševčik 1997: Seifertová, H. and Ševčik,A. 1997. S ozvěnou starých mistrů, Pražská kabinetní malba 1690–1750. Prague: Národní galerie v Praze / National Gallery in Prague. Slavíček 1993: Slavíček, L. 1993. “Conte Savio“ Jan Bedřich z Valdštejna, mecenáš umění a sběratel, Dějiny a současnost 15. Prague: Nakladatelství Lidové noviny. Slavíček 2007: Slavíček, L. 2007. Sobě, umění, přátelům, Kapitoly z dějin sběratelství v Čechách a na Moravě 1650–1939. Brno: Barrister & Principal. Suchomel 2015: Suchomel, F. 2015. 300 Treasures, Chinese Porcelain in the Wallenstein, Schwarzenberg and Lichnowsky Family Collections. Prague: Vysoká škola uměleckoprůmyslová v Praze / Academy of art, architecture and design in Prague. Suchomel and Suchomelová 1997: Suchomel, F. and Suchomelová, M. 1997. Masterpieces of Japanese Porcelain. Prague: Národní galerie v Praze / National gallery in Prague. Suchomelová 2015: Suchomelová, M. 2015. Barokní obrazy Orientu Delineationes Sporckianae Jana Rudolfa Šporka (1695/1696? – 1759). In: Umenie Orientu, Zborník príspevkov z medzinárodného sympózia usporiadaného pri príležitosti výstavy Umenie Orientu, ed. K. Malečková, 81–90. Bojnice: Slovenské národné muzeum.

Heike Ulbricht

The Porcelain Collection in Dresden A Brief Historical Overview and Two Current Projects

Abstract As one of the most exquisite and comprehensive ceramic collections in the world, the Porzellansammlung of the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden boasts rare, early stoneware and porcelain from the Meissen Manufactory as well as an enormous amount of Japanese and Chinese export porcelain. Not only the sheer volume and variety of the collection are addressed in the paper; there is also discussion of the historical written inventories, the plans for Augustus the Strong’s porcelain castle and the permanent exhibition. In the context of the workshop two current projects are of special interest: 1. The cataloguing of East Asian ceramics in Augustus the Strong’s collection on the basis of the 18th-century inventories. This project will offer a complete overview of the East Asian holdings as documented in the hitherto unpublished original 18th-century inventories. Together with an international group of experts, the Porzellansammlung aims to produce a comprehensive reference work and a definitive source for future research in the field of Chinese and Japanese export porcelains from the 17th and early 18th centuries. 2. Conservation of Imari vases with lacquer decoration. For this project, a group of more than 60 Japanese Imari vases, dating from the late th 17 century, are of special interest. These vessels are decorated not only with underglaze cobalt blue but also with a delicately gilded and painted urushi layer. Their very poor conservation status requires a large-scale restoration project. ***

A Palace for Porcelain – The Beginning of the Porcelain Collection Let’s start with Augustus the Strong (1670–1733), the potentate who surely did most to shape Dresden’s profile, and let us confine ourselves in the process to his passion for porcelain.

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Fig. 1: Fireworks on the river Elbe by the Dutch Palace to mark the marriage on 10 September 1719, etching after Matthäus Daniel Pöppelmann by Johann August Corvinus, Collection of Prints, Drawings and Photographs (Kupferstich-Kabinett), Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, Inv. No. A 153201, © Kupferstich-Kabinett, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden.

Augustus the Strong was the Elector Prince of Saxony from 1694 to 1733 and, from 1697, King of Poland as well.1 The situation confronting him when he came to power left him little room to demonstrate his status as an absolutist ruler to the full. Changes were at the very latest seen to be essential when his son tied the knot with the Emperor’s daughter Maria Josepha, a marriage that enhanced the Saxon dynasty’s hopes of someday gaining the imperial crown. To this end he set about modernising his residential Palace in Dresden whilst at the same time establishing a network of smaller palaces organised along thematic lines.2 This was an age in which presentations of precious oriental items in exotic settings were something of a must. The efforts Augustus the Strong undertook in this respect were beyond parallel. From about 1715 he began acquiring Japanese and Chinese porcelain in quantities unheard of at other European courts. 1 2

King of Poland from 1697–1706 and from 1709–1733. Schlechte 1984: 15ff.

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In tandem with this, he also played an instrumental part in the re-invention of porcelain in Europe. By allowing the natural scientist Ehrenfried Walter von Tschirnhaus and the alchemist Johann Friedrich Böttger to experiment with Saxon clays, he paved the way, via the creation of a ceramic body called Böttger stoneware, for the invention of the first European hard-paste porcelain. After he set up the Meissen Manufactory in 1710, Augustus the Strong was for some years the only European ruler in a position to furnish his residences with porcelain produced domestically. The costly purchase of huge quantities of East Asian porcelain combined with the unique state of affairs of having his own Saxon porcelain made it virtually inevitable that all the various treasures should be fittingly shown off. It was for this purpose that Augustus the Strong bought a property located on the north bank of the river Elbe in April 1717, which was originally called the “Dutch Palace” (fig. 1). Built for Count Flemming just two years previously by Matthäus Daniel Pöppelmann, the structure was converted to serve its new purpose in an incredibly short period of time and was fitted out by its new owner with exquisite fabrics, lacquer work, silver furniture, carved soapstone, tapestries and mirrors as well as impressive quantities of oriental and Meissen porcelain. It was unveiled within four months, on 15 August 1717, with a glittering banquet.3 On 10 September 1719, when the electoral heir married the Habsburg Princess Maria Josepha, the Palace provided a very regal backdrop to splendid festivities in all its rooms followed by a firework display on the river (fig. 1). The premises were already extravagantly furnished even then, therefore. Augustus the Strong would surely have liked to display more material from his own Manufactory, but until about 1720 Böttger stoneware, black-glazed stoneware and undecorated white porcelain were all that could be supplied by Meissen. No doubt, the wealth of Chinese and Japanese porcelains looked all the more impressive as a result. It was probably the novelty and outstanding quality of the Japanese Imari porcelains that led before very long to the “Dutch Palace” being referred to exclusively as “Das Japanische Palais”. In its original dimensions, however, the Palace was not enough to satisfy the ambitions of the Elector Prince and King and he very soon began to plan something even more momentous. The various planning phases are well documented in drafts produced by four different architects. At the heart of all of them was the notion of displaying porcelain to maximum effect and of creating an overall setting that did justice to the ceremonies of court – setting the scene, in fact, for nothing less than a palace for porcelain.

3

For this topic see: Schwarm 2014.

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By around 1730, the proportion of Saxon products had grown considerably and a means of lending them suitable prominence was now sought. It was decided to furnish rooms on the ground floor exclusively with Chinese and Japanese porcelains and to devote the first floor, the piano nobile, to domestic Meissen porcelain. Visitors invited to an audience were first to pass through rooms opulently adorned with Asian porcelain on the lower floor. Their route would then take them through a gallery of large-format Meissen animals on the floor above. From there they would file past a succession of cabinets all containing porcelains from the Saxon Manufactory on gilded consoles against a backdrop of silk wall coverings in matching colours. Finally, they would enter a gallery 70 metres long4 at the far end of which a canopied throne would stand. The sense of a contest being fought out between Saxon porcelain and imports from the Far East, and of the Saxon side winning, was symbolically reflected both in a ceiling painting in the audience chamber and in the tympanum above the main entrance. Everything in the building was subordinated to the subject of porcelain and, with the aid of clever staging, was designed to bring widespread fame to the Meissen Manufactory as well as underscoring the esteem in which the ruler was held. It was not merely planned to place porcelains on consoles. There were also going to be a set of chimes, an organ5, life-size figures of the Apostles, and a roof covering in porcelain was even envisaged. This bold undertaking was too heavily bound up with the person of Augustus the Strong, however, and, when he died in 1733, his unique porcelain creation unfortunately began to die with him. Although his son, Frederick Augustus the Second (1696–1763), did initially continue to pursue the project, the job of fitting the palace out was never actually completed (fig. 2). In the mid-18th century, all the porcelains were transferred from the upper storeys to the palace basement, which for several years had already housed showpiece kitchens in ten rooms. The spirit of this new “enlightened” age dictated that priority be given to a sculpture collection, a cabinet of coins and a library, which were now installed in the upper storeys. This development resulted in the porcelain being confined to dark cellar rooms6 and led, moreover, to duplicate pieces being sold off, sacrificed in favour of a universal ceramics museum with educational pretensions. Following the move to the Johanneum building on the Neumarkt in 1876, the numerous holdings were exhibited in a manner which befitted the times but was still rather cramped. 4 5 6

This information was provided by Stephan Herzig, who is currently working on a comprehensive treatise on the Japanese Palace. All that ended up from the initially planned organ with the chimes was a carillon with a housing carved by Johann Joachim Kaendler. It is fairly certain that these rooms were perennially flooded by the river Elbe.

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Fig. 2: Shown on this slide is a visualisation arrived at on the basis of extant plans of one of the rooms in the palace as it would have looked in about 1735; see also www.arte4d.de, © rendering by Andreas Hummel, arte4D.

The porcelain was finally moved to the Dresden Zwinger in the 1930s. The idea of using this sun-soaked architectural ensemble, originally conceived as an orangery, to house these vast holdings dates all the way back to the late 18th century7. With installation virtually complete however, the exhibition suffered a major setback during the war period. It was decreed that, with enemy forces approaching, all works of art were to be evacuated to more secure locations. Once the war had ended, some were then confiscated and taken to what was then still the Soviet Union. The Zwinger was badly damaged during the air raids on Dresden. It was not until it had been rebuilt and its porcelains had been returned from the Soviet Union in the 1950s that the Zwinger was finally opened up to the public. The exhibition was initially confined to what is known as the Long Gallery but was constantly expanded and revamped in the years that followed.

7

10026, Geheimes Kabinett, Loc. 2407/3: Acta. Die Veräußerung derer bey der Chur-Fürstl. Bibliothek befindlichen Doubletten und Tripletten per modem Auctionis, ingleichen die Unterbringung der Bibliothec nebst der Antiquen- und Münz-Sammlung im Holländischen Palais hiesiger Neustadt, auch Anwend- und anderweite Placierung derer jetzt darinnen befindlichen Porcellains und Mobilien betr. Ao. 1774 […1805], unpag. Information courtesy of Anette Loesch, Porzellansammlung.

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Fig. 3: Layout of the porcelain collection in the East Asian Gallery on the basis of surviving records for the Japanese Palace, © Porzellansammlung, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, photo by David Brandt.

The present interior is mainly the work of New York architect Peter Marino. His design draws on extant original plans for the Japanese Palace (fig. 3) and supplements this historicist approach with contrasting features of a modern minimalist kind. Choice materials such as gleaming lacquered surfaces and leather wall hangings, silk and glass surfaces form part of his scheme, as does gilt historical furniture (fig. 4).

Historical Inventories and the East Asian Porcelains they document – a Research Project Let us now return to the works of art themselves. Numbering just under 20,000 items, the Porcelain Collection is still one of the largest specialised ceramic collections in the world. As already mentioned, the bulk of its holdings were acquired during the reigns of Augustus the Strong and his son. The porcelains assembled in the Japanese Palace were

The Porcelain Collection in Dresden

Fig. 4: Peter Marino staged the menagerie of large-format Meissen animals on golden rocks beneath exotic canopies. The walls of the surrounding space are lined with specially embossed and gilded leather coverings that form a backdrop for both native and non-native birds perched on golden brackets, © Porzellansamm­ lung, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, photo by Jürgen Lösel. Fig. 5: The illustration exemplifies how entries in the 18th century inventories are denoted by incised or painted means on the corresponding porcelain. The transcribed description reads as follows: “No. 8. –7 squat round salt cellars with low feet, the discs at the top through which the salt is poured being removable, 1 disc is missing, 2¼ in. high, 3½ in. in diam.”, © Porzellansammlung, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, photo by Heike Ulbricht.

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Fig. 6: More than 60 Japanese vases with lacquer decoration are in such a sorry state of disrepair that they are kept hidden away in the vaults. Amongst them are a number of what are known as “birdcage vases”, three of which are shown in the photo. One of them is already awaiting restoration at the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties in Tokyo, © Porzellansammlung, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, photo by Heike Ulbricht.

first recorded in an inventory, along with further precious fitments, from 1721 to 1727.8 The inventory numbers they were accorded were either incised into the base of the porcelain or applied in black ink (fig. 5). A fresh inventory of the collection was produced in 1779, thus confirming that the ware was 18th-century in origin, if not earlier.9 Holdings of East Asian porcelain grew by about 4,500 in the 50 years between these inventories from 24,500 in 1727 to 29,000 in the 1779 inventory. The increase in the number of items from the domestic Saxon Manufactory was even greater; whereas the 1721/1727 inventory lists just 1,867 such porcelains, by 1779 the figure had leapt to 9,498, a rise of more than 7,600.10 The unique circumstance of having so many originals preserved at the same location as inventories that prove them to be from the 18th century at the latest forms the point of 8 9

SKD inventory, no. 324, 1721: Inventarium über das Palais zu Alt-.Dreßden Anno 1721. SKD inventories, nos. 326, 328, 330, 332 and 334, 1779: Inventarium vom Chur. Fürstl. Sächßischen Japanischen Palais, zu Neustadt bey Dreßden. 10 Internal inventory count 2014/15. The numbers may change slightly in the course of the project.

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departure for a project now being run by the Porzellansammlung. For the first time, extant holdings of Chinese and Japanese porcelains are being compared with the historical inventories. In addition, each item is being professionally documented by photographic means. This involves taking at least five shots of each item in the case of vessels and figures, and two for plates. Most significantly, however, the project will be subjecting all inventory entries to scholarly analysis. The historical inventories produced in 1721/27 and 1779 are divided into the following ten categories: Japanese Porcelain, Kraak Porcelain, White Chinese Porcelain, Green Chinese Porcelain, Red Chinese Porcelain, Blue-and-White East Indian Porcelain plus the domestically produced White Saxon Porcelain, Brown Saxon Porcelain, Terra Sigillata and, finally, Black Indian and Black Lacquered Porcelain. Each of the East Asian categories is to be researched in depth by a specialist in the course of the project. There is also close collaboration with Professor Sarah Fraser and the University of Heidelberg for the purpose of evaluating the iconography of the decorative material. Overall project coordination is being provided by Cora Würmell, Curator for Oriental Holdings in the Dresden Porcelain Collection, and Emeritus Professor Christian Jörg as the academic supervisor. It is also mooted cooperating with Dresden Technical University in creating 3D presentations of individual pieces.

The Conservation of Japanese Imari Vases with Lacquer ­Decoration There were plans to furnish one of the most high-profile rooms in the Japanese Palace, the Garden Hall on the ground floor of the riverside wing, with what were referred to as “gilded Indian vases and beakers”11. These were magnificent sets of vases known as garnitures and, in the 1721 inventory, were included in the section entitled Blue-and-White East Indian Porcelain12. The covered vases amongst them, all of which are very large, are referred to in the inventory as “jars” and, together with the beaker vases, were made in Japan in about 1700. They were first painted in underglaze blue on the biscuit-fired body and then glazed. A number of variously shaped areas were left unglazed, with the intention of applying splendid lacquer applications to their resultantly rough surfaces. As far as we know, the lacquer applied was urushi with diverse other ingredients, mostly clay 11 HStA Dresden, OHMA, P, Cap. II, No. 15, Sheet 2, Makro 6102. 12 SKD inventory, no. 324, 1721: Blau und weiß indianisch Porcellain, worunter sich Krack mit befindet. Dieses Porcelain ist durchgehends mit dem Signo vvv bezeichnet worden. Cap. I. An Aufsätzen, Vasen, Bouteillen-Bechern, so zu Aufsäzen gebrauchet werden können, Blumen Töpfen und Figuren (Blue-and-White East Indian porcelain: This porcelain has been marked throughout with the cipher vvv. Ch. I. Garnitures, vases, bottle beakers that can be used in garnitures, flower jars and figures), pp. 335–343.

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minerals, admixed.13 The raised decoration was produced separately with the aid of press-moulds, after which it was attached to the vases, gilded and set in colours. It is possible to identify eighty garniture vases decorated in this manner in the 1721 inventory. By 1779, holdings of what are known as birdcage vases had, for reasons unknown, fallen from twenty to thirteen.14 Fig. 7: Many of the detached lacquer fragThere were a further two garnitures, each ments were deposited at random in the opencomprising five vases. All in all, therefore, topped vases or in cardboard boxes together the royal holdings included eighty-three with dirt from the last hundreds of years, © Imari vases with lacquer decoration in the Porzellansammlung, Staatliche Kunstsammlu18th century, no fewer than sixty-four of ngen Dresden, photo by Magdalena Kozar. which are still in the present-day Porcelain Collection (fig. 6).15 And yet hardly anyone knows of the existence of these unusual vases; they are in such a sorry state of disrepair that they are kept hidden away in the vaults. It was almost inevitable that combining porcelain and lacquer to such interesting effect would give rise to problems. Whereas lacquer reacts to the slightest change in atmospheric humidity and temperature by expanding or contracting, porcelain remains largely unaffected. Several entries in the 18th-century inventories indicate that the lacquer-decorated vases were causing problems even then. Comments such as “The gilding is damaged”, “The painting and gilding have come away in places” or “The painting is on cardboard and much of it has come away” are repeatedly made.16 Up to about 20 years ago, fragments of detached lacquer were deposited in the open-topped vases – some loose, some wrapped up in newspaper – and there was also a big box filled with further broken pieces (fig. 7). A conservation project is now planned, with the aim, if at all possible, of piecing the items back together again.17 13 Korntheuer-Wardak 2004: 219; Lambooy 2003. 14 SKD Inventories, No. 334, 1779: Vol. V. fol. 4v. 15 Blue-and-White East Indian porcelain with lacquer decoration: inventory number N 11: once 15 vases now 13; N 12: once 5 now 4; N 13: once 15 now 8; N 14: once 10 now also 10; N 16: once 5 now 3; N 17 (assigned): once 10 now 2; N 18: once 20, 1779 14 with the comment “sind nur 13” 4 vases restitution Wettin, now 9; N 330: once 5 now 4; N 331: once 5 now 3. There are further 8 vases with lacquer decoration but without historical inventory numbers. 16 SKD inventories, no. 324, 1721: no. 6, pp. 339–343. 17 There was a first attempt in 2003/4. See Korntheuer-Wardak 2004.

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As a first step, Magdalena Kozar is working with the extant lacquer fragments. For a total of about a year or so she has been busy sorting the various bits out, sticking matching fragments together with Japan paper and starch adhesive and determining their original position on the vases (fig. 8). Mrs Kozar is a very committed new colleague who is now amazingly wellversed in the subject and classifies fragments more successfully than any computer program – we actually put it to the test.18 The next step planned will involve restoring one of the “birdcage vases” from the group at the National Research Insti- Fig. 8: Classifying material that has come tute for Cultural Properties in Tokyo. This away and determining its original position Institute has set itself the task of restoring was the first step for the conservation project. key Japanese works of art and culture scat- Conclusive positioning is often only possible tered around the entire western world and by matching up faint lines on the back of the hence ensuring their survival. Yoshihiko lacquer with corresponding features on the Yamashita will be supervising the conser- unglazed porcelain (Inv. No. PO 6006), © vation of a birdcage vase and Magdalena Porzellansammlung, Staatliche KunstsammluKozar will have an opportunity to consult ngen Dresden, photo by Magdalena Kozar. with him as he works in Japan.19 Once this initial conservation venture has been completed, a workshop is planned in Dresden with a view to discussing the course of action for the remaining Japanese vases decorated with lacquer applications. We are still at the very beginning of a huge conservation project. We already have answers to some questions but there are a lot more as yet unresolved.

Acknowledgements I would like to thank Timothy J. S. Driver for the translation.

18 Fraß 2014. 19 One “birdcage vase” has already been at the National Research Institute in Tokyo since January 2016. It is due to be restored until 2017.

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References Fraß 2014: Fraß, C. 2014. Automatisierte Rekonstruktion von Vasen-Applikationen. Research paper, Technische Universität Dresden. Korntheuer-Wardak 2004: Korntheuer-Wardak, T. 2004. Nichtkeramische Reliefapplikationen auf japanischen Imari-Vasen aus der Dresdener Porzellansammlung, Untersuchungen zur Herstellungstechnik. Zeitschrift für Kunsttechnologie und Konservierung 2/2014: 215–224. Lambooy 2003: Lambooy, S. 2003. Japans porselein met urushi-lakdecoraties, Afstudeeronderzoek. Unpublished thesis, Instituut Collectie Nederland, Amsterdam. Schlechte 1984: Schlechte, M. 1984. Das Barocke Architektur- und Landschaftsensemble Moritzburg (die Umgestaltungsphase in der Regierungszeit August des Starken). Dissertation, Technische Universität Dresden. Schwarm 2014: Schwarm, E. 2014. ‘Die Sammlung im Holländischen Palais’. In: Japanisches Palais zu Dresden, Die Königliche Porzellansammlung Augusts des Starken, eds. U. Pietsch and C. Bischoff, 83–167. Munich: Hirmer.

Additional Literature Baur, D. 2014. Die Ausstattung des Japanischen Palais ab 1727. In: Japanisches Palais zu Dresden, Die Königliche Porzellansammlung Augusts des Starken, eds. U. Pietsch and C. Bischoff, 200–251. Munich: Hirmer. Dresden Zwinger. 1998. State Art Collections Dresden Porcelain Collection: Guide to the permanent Collection in the Dresden Zwinger. Meissen: Staatliche Kunstsammlung Dresden. Lambooy, S. 2005. Lacquer on Japanese porcelain: a case study of two Imari vases with urushi lacquer decoration from the collection of the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam. Triennial meeting (14th), The Hague, 12–16 September 2005, pre-publication material. Pietsch, U. and Bischoff, C. 2014. Japanisches Palais zu Dresden, Die Königliche Porzellansammlung Augusts des Starken. Munich: Hirmer. Schwarm, E. 2014. Cap.III. Die Sammlung im Holländischen Palais. In: Japanisches Palais zu Dresden, Die Königliche Porzellansammlung Augusts des Starken, eds. U. Pietsch and C. Bischoff, 83–167. Munich: Hirmer. Ströber, E. 2003. Chinesische und japanische Porzellane mit Lackdekoration in der Porzellansammlung. In: Schwartz Porcelain, Die Leidenschaft für Lack und ihre Wirkung auf das europäische Porzellan, eds. M. Kopplin and Staatliche Schlösser und Gärten, 27–39. Munich: Hirmer. Weber, J. 2013. Meißener Porzellane mit Dekoren nach ostasiatischen Vorbilder. Munich: Hirmer. Wittwer, S. 2005. Die Galerie der Meissner Tiere: Die Menagerie August des Starken für das Japanische Palais in Dresden. Munich: Hirmer.

Irmela Breidenstein, Carola Klinzmann

Three Chinese Export Lacquer Screens at Schloss Wilhelmsthal – the History of their Conservation Abstract Since the beginning of the 18th century till today, three six-fold Chinese export gold-lacquer screens belonged to the inventory of the Castle of Wilhelmsthal near Kassel, which is part of the Museumslandschaft Hessen Kassel. In 2000 a study about possible conservation methods for Chinese export lacquer screens was published by Irmela Breidenstein.1 It focuses on the re-adhering of the detached black lacquer lamina by using wheat starch and rabbit-skin glue. Between 1998 and 2000 one of the Wilhelmsthal screens underwent a conservation treatment including this formerly unusual method. At the same time a second screen was treated by using acrylic media for the consolidation of the black lacquer layers as well as for the flaking gold decoration. The third screen remained untouched until 2013 when it underwent a highly necessary conservation treatment. From 2000 to 2013 the three screens, one of them unrestored, remained under nearly the same conditions in Schloss Wilhelmsthal. The authors will document the history of the three lacquer screens before and after their particular treatment. It spotlights the rare case of a long-term observation that can clearly show the effectiveness of different binding media used in the conservation of Chinese lacquer under the climatic conditions of a European castle. ***

Provenance and Description of Three Lacquer Screens The landgraves of Hesse-Cassel had always been greatly interested in East Asian art. The estate inventory of landgravine Maria Amalia records 2600 pieces of “porcelain” in the year 1712, thus documenting one of the largest and most important collections of East Asian art in Europe.2 Furthermore, she had a Japanese chamber installed in Palace

1 2

Breidenstein 2000: 560–585. Inventar der Verlassenschaft der Maria Amalia von Hessen, 1712, Landesbibliothek und Murhardsche Bibliothek der Stadt Kassel, Handschriftenabteilung, 2° Ms. Hass. 147, in: Schmidt 1990: 51.

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­ abern. In this inventory, a reference to the interest in folding screens can be found by W listing an “auf Indianisch Arth gemahlter niedriger Schirm von sechs Blättern” (a low screen of six sheets painted the Indian way).3 Wilhelm VIII. continued the collector’s passion shown by his mother Maria Amalia and built the Palace Wilhelmsthal near Kassel. It is considered one of Germany’s most beautiful Rococo palaces with an almost unchanged ensemble. The three-winged palace was based on designs by the renowned Munich court architect François de Cuvilliés and built between 1747 and 1761. The interior design was assigned to the sculptor Johann August Nahl, who had previously worked on the Potsdam Palace Sanssouci. A large amount of chinoiserie objects, amongst them 35 lacquered and/or japanned pieces of furniture dating from the middle of the 17th century up to the 19th century have been preserved in the holdings of the Museumslandschaft Hessen Kassel.4 The furniture collection covers the whole spectrum and variety of Asian and European lacquer art. Amongst many others it comprises three important Japanese lacquer chests in Wilhelmsthal Palace and Fasanerie Palace,5 a stunning English-Chinese coromandel cabinet (c. 1680),6 a pair of early Chinese export writing desks from the beginning of the 18th century in the Löwenburg,7 as well as a very important lacquer cabinet and three tables securely attributed to the Berlin workshop of Gérard Dagly.8 Parisian cabinetmakers like Antoine Mathieu Criard (1724–87, master 1749), Jean Deforge (d. after 1757), Jacques Dubois and Bernard van Risamburgh (after 1696– ca. 1766) delivered some of the most elegant and beautiful pieces of lacquer furniture during the second half of the 18th century, all of them on show in Wilhelmsthal Palace. According to the fashion of the time the lacquer décor of these objects consists of a combination of Japanese lacquer panels and vernis Martin. This furniture was subject to a scientific analysis during the preparation of the exhibition “Schätze aus hessischen Schlössern – Chinoiserien und Asiatika” (“Treasures from Hessian Palaces – Chinoiserie and Asiatica”) 1996,9 and furthermore in the course of the German-Japanese research project published in 2000.10

3

Inventar der Verlassenschaft der Maria Amalia von Hessen, 1712, Landesbibliothek und Murhardsche Bibliothek der Stadt Kassel, Handschriftenabteilung, 2° Ms. Hass. 147, in: Schmidt 1990: 55. 4 In 2006, the organisation was named “Museumslandschaft Hessen Kassel” after the Staatliche Museen Kassel were merged with the Cassel properties previously known as the Administration of the Public Stately Palaces & Gardens in Hesse (VSG) in the course of restructuring of Kassel’s museum landscape. 5 Reepen and Handke 1996: 91, fig. p. 161; Papist-Matsuo 2016: 50–51. 6 Reepen and Handke 1996: 92, fig. p. 162. 7 Reepen and Handke 1996: 106–107. 8 Kopplin 2015: 155–161; Reepen and Handke 1996: 45, fig. p. 166, 168, 191. 9 Breidenstein and Hagedorn 1996: 76–89. 10 Koller et al. 2000: 537–559.

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Fig. 1: Screen, Inv.-No. SM 2.7.176, manufactured between 1705 and 1735, probably in Canton, southern China, side A, © Irmela Breidenstein.

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In recent decades three Chinese export gold lacquer screens dating from the beginning of the 18th century can be ranked among the outstanding collection of Chinoiserie and Asiatica in Palace Wilhelmsthal. When and how exactly they came to Kassel has not yet been conclusively determined. The first entry in the inventory for all three folding screens dates back to 1778 and describes the relocation of 177 lacquer objects, among those the folding screens, to the princely Kunsthauß Cassel, the Kassel house of art.11 In the Wilhelmsthal inventory of 1788, the screens are not mentioned. Inventory labels directly applied on the objects point to different locations within the Palace Wilhelmsthal in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

Screen Inv.-No. SM 2.7.176 12 Measuring 255 x 264 cm height by width, the screen SM 2.7.176 is the tallest and narrowest of the three. Side A shows a palace complex stretching over four panels. The wide circumferential frame includes cartouches depicting miniature landscape scenes, floral motifs and small groups of persons as well as two Chinese lions on the bottom edges (fig.  1). Side B shows a palace scenery on little archipelagos framed by a small lotus border. This screen seems very similar to the lacquer panels in the Vieux-Laque Room in Schönbrunn Palace.13 According to an inventory label,14 this screen was situated in the residential palace in Kassel in the 1920s or 1930s. Maybe it was meant to be presented in the wallpaper museum housed in this building at the time. Since the end of the preservation measures in 1998, the screen has been stored in Palace Wilhelmsthal’s mansard, which was functioning as a depot. The darkened windows ensure that no daylight falls into the room. The screen is additionally protected with a special rack, filtering out dust and light. The climatic situation is stable, between 45–60% rH. Daily deviation lies between 1–3%. The lacquer screen will shortly be presented in the exhibition space in Palace Wilhelmsthal.

11 Inventarium über das dem galeriegebäude zu fürstl. kunsthauß abgelieferte laque de anno 1777, inventory. 12 Inventarium über das dem galeriegebäude zu fürstl. kunsthauß abgelieferte laque de anno 1777, inventory: No. 81: “Ein schmahler ganz hoher schirm von 6 flügeln, in 6 großen und kleinen mit gold gemachten feldern.”. See also: Reepen and Handke 1996: 131–132, detail fig. p.231. 13 Miklin-Kniefacz et al. 2010: 148. 14 “Residenz-Palais Zim. V. Lfd. Nr. 788” [V=Vorrat].

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Fig. 2: Screen, Inv.-No. SM 2.7.215, manufactured 18th century (K’ang-hsi 1662–1722?), China, side A, © mhk, Arno Hensmanns.

Screen Inv.-No. SM 2.7.215 15 With a width of four metres, this paravent (Inv.-No. SM 2.7.215) is the widest is the widest of the three (247.5 x 402 cm). Side A shows an almost deserted palace scenery with a circumferential frieze with alternating miniature landscapes and floral arrangements (fig.  2), while there is a landscape depicted on side B. The screen kept changing rooms throughout the last century: In the 1920s it was situated in the wardrobe of the landgravine.16 For the last 20 years it was stored in the landgrave’s wardrobe on the ground floor in Palace Wilhelmsthal. Recently, this room was darkened and its shutters closed. Here, too, the climatic conditions proved stable when measured last year, with a temperature of up to 5°C in winter and 25°C in summer and relative humidity between 47 up to 65%. There were minor daily deviations concerning relative humidity. After completion of the ongoing conservation the screen will be exposed in the Hessisches Landesmuseum in Kassel by the end of 2016. Along with the treasures of the 15

Inventarium über das dem galeriegebäude zu fürstl. kunsthauß abgelieferte laque de anno 1777, inventory: No. 79: “Ein sehr schöner breit und hohe schirm von 6 flügeln, in und auswendig mit gold und silber chinesischen landhäusern, schwarz laquirt”.See also: Reepen and Handke 1996: 130, fig. p.228–229. 16 Bleibaum 1926: VI.

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Fig. 3: Screen, SM 2.7.216, manufactured 18th century, China, © Irmela Breidenstein.

landgraves will it thus bear witness to their predilection for Asian art fashionable at the time. The screen will be set up on a pedestal in a darkened room at 50 lux.

Screen Inv.-No. SM 2.7.216 17 The decoration of the last of the three lacquer screens (Inv.-No. SM 2.7.216, 247 x 330 cm height by width) takes up the entire surface on both sides of the screen, framed by a narrow border of stylized chrysanthemums. Side A depicts a walled palace complex vividly populated by playing, strolling or working individuals (fig. 3). The other side shows a quiet and idyllic landscape of lakes with archipelagos and various houses. This folding screen, too, had been stored in several rooms of Palace Wilhelmsthal,18 in the past 40 years, however, it apparently remained in the mansard depot.

17 Inventarium über das dem galeriegebäude zu fürstl. kunsthauß abgelieferte laque de anno 1777, inventory: No. 80: “Ein etwas schmälerer hoher d to. [dito] von 6 flügeln mit seeufern und schiffen.” See also: Reepen and Handke 1996: 130–131, detail fig. p. 230. 18 Bleibaum 1926: VI: 1926 the screen was standing in the landgrave‘s bedroom.

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Since its on-site conservation in 2013 the folding screen has been stored in the depot of the Museumslandschaft Hessen Kassel.

Lacquer Technique The manufacturing technique of the folding screens is similar in all three objects: The panel consists of radially cut and butt joined coniferous planks. The end-grain edges are capped by boards. The joints are secured by bamboo dowels, as can be seen on X-ray photographs. The primer coat consists of a weakly bound proteinous mixture of clays and red ochre, and an intermediate layer of hemp paper and raw lacquer.19 Metal powders ground of gold, silver and tin were used for the painting. Two layers of slightly differing fluorescence, possibly due to different admixtures to the lacquer build the dark, originally highly glossy lacquer layer of the surface. The lacquer is not pigmented and no black colouring has been determined to this point. The outlines of the motifs had been incised and in details applied freehand or with a stencil onto the highly polished black lacquer. Slightly raised gold decoration lies on a thick layer of red-pigmented lacquer. The frequent changes of location as well as uncontrolled climatic and light conditions have led to dramatic damage in some parts of the three folding screens. All screens showed colour changes and greying of surfaces caused by dirt and humidity, as well as numerous traces of abrasion. In addition, the black lacquer is discoloured on folding screen 2.7.216, and disintegrated into a leather-like structure. Especially striking, namely on two folding screens, was the blistering and flaking of the raised gold lacquer that had led to extensive losses (fig. 5). The black lacquer had formed many zig-zag splits along the end-grain-boards and parallel to the longitudinal joints, thus developing extremely tense, high-raising and very fragile lamina. Especially on folding screen 2.7.176, hundreds of cracks were running perpendicular to the wood grain. Here the lacquer had partly lifted and formed contoured quadrilateral lamina. This took place where the radially cut boards had formed hollow spaces along the joints while drying (fig. 6).

Conservation History It was already in 1926 that Bleibaum mentioned the severely flaking gold lacquer.20 But it was only in 1975 that these layers of gold lacquer were secured with silk paper and 19 Investigation Dr. Elisabeth Jägers: Breidenstein and Hagedorn 1996: 78–80; Breidenstein 2000: 566. 20 Bleibaum 1926: 62.

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Fig. 4: Storage of the screens in the mansard depot at Wilhelmsthal Castle, c. 1975, © Klaus-Peter Schmidt.

methylcellulose paste. One year later, the storing situation in the mansard depot and the damage caused by the above mentioned securing were documented in photographs. The paste had irreversibly discoloured the water-sensitive surface and corroded the gold lacquer. The securing papers had partly separated from the surface and entrained loose flakes of lacquer (fig. 4). The folding screens remained under these conditions for another 20 years until two almost concurrent events led to their coming back into the limelight from 1993 on. Firstly there was the compilation of an inventory catalogue “Chinoiserie – furniture and wall-coverings”.21 A small pilot study about possible methods of conservational treatment led to the recommendation of animal glue for the consolidation of delaminated black lacquer instead of the then commonly used acrylic resin solutions and dispersions.22 The joint German-Japanese research project on historic lacquerware was the other occasion: In this context, extensive research on the conservation of the folding screen 2.7.176 was carried out between 1996 and 1998. Here, too, the conclusion was that the 21 Reepen and Handke 1996. 22 Breidenstein 1993.

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best results for consolidating black lacquer lamina can be achieved by using aqueous binding media like animal glues or synthetic resins dispersed in water.23 Between these two phases of research, the screen 2.7.215 underwent conservation treatment. Despite promising approaches using aqueous binding media, the conservation focused on acrylic resins for consolidation because of the well-known water-­ sensitivity of aged Asian lacquer.24 Consequently, the foundation layers underneath the coating layers were infiltrated with Paraloid B72 and dried under pressure. Within a few days, the flakes peeled off again and were partly re-fixed with an acrylic dispersion, Plextol D360 and/or isinglass (10% diluted in distilled water). The gold lacquer flakes were flattened by applying heat and pressure, then put back in place and hot-sealed with a highly diluted acrylic resin, Plexisol P550 (5–6%). In 1998/99 the conservation of the screen 2.7.176 was carried out by the methods found in the study, using acrylic dispersions like Plextol D 498 but mostly glutinous glue and starch paste. The detached areas were first isolated against moisture by applying a film of Plexigum PQ611 to the surface, then pre-moistened and preheated in order to make the lacquer more elastic and to widen the cracks for an effective injection of the glues. After applying the glue, the flakes dried for approximately 24–30 hours and were then pressed down using warm boards and clamps. Drying took a minimum of two days. Loose flakes of gold lacquer were hot-sealed with BEVA 371. Only endangered cracks with highly raised lamina were secured. The screen was subsequently stored under controlled climatic conditions in Palace Wilhelmsthal. The third folding screen 2.7.216 remained untreated until 2013. Then large areas of detached gold-lacquer were secured with hot-seal adhesive BEVA 371. Those high-risk black lacquer cracks with flakes could be fixed using glutinous glue without any problem.

Recent Conservation Treatment of the Screen 2.7.215 In 2012 the folding screen 2.7.215, which had been conserved with acrylic resin in 1995/96, urgently needed attention, as large flakes of gold lacquer had again peeled off. A first phase of work involved the re-adhesion of the badly flaking gold-lacquer, this time by hot-sealing the flakes with BEVA 371, which since then had performed well on the screen treated in 1998 (fig. 5).

23 Breidenstein 2000: 576f. 24 Lehmler 1996.

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Fig. 5: Flaking gold lacquer before consolidation in 1995 (left) and after the re-consolidation in 2012 (right), © E.M. Lehmler (left); Irmela Breidenstein (right).

Fig. 6: Lifted lacquer laminae before consolidation with Paraloid B 72 in 1995 (left); the lacquer laminae had lifted again and returned to their former shape, status before consolidation in May 2015 (right), © E.M. Lehmler (left); Irmela Breidenstein (right).

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The old splits and cracks that had been bonded with synthetic resin in 1995/96 had reopened, without any exception. We could verify this very well using the mapping meticulously executed in 1996. On the basis of this old mapping, we could also determine that no new damage had occurred since the last treatment (fig. 6). Between mid-2015 and 2016 the screen Fig. 7: Before consolidation 2015: lifted lacunderwent a second course of treatment quer laminae with sticky threads of Paraloid in order to re-consolidate the black lac- B72 and completely saturated foundation quer laminae. layer, © Irmela Breidenstein. Closer scrutiny showed that the Paraloid B72 had thoroughly saturated the foundation layers. Additionally the resin migrated towards the edges thus bringing forth bulky accumulations with tacky threads. The very poor adhesion of the laminae is inter alia due to the fact that the deformed lamina could not be flattened in the course of the last restoration when using heat alone. The lacquer layer tends to reshape into its former state while cooling down and drying, again forming hollow spaces which can’t be filled by the resin. Consequently the second working phase aimed at re-adhesion and flattening of the detached and deformed lacquer layers in the best possible way. Furthermore the new consolidant should allow future treatments of the object. By the combination of heat and humidity the lacquer film will regain the malleability necessary for a successful long-term reforming. Thus a small amount of water was infiltrated under the lamina and then warmed up to about 50°C. Unfortunately the lamina could be softened only slightly owing to their impregnation with acrylic resin. Attempts to glue with rabbit skin glue (20% diluted in distilled water) were of little success. Some few delaminated areas had not yet been treated beforehand and demonstrated sufficient adhesion to the ground. But in areas with a high concentration of acrylic resin the bonds separated almost immediately after taking off the clamps. For this reason the work had to be continued with aqueous adhesives that are able to stick even non-porous materials to metals. Previous experience has shown that aqueous acrylic resin dispersions like Plextol D 498 or Lascaux Medium for Consolidation as well as cold liquid fish glue do a quite good job in such cases. With these two types of binding media the results improved significantly and the procedure had to be repeated much less than before.

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Fig. 8: Three months after the consolication with 20% rabbit skin glue the laminae ad lifted once more (left), with the exception of one lamina, that hadn’t been treated in 1955/96 (arrow); second consolidation with cold hide glue, May 5/2016 (right), © Irmela Breidenstein.

Finally two different types of glue were used: a well-penetrating fluid of low viscosity but sufficient adhesive strength (Lascaux Medium for Consolidation) was diffused or injected in smaller cracks. Fish glue was injected underneath large and highly lifted areas. The screen was stored for some months to survey the effectiveness of the measures. After approx. 3 months those lamina that had shown the most significant accumulation of synthetic resins showed a tendency to lift again. These parts were once more secured by the injection of either thinned fish glue or thinned cold hide glue (Franklin Titebond Hide glue), both of them being stronger adhesives as rabbit skin glue referring to their viscosity. The consolidation with rabbit skin glue remained stable on parts that hadn’t been treated before. This result is consistent with the observations made on the two other Wilhelmsthal screens: After sixteen respectively three years the screens that had been consolidated with animal glue remained stable. The consolidation carried out 15 years ago in situ on the lacquer panels at the Chinese lacquer cabinet in Palace Falkenlust has been equally successful.25 Acrylic resins as consolidants exist in their own right, for example when it comes to stabilizing the layers of gold lacquer. But the long-term observation of our three screens clearly shows that dissolved acrylic resins like Paraloid are unsuitable for the consolidation of lifting black lacquer coatings. Not only do they adhere poorly to the porous primer layers but also subsequent conservation measures can become extremly difficult and time-consuming. The resin-saturated primer layers provoke the use of very strong adhesives like synthetic resins or fish glue with their well-known disadvantages and still with uncertain results, considering the long-term stability of the bonds. Although

25 Breidenstein 2001: 88.

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acrylic dispersions had been quite promising for the consolidation of lacquer laminae,26 the long-term experience figures out that it won’t last longer than 20 years, as could be observed during the conservation of two thus treated lacquer screens from private collections. In these cases, too, the re-adhering of the lamina was made difficult because of the foregoing plastification of the primer layers. Above all it becomes very clear, at least from a European point of view, that, when it comes to the consolidation of Asian lacquer, resoluble materials should be chosen that will allow a future re-treatment – if our aim is to preserve these works of art for future generations.

References Bleibaum 1926: Bleibaum, F. 1926. Die Bau- und Kunstdenkmäler im Regierungsbezirk Cassel. Bd. 7: Kreis Hofgeismar, Teil 1: Schloß Wilhelmsthal. Cassel: Selbstverlag der Landesverwaltung. Breidenstein 1993: Breidenstein, I. 1993. Bericht zur Testreihe Inv.Nr.2.7.215, report, Conservation Department Fonds, Museumslandschaft Hessen Kassel. Breidenstein 2000: Breidenstein, I. 2000. Konzeptionelle Überlegungen zur Restaurierung eines chinesischen Lackparavents (Considerations Regarding the Restoration of a Chinese Lacquer Screen). In: Japanische und europäische Lackarbeiten (Japanese and European Lacquerware), ed. M. Kühlenthal, Arbeitshefte des Bayerischen Landesamtes für Denkmalpflege, vol. 96, 560–585. Munich: Karl M. Lipp Verlag. Breidenstein 2001: Breidenstein, I. 2001. Die Restaurierung der Lacktafeln im Lackkabinett von Schloß Falkenlust. Denkmalpflege im Rheinland 2/2001: 77–92. Breidenstein and Hagedorn 1996: Breidenstein, I. and Hagedorn, B. 1996. Technologische Untersuchungen an Lackmöbeln aus dem Bestand der Staatlichen Schlösser und Gärten Hessen. In: Chinoiserie - Möbel und Wandverkleidungen, eds. I. Reepen and E. Handke, Kat. Nr. 5, Edition der Verwaltung der Staatlichen Schlösser und Gärten Hessen, 76–89. Bad Homburg and Leipzig: Verlag Ausbildung und Wissen. Inventarium über das dem galeriegebäude zu fürstl. kunsthauß abgelieferte laque de anno 1777, inventory from 15 October 1778. Koller et al. 2000: Koller, J., Walch, K. and Baumer, U. 2000. Französische Lackmöbel des 18.Jahrhunderts: Criard, Deforge und Dubois (French Lacquered Furniture of the 18th Century: Criard, Deforge and Dubois. In: Japanische und europäische Lackarbeiten (Japanese and European Lacquerware), ed. M. Kühlenthal, Arbeitshefte des Bayerischen Landesamtes für Denkmalpflege, vol. 96, 537–559. Munich: Karl M. Lipp Verlag. Kopplin 2015: Kopplin, M. (ed.). 2015. Gérard Dagly und die Berliner Hofwerkstatt (exhibition catalogue Museum für Lackkunst, Münster). Munich: Hirmer.

26 Breidenstein 2000: 577f.

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Lehmler 1996: Lehmler, E.M. 1996. Schloß Wilhelmsthal, Inv.Nr.2.7.215, Chinesischer Paravent, Restaurierungsbericht Bearbeitung 1995/96, report, Conservation Department Fonds, Museumslandschaft Hessen Kassel. Miklin-Kniefacz et al. 2010: Miklin-Kniefacz, S., Miklin, R., Kopp, P. and Picchi, S. 2010. Zur Restaurierung der Chinesischen und Wiener Lacktafeln des Vieux-Laque-Zimmers von Schloss Schönbrunn. Restauratorenblätter 29/2010: 147–163. Papist-Matsuo 2016: Papist-Matsuo, A. 2016. Brückenschlag von Ost nach West-Japanischer Exportlack aus vier Jahrhunderten. Hamm: Griebsch & Rochol Druck. Reepen and Handke 1996: Reepen, I. and Handke, E. 1996. Chinoiserie - Möbel und Wandverkleidungen. Kat. Nr. 5, Edition der Verwaltung der Staatlichen Schlösser und Gärten Hessen. Bad Homburg und Leipzig: Verlag Ausbildung und Wissen. Schmidt 1990: Schmidt, U. (ed.). 1990. Porzellan aus China und Japan. Die Porzellangalerie der Landgrafen von Hessen-Kassel. Berlin: Dietrich Reimer Verlag.

Monika Kopplin

The Chinese Cabinet in the Berlin Stadtschloss in the Context of the Dagly Workshop

Abstract The Chinese Cabinet in the Berlin Stadtschloss was the first of its kind in Germany. Photographs taken prior to its destruction in 1945 convey a clear image of the room, which was lined with panels taken from two twelve-part screens of Chinese coromandel lacquer. Archival sources from 1689 document the presence of both screens in Berlin. The court workshop, which was established in 1687 and under the direction of Gérard Dagly, installed the lacquer panelling and fabricated the plinth panels. Comparison with other works attributed to Dagly, above all several of his cabinets-on-stands, revealed numerous correspondences: beyond congruencies among the motifs, they are also linked by the characteristic hybrid style of Dagly’s workshop, which drew upon Chinese and Japanese models. Far ahead of his time in his adaptation of East Asian pictorial motifs and especially the aesthetic of Japanese lacquers, it seems likely that a journey to Holland in 1690 inspired Dagly to adopt the concept of the lacquer cabinet as a newly invented spatial creation. The lacquer cabinet that was installed in the governor’s residence at Leeuwarden before 1695 could well have served as an immediate trigger for the use of coromandel lacquer. *** Gérard Dagly (Spa 1660 – 1715 Bensberg near Cologne) can be described as the most outstanding lacquer artist of the Baroque era. He earned this status through his twin talents as an artist and technological inventor, as well as through his ability – unique in this era – to internalize and empathize with the art and aesthetic of East Asia. The preconditions for him to manifest his extraordinary gifts were provided to him by his royal patrons and employers: the Great Elector Friedrich Wilhelm of Brandenburg, who summoned the 25-year-old specialist to Berlin in 1685/86,1 and the Great Elector’s suc-

1

The earliest documentation of Dagly’s work for the Berlin court is: “1686 […] für Gerard Dagli geliefferte Materialien zur Lack-arbeit” (1686 […] materials for lacquerwork delivered for Gerard Dagli) in Fischer 2011: 222–223

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cessor Friedrich III, who in 1701 became Friedrich I, King of Prussia. Both regents not only decisively contributed to the power-political rise of Brandenburg-Prussia, but also imbued the residential city of Berlin with a splendour that established and affirmed its cultural status. Both prince electors cultivated a strong interest in East Asia: this was first triggered by the years that Friedrich Wilhelm had spent studying in the Netherlands and later revived by his marriage to Countess Louise Henriette of Nassau. Although the wish of establishing an East Asian trading company in imitation of the Dutch model was not fulfilled, the electors nevertheless amassed important East Asian collections, including weapons and textiles, porcelains and lacquerworks,2 as well as a library of Chinese books that was unparalleled in the West at this time.3 Among other East Asian lacquerworks, two screens decorated in coromandel lacquer are known to have been in the possession of the electors of Brandenburg. Leopold Reidemeister referred to one of these screens as early as 1932 and brought it into the context of the Chinese Cabinet at the Berlin Stadtschloss.4 In one of the surviving documents about acquisitions mediated by Dutch middlemen for the Art Chamber, there is the following entry in a list, dated 16 July 1689, of a large shipment of East Asian artworks: “2. groote Kassden, dourin een Oostjndische scherm” (two large chests, therein an East Asian screen)5. Archival proof of the second screen was provided by Henriette Graf in the catalogue of the Dagly exhibition, which was held at the Museum für Lackkunst in 2015.6 This screen is documented in the inventory of the estate of Electress Dorothea, who was the second wife of Friedrich Wilhelm and who died in 1689. The inventory mentions the screen as follows: “B. Ein großer Indianischer inn= und außwendig gelackter Schirm, von 12. Bladt, welcher Sr. Churfürstl. Durchl. Hoch=seel. Andencken, 800. Fr. ge=kostet haben soll, weil er aber auff der Reyße etwas schad=hafft worden, astimiret 600” (A large Indian screen, lacquered on the inside and the outside, and consisting of twelve panels which cost His Serene Highness the Elector, may he rest in peace, 800 florins, but which suffered damage in transport and now has an estimated value of 600 florins)7. Both screens are first and simultaneously mentioned in 1689, one year after the death of the Great Elector and at the beginning of the reign of Friedrich III. According to Reidemeister, one of these screens has been a gift from Holland, possibly subsequent

2 3 4 5 6 7

Reidemeister 1932: 175–188, plates 9–27. Kraft 1973: 18–25. Reidemeister 1932: 183. This wording can no longer be found in the archival source cited by Reidemeister. Berlin, Geheimes Staatsarchiv Preußischer Kulturbesitz, I. HA, Rep. 9, AV Nr. D2 Fasz. 1, folio 188. The “Memorial” is addressed to the Brandenburg state council Eberhard von Danckelman. Kopplin 2015: 136. Berlin, Geheimes Staatsarchiv Preußischer Kulturbesitz, BPH, Rep. 35, R II, folio 306.

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to Friedrich’s accession to the throne. The other, as the inventory specifically states, undoubtedly numbered among artefacts that had been acquired by the Great Elector. Just two years after Dagly’s appointment to the post of chamber artist on 12 June 1687, he had at his disposal ample quantities of coromandel lacquer, which was the most desirable and most precious “raw material” for embellishing a room with lacquer panelling. First described in the Xiushi lu, the famous lacquer tractate of Huang Cheng dating from the late 16th century, but known from Yang Ming’s commentated version from 1625, this decorative technique in Chinese lacquer art is documented since the late Ming era (1368–1644).8 But the method, which became known in Europe under the historical French and English trade names “vernis de Coromandel” or “Bantam work”, reached its peak during the reign of Emperor Kangxi in the decades between 1662 and 1722. The process and effect of this lacquer technique are concisely and aptly summarized in the Chinese term kuancai, which can be translated as “carved colourful”. According to Yang Ming’s commentary, this method is comparable to the one used to create woodcuts:9 the decorative motif is incised through the lacquer layers into a compactly applied undercoat; the excised areas are then filled with a rich spectrum of colours, white lead and gold. East Asian rhus lacquer tolerates only a very limited number of natural pigments, so alongside dyed lacquer, oil-bound colours were used almost exclusively for the fillings. The lacquer is mainly confined to the black and glossy contrasting background and to the motif ’s interior contours, which stand out as slender lacquered bars. European viewers in the late 17th century must have been deeply impressed by the brilliant effect of these coromandel screens, which were typically combined to create large foldable pictures consisting of eight, ten, twelve or sometimes even sixteen individual panels. Framed by multiple ornamental borders of varying widths, the generously proportioned compositions boasted opulent colours and a fabulous, richly detailed style. The most beautiful specimens were the phoenix screens, the centres of which were decorated with a pair of these mythical birds. The female phoenix is usually shown perched on a branch or a rock, while her consort hovers nearby, displaying his intoxicatingly magnificent plumage. Numbering among the four legendary animals in China, the phoenix (fenghuang) was regarded as the king of feathered creatures. This is the role in which these majestic birds are depicted on the phoenix screens. An incalculably large

8 9

Mayer 1990/91: 1,58; Frick 2013: 26–37. A complete translation into English and a critical edition of the tractate do not yet exist. “Der Dekor wird vertieft eingeschnitten, genauso wie bei einer Holzdruckplatte. Dann werden die Farben eingefüllt, und daher kommt der Name.” (The décor is first incised, exactly as in a plate for a woodcut, then the colours are filled in, whence the name.). Cited after Mayer 1990/91: 1.

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number of other fowl – exactly one hundred birds, in the ideal case – have likewise flown as pairs into the composition, where they pay homage to the fenghuang.10 Multipart screens, adorned with palace scenes peopled by numerous human figures, occur significantly more often than the rare phoenix screens.11 The screens’ incised inscriptions record that they were usually made for the occasion of a sixtieth or seventieth birthday. Their centrally positioned reception scenes depict the festive ceremonies marking these events. The viewer gazes from above into a palatial estate with large buildings, pavilions, gates and walls. These surround inner courtyards where Chinese life is rendered in lively individual scenes. These screens, which were also manufactured for export, would develop into a rich source of imagery for European workshops, to which they offered a lavish treasury of authentic models for Chinese architectural and figurative motifs. The Chinese Cabinet in the Berlin Stadtschloss was destroyed during an aerial bombardment on 3 February 1945. Any remnants that might have survived disappeared when the ruins of the palace were exploded in 1950. However, photographs taken in 1944, of which a total of ten exist,12 convey a richly detailed picture of the appearance of this narrow room, located in the second storey of the wing that faced the Spree and belonging to the prince elector’s private residence (fig. 1).13 As the historical photos show, Dagly needed both of the screens that had been documented in 1689 to cover the width of the wall surfaces. The photos also confirm that one of the two was a phoenix screen and the other was ornamented with palace scenes. When the screens were arranged, each across two separate walls, the architectural preconditions of the room clearly left no other choice than to partially interrupt the correct sequence of the panels. Furthermore, the intention was to optimally highlight the depiction on the two screens. If one attempts to reconstruct the original sequence of the twelve panels, it is helpful to compare them with a screen depicting the same theme.14 Dagly used the five middle panels with the principal motif of the two phoenixes to cover the narrow wall with one door (see fig. 5); the two neighbouring panels at the right were positioned to the left on the adjacent wall (toward the Spree side) beside a window; and the three panels with the centrally positioned pair of cranes that had concluded the multipart screen at the left were mounted to the right of the window (fig. 2). The two

10 Kesel and Dhondt n.d.: 59–61; Brugier 2015: 86–95. 11 Kesel and Dhondt n.d.: 30–48; Brugier 2015: 34–49. 12 Zossen, Brandenburgisches Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologisches Landesmuseum, Messbildarchiv. 13 Peschken and Wiesinger 2001: Textband, 37–38; Tafelband, 400–403. 14 Kopplin 2015: 36–37, fig. 5.

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Fig. 1: Chinese cabinet with panelling of coromandel lacquer; panels of coromandel lacquer: China, late 17th century (before 1689); installation, augmentations and plinth zone panels: Berlin, Dagly workshop, 1690–1695, formerly in Berlin Stadtschloss, destroyed in 1945, photographed in 1944, photo from the estate of Dr. Winfried Baer.

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Fig. 2: Twelve-part coromandel lacquer screen with a pair of phoenixes, photographic layout of the ten panels forming the pictorial décor, Chinese Cabinet, formerly in Berlin Stadtschloss, © Brandenburgisches Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologisches Landesmuseum, Messbildarchiv.

outer panels, which completed a twelve-part screen, were exclusively designed with ornamental borders and used, among other purposes, to embellish the window soffits. The broad surface of the wall opposite the windowed side of the room would have provided ample space to effectively present the principal motif of the phoenix screen. It was indeed affixed to the narrow wall, which was additionally interrupted by a door soffit, so that the large birds were only incompletely presented and their brilliant appearance was not displayed to its full advantage. It therefore seems likely that the multipart screen used here was the one which the Great Elector had acquired and which “suffered damage in transport”. The marring seems to have unfortunately happened in the central area of the screen bearing the depiction of the pair of phoenixes, with the greatest damage suffered by the perching female bird, so the unavoidable cut caused by the door soffit necessarily had to run through these panel fields. This hypothesis is confirmed by the insertion of an unrelated narrow fragment of coromandel lacquer to the left of the door soffit. Dagly was undoubtedly aware of the majestic effect of this pair of phoenixes, as will be discussed later, so if this portion of the screen had been undamaged, he would surely have prioritized its position within the room. The privilege of covering the prominent end wall and the wall opposite the windowed side of the room was accordingly reserved for the screen with the palace scenes: six panels and one border panel of the phoenix screen were affixed to the end wall; another border panel of the phoenix screen and the six following panels of the palace screen covered the adjacent wall surface to the right (see fig. 1). Fundamentally in accord with the scheme of these screens, the primary motif of the reception scene with its lordly host is portrayed

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on the seventh, central panel, where the nobleman, seated on a throne in the open columned arcade of an elongated building, watches two female dancers perform. It was helpful for the conception of the lacquer cabinet and especially for the inclusion of panels from both multipart screens that they were nearly equally tall. However, despite the assumed height of circa 280 centimetres for the panels that typically comprise twelve-part screens, this was by no means tall enough to adequately cover the surface of the wall up to the gilt acanthus scroll that formed a distinctive border beneath the plaster volute. Augmentations were indispensable in the form of ornamental borders inserted above, below and also partially along the sides. In accordance with the characteristic framing of coromandel lacquers, the artisans in Dagly’s workshop decorated these additions with a narrow dragon frieze and, on broader bands, with scattered vase motifs and emblems in polychrome painting on black lacquer. The lower margin downward to the level of the floor, by contrast, was formed by a black lacquered plinth zone, delineated by a shaped moulding and inset with horizontally and vertically rectangular lacquer panels of various widths, each framed by mouldings. Nine horizontally rectangular and seven vertically rectangular panels are visible in the surviving photographs. The style of the plinth panels is fundamentally different from that of the Chinese coromandel screens and the ornamental additions which were crafted for them in Berlin. Although the black-and-white photographs cannot convey any precise idea of the colour scheme, we can imagine that the raised décor of the panels was golden (and thus corresponded to the gilt acanthus scroll at the top) because its style and technique were oriented according to the model provided by Japanese export lacquers from the second half of the 17th century. The same is true for the motifs: mountainous landscapes, rising steeply from bodies of water and accentuated with embedded pavilion architecture, along with bushy vegetation surmounted by a few isolated trees, preferably pines in bizarre shapes. As is usual in Japanese lacquers bearing representations of landscapes, to which Dagly referred, depictions of human figures do not appear. An obvious exception to this rule is provided by the motif of two ladies inclining toward each other. For lack of a Japanese model, Dagly borrowed this motif from the many figures that adorn the screen with the palace scenes, but transformed it into the Japanese technique of the “high sprinkled picture”, takamakie (figs.3, 4). Chinese and Japanese inspirations meet in this pictorial unit and exemplify the hybrid style, influenced by both cultures, that typifies the work of Dagly and his court workshop in Berlin. The borrowing of motifs from the coromandel lacquer screens would not remain an isolated instance in Dagly’s oeuvre. The most distinctive example is the sole survivor of four large coin and medal cabinets from the Kunstkammer in the Berlin Stadt­

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Fig. 3: Twelve-part coromandel lacquer screen with palace scenes, detail, Chinese Cabinet, formerly in Berlin Stadtschloss, © Brandenburgisches Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologisches Landesmuseum, Messbild­ archiv.

schloss. The hovering male phoenix and his perching mate appear in a diagonal arrangement on the front of the cabinet as the primary motifs of the two door fillings (figs.5, 6). But unlike the situation on the screen, where the phoenixes are shown in iconographic association with other pairs of birds, the mythical fowl are depicted here as gigantic griffins above a Japanese-inspired landscape. In addition to this, and like the Chinese ladies on the plinth panel of the Chinese Cabinet, these phoenixes are executed in the Japanese technique of the raised sprinkled picture, which Dagly realized here with powdered bronze rather than gold dust. Once again, he took a specifically Chinese motif out of its original pictorial context, combined it with Japanese elements, and realized it in a Japanese decorative technique. The close affiliation between the coin cabinet and the Chinese Cabinet is also

Fig. 4: Plinth panel on the windowed wall, Chinese Cabinet, formerly in Berlin Stadtschloss, © Brandenburgisches Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäo­ logisches Landesmuseum, Messbildarchiv.

The Chinese Cabinet in the Berlin Stadtschloss in the Context of the Dagly Workshop

Fig. 5: Door wall with pair of phoenixes in ­coromandel lacquer, Chinese Cabinet, formerly in Berlin Stadtschloss, © Brandenburgisches Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologisches Landesmuseum, Messbildarchiv.

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Fig. 6: Coin and medal cabinet from the Kunstkammer in Berlin Stadtschloss, Berlin, Dagly workshop, 1690–1695, Kunstgewerbemuseum Staatliche Museen zu Berlin (no. inv. O-1965,17), photo by Tomasz Samek.

evident in the fillings on the side walls, where the same type of landscape is depicted in a corresponding composition and with partially identical pictorial elements. Last but not least, on both the coin cabinet and the plinth panels, Dagly impressively used black lacquer for the first time, and even celebrated its intrinsic aesthetic value, which he put into play according to the Japanese ideal of “black emptiness” and asymmetric composition. No other surviving example more clearly expresses his intimate grasp of this idea than the pair of phoenixes – because the contrast could not be greater between their isolated representation against a broad black background and the extremely densely filled plane on the Chinese screen from which he borrowed the motif. This extraordinary openness toward a fundamentally foreign aesthetic by an artist of the late 17th century can justifiably be described as being far ahead of its time. The coin and medal cabinets were depicted in copperplate engraving on the cover of the Thesaurus Brandenburgicus in 1696, so they must have been created prior to that date; and at least one of them takes up motifs from the phoenix screen, so their fabrication likely occurred after 1689. These two dates, combined with the stylistic and technological correspondences, support the assertion that the Chinese Cabinet and the ensemble of

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four coin cabinets can be regarded as the two great major works from the early phase of the Berlin court workshop and that they were created more or less simultaneously between 1690 and 1695. Further corroboration for this dating is contained in two archival notes of 1 August 1695 and 26 September 1697 which record that 3,000 thalers were granted by electoral decree to pay an invoice which Dagly had submitted for his six months of “Arbeit auf hiesigem Schloss” (work on the palace here)15. A sum of this magnitude, equivalent to thrice his annual salary, could only have been his payment for an extraordinary commission; and the high honour of the appointment to the post of “Intendant der Ornamenten” (Director of Ornaments), which Dagly received on the 13 September of the following year (1696), can be interpreted as an expression of the Elector’s satisfaction with the prominently placed artworks that Dagly had created for the residential palace. Individual motifs taken from the lacquer panels of the Chinese Cabinet can be found in further surviving or photographically documented lacquer furnishings that were crafted at this same time or shortly thereafter. The reception depicted on the screen with palace scenes recurs, for example, as the primary motif on the door front of a cabineton-stand. The subject is rendered atop a white background with blue painting on this piece of furniture, which due to its colour scheme following the blue and white Chinese porcelain could perhaps have come from Oranienburg Palace.16 The female dancers with flowing sleeves being likewise part of the reception scene and the aforementioned graceful ladies are rendered in polychrome painting atop the white background of a cembalo. Created approximately five years after the Chinese Cabinet, this piece embodies another major work from Dagly’s atelier.17 It is surely not coincidental that its rich figurative scenes are drawn mostly from the treasury of motifs found in Chinese lacquerwork and, in this case, coromandel lacquer, which offers a wide spectrum of these and similar models. For landscapes, on the other hand, Dagly repeatedly returned to Japanese models – e.g. possibly to the two “East Indian” cabinets, which had arrived in Berlin in 1689 in the same shipment as the phoenix screen18 – or to his own modifications of these motifs from previous years. Already in the earliest known examples, he orientated himself according to the Japanese scheme of rōkaku sansui (“pavilion, mountain, water”), richly varied elements that together form an ideal landscape consisting of steep mountain formations, embedded pavilions and bodies of water. The discovery of the very same land15

Berlin, Geheimes Staatsarchiv Preußischer Kulturbesitz, I. HA, Rep. 9, AV Nr. 11, Fasz. 4, folio 4; and I.HA, GR, Rep. 36, Hof- und Güterverwaltung, Nr. 2748, folio 32. 16 Kopplin 2015: 46, figs. 19, 20. 17 Kopplin 2015: 50, figs. 28, 29. 18 Berlin, Geheimes Staatsarchiv Preußischer Kulturbesitz, op. cit. as note 5.

The Chinese Cabinet in the Berlin Stadtschloss in the Context of the Dagly Workshop

Fig. 7: Plinth panel on the windowed wall, detail, Chinese Cabinet, formerly in Berlin Stadtschloss, © Brandenburgisches Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologisches Landesmuseum, Messbildarchiv.

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Fig. 8: Cabinet-on-stand, Berlin, Dagly workshop, 1695–1700, Verwaltung der Staatlichen Schlösser und Gärten Hessen (no. inv. 2.5.110), photo by Tomasz Samek.

scape modelled after this scheme on one of the plinth panels in the Chinese Cabinet, which was later echoed on the right-hand wing of the door of the cabinet-on-stand kept in Weilburg Palace, was only one of many building blocks that the Dagly exhibition at the Museum für Lackkunst contributed toward a better understanding of the interrelations among many pieces in this artist’s oeuvre (figs.7, 8).19 Notwithstanding its wartime destruction, the Chinese Cabinet in the Berlin Stadtschloss could be assigned a key role in this endeavour. This early major work, created by Dagly’s workshop presumably between 1690 and 1695, was fabricated at about the same time as the coromandel lacquer cabinet from the Stadhouderlijk Hof (governor’s residence) in Leeuwarden and, together with that piece dated “before 1695”,20 it numbers among the oldest examples of the “lacquer cabinet” as a newly invented type of room. In Germany, it stands as a prototype at the beginning of a large number of lacquer cabinets which, as small and remotely positioned rooms, were 19 Kopplin 2015: 53–56. 20 Lunsingh Scheurleer 1970: 170–1711; Haan 2009: 157-158.

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meant to play a private role in the spatial programme of late Baroque palaces.21 As early as shortly after 1654, Amalia of Solms-Braunfels, who was the wife of the Dutch governor Friedrich Heinrich of Nassau and the mother-in-law of the Great Elector Friedrich Wilhelm, had arranged to have a small room in Huis ten Bosch, her country residence near The Hague, lined with Asian lacquered panels. However, these were cut in various sizes from several probably Japanese trunks and from a screen, and as they were additionally combined with “rare Japanese tapestries”, they surely didn’t yet achieve the unified effect, aiming wholly at lacquer, that was accomplished by a room entirely lined with the panels from a large coromandel screen. The same applies to a (likewise no longer existent) lacquer cabinet in Honselaarsdijk Palace in The Hague: based on a description penned by the Swedish architect Nicolaus Tessin in 1687, this could not have been a room lined with colourful coromandel panels.22 By contrast, the lacquer cabinet in the governor’s residence at Leeuwarden23 relied on panels from a single freestanding screen that had been longitudinally sawn into halves so that both its front and its back side could be used as panelling. In this instance, the identical dimensions and the correspondences in the ornamental frames and the style of the décor were further guarantors that this room could be conceived and realized as a holistic design. The correspondences between the Berlin and Leeuwarden cabinets are obvious, not solely in the combination of homogeneous coromandel lacquer panelling and rich gilt acanthus carvings. The coromandel lacquer screens that were imported from the Orient via the Netherlands were themselves a precondition for the installation of lacquer panels in the Berlin Stadtschloss. Much evidence suggests that the inspiration for their reuse in a lacquer cabinet was likewise of Dutch origin. Gérard Dagly embarked on a journey to Holland before the end of 1690 or early in 1691; the expenses of this trip would be defrayed from the electoral coffers24 – a clear indication that this journey was undertaken at the best of ­Friedrich III. With watchful eyes, Dagly had not only studied the East Asian lacquers that had been amassed in Holland, but also seems to have appropriated the idea of the coromandel lacquer cabinet here in its statu nascendi.

21 Württemberg 1998. 22 Württemberg 1998: 112. 23 The cabinet was purchased in 1880 by the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam (no.inv. BK-16709), and is on view there. 24 Berlin, Geheimes Staatsarchiv Preußischer Kulturbesitz, I. HA GR, Rep. 9 AV, Nr. EEE, 1690‒1692, Paket 3, folio 155.

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References Brugier 2015: Brugier, N. 2015. Les laques de Coromandel. Lausanne: La Bibliothèque des Arts. Fischer 2011: Fischer, C. 2011. Ein Münzschrank aus der Kunstkammer des ehemaligen Berliner Schlosses mit Lackfassung von Gérard Dagly aus dem späten 17. Jahrhundert. Diploma Thesis, Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft Berlin. Frick 2013: Frick, P. 2013. Bemerkungen zum Xiushi lu. In: Lacklegenden: Festschrift für Monika Kopplin, ed. W. Bandle, 26–37. Munich: Hirmer. Haan 2009: Haan, J.de. 2009. The Leeuwarden Lacquer Room: a Royal Puzzle. The Rijksmuseum Bulletin 57/2009,2: 151–167. Kesel and Dhondt n.d.: Kesel, W. de and Dhondt, G. No date. Coromandel Lacquer Screens. Gent: n.p. Kopplin 2015: Kopplin, M. (ed.). 2015. Gérard Dagly und die Berliner Hofwerkstat, exhibition catalogue Museum für Lackkunst, Münster. Munich: Hirmer. Kraft 1973: Kraft, E. 1973. Die chinesische Büchersammlung des Großen Kurfürsten und seines Nachfolgers. In: China und Europa. Chinaverständnis und Chinamode im 17. und 18. Jahrhundert, exhibition catalogue, Verwaltung der Staatlichen Schlösser und Gärten, Berlin, 18–25. Lunsingh Scheurleer 1970: Lunsingh Scheurleer, T.H. 1970. Stadhouderlijke lakkabinetten. Opstellen voor H. de Waal. Amsterdam, Leiden: Scheltema & Holkema. Mayer 1990/91: Mayer, M. 1990/91. Koromandellacke (kuancaiqi): Überblick über den bisherigen Stand der Forschung und Untersuchungen zu ausgewählten figürlichen Motiven. Master Thesis, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg. Peschken and Wiesinger 2001: Peschken, G. and Wiesinger, L. 2001. Das königliche Schloß zu Berlin. Dritter Band: Die barocken Innenräume. 2 vols. Munich, Berlin: Deutscher Kunstverlag. Reidemeister 1932: Reidemeister, L. 1932. Der Große Kurfürst und Friedrich III. als Sammler Ost­ asiatischer Kunst. Wiederentdeckungen aus der Brandenburgisch-Preußischen Kunstkammer. Ostasiatische Zeitschrift N. F. 8/1932: 175–188. Württemberg 1998: Württemberg, P. Herzog von. 1998. Das Lackkabinett im deutschen Schlossbau: Zur Chinarezeption im 17. und 18. Jahrhundert. Bern: Peter Lang.

Katja Müller

Art Technological Analyses of Gérard Dagly’s Works in the Palaces of the Stiftung Preußische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg

Abstract Gérard Dagly’s royal lacquer workshop, founded in 1687, was one of the first of its kind in Europe. From the start Dagly worked for the Prussian Electors, was appointed to the “Intendant der Meublen” (Head of Furniture) 1701 and worked in Berlin for the court until 1713. In the 25 years of its existence under Gérard Dagly’s guidance, countless absolutely high quality pieces of lacquer furniture were produced there, including wood panelling and ornaments. The pieces were produced in a style that was groundbreaking in its application of East Asian techniques. The chromaticity of the lacquer ground and their production method are clearly influenced by European conventions. The white, red, black and aventurine lacquer grounds share a classic European composed socket of foundation, colouring layer, and a lacquer coat that provides the gloss. The decors are carried out manifold, from a pictorial polychromy to a multilayered application in stray metal technique. ***

Introduction The Berlin Royal Workshop of Gérard Dagly, founded in 1687, was one of the first workshops in Europe to specialize in recreating highly expensive Asian lacquerware. This was much sought after around the turn of the 18th century. During the 25 years of its existence, the workshop created lacquered furniture, panelling and decorative objects of such outstanding quality and style as to break new ground in its re-interpretation of the East Asian prototypes it referenced. It was also distinguished by a profound understanding of Japanese aesthetics far ahead of its time. Dagly was highly skilled in European techniques. Thanks to his efforts, Berlin became the centre of premium lacquer art, equal to the standards of prevailing taste of that time.

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Fig. 1 : Charlottenburg Palace Room 110, group of objects with red lacquer IV 3419 Mirror, IV 3414 Table, IV 3415 Guéridon, IV 3413 Table, © photo by Wolfgang Pfauder SPSG.

Of the numerous lacquered objects created exclusively for the Berlin court, only a fraction of the objects survive and few of these pieces were ever photographed. The majority of the preserved objects are on display at Charlottenburg Palace (fig. 1): there are 16 individual pieces of furniture, two harpsichords, two mirrors, various tables and guéridons, two Wackelpagoden (animated nodding figurines), a cabinet, and eight wall-mounted trays in Charlottenburg Palace’s Porcelain Chamber. Together these 28 objects paint a vivid impression of a palace once richly decorated with Far Eastern-style furniture and handcrafted objects. To commemorate the tercentenary of Dagly’s death in 2015, the Museum für Lackkunst in Münster organized an extensive exhibition, and thus continued its proprietary and highly regarded line of publications on European and international lacquerwares. For the first time, it was possible to summarize in detail the documented works in Dagly’s oeuvre, including those in the archives, from a historical, art historical and art technological perspective.1 For a year, furniture and lacquer conservators as well as the foundation’s own academic staff examined and analysed the objects in the collection. 1

See also Kopplin 2015.

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Fig. 2/2a: IV 3419 Mirror, red lacquer with contour, left VIS, right UV; clearly visible is the white grounding, red layer, red-pigmented transparent lacquer and colourless, transparent lacquer, © photo by Jens Bartoll SPSG.

The results presented here reveal the current state of knowledge and research.2 Even though the construction and polychrome surfaces were given the same level of attention, this presentation focuses on the results gained from analysing the lacquers used. The focus is on the sequence of layers and ornamentation as well as on specific features of the lacquers and techniques used. Initial analysis results of colouring agents and metals will be presented. We refrained from analysing the binding agents, as objects had been saturated with resin to stabilize the wood and varnish at some point during the 20th century, resulting in concomitant changes to the materials.

Dagly’s Lacquers – General Characteristics All lacquers follow a similar layering sequence: a white, thin grounding was applied directly onto the wooden surface, followed by a layer that defined the colour of the object, and the final application which was a colourless lacquer layer of varnish (fig. 2). Therefore, the process did not follow contemporary practice, as described in recipes of that time, of creating a lacquer made up of many layers of polished, tinted varnishes, but originated from a process known from European practices, which consisted of applying a layer of colour and a colourless finishing coat painted on top of it. All lacquerwares share the monochromatic, high-gloss base coat, to which ornamentation was applied. The colour, different lacquers and decorative shapes can be assigned to four main categories:

2

This post is a summary of the article “Weiß, Rot und auch Schwarz- Kunsttechnologische Untersuchungen an Werken Gerard Daglys aus den Schlössern der Stiftung Preußische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg”. For the full publication see: Müller et al. 2015: 89–105.

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1. White lacquers, exhibiting polychrome designs accented with gold, or coloured in scenic blue tones. 2. Red lacquers, with flat, sprinkled metallic ornamentation and chromatic accents in white, pink and green. 3. Black lacquers presenting metal powder ornamentation in purely metallic colours, which are either flat or raised, as well as additional flat, polychromatic decorative elements. 4. Aventurine lacquer as a foundation is characterized by metal particles embedded in the layer of varnish. The ornamentation is similar to the sprinkled metal designs applied to black lacquers.

Construction and Preparation of the Substrate An interesting point regarding the consistency and preparation of the substrate: as the director of furniture (“Intendant der Meublen”), as Dagly is referred to in a letter from 1701,3 he was not only responsible for decorating but also designing the furniture. He seems to have focused intently on a high level of workmanship needed to prepare the wooden substrates. Created with utmost care, they are characterized by their high level of workmanship and provide a solid foundation for the delicate lacquer work they received.

Base Coat Build-up Grounding Applied very thinly, the grounding always contained a white bulking agent, which under the microscope appears to be of a mostly fine-grained, homogenous structure. Further analysis revealed a high level of white lead, the blending of which with chalk or plaster could not be discounted. The red guéridon and black table also exhibited a finely dispersed black pigment that gives the grounding a greyish cast. We can assume that a number of layers of grounding were applied which were then polished down to a smooth surface, following which the base coat was applied on top of it. With objects lacquered in white, the grounding actually defines the colour, and can therefore also be considered a colour layer as such.

3

Jagozinski 2015: 21.

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White Lacquer On the upper layer of the grounding a slight amount of additional pigments – smalt – was repeatedly detected. Today a yellowed, transparent lacquer layer covers the white paint layer of the harpsichord, the interior of the cabinet and white table. By contrast, a glossy layer was applied to the inlays on the mirror, as well as to the “White Group”4 at the same time they were painted.

Red and Black Lacquers The red and black lacquers are composed of several layers covering the whole surface Fig. 3: IV 3376 Cabinet, original colours of area. With all objects the white, or optiondark green aventurine lacquer under removed ally grey grounding has been painted over fitting, © photo by Wolfgang Pfauder SPSG. with a homogenous, considerably thin layer of red or black pigment: vermillion for the red layers and carbon for the black, subsequently covered with a red, or respectively black-pigmented transparent lacquer, followed by a colourless, transparent lacquer layer, which provides the glossy substrate for subsequent decoration.

Aventurine Lacquer Aventurine lacquers are particularly distinctive (fig. 3). Characterized by bright, glittering metallic flakes, they were thus named in Europe owing to their resemblance to the quartz of the same name. The interplay of the translucent, pigmented lacquers with embedded metal particles coalesces into a singular shimmering surface. The metal particles are made of different materials and with different production methods, such as brass fillings, or silver-coated, rolled brass wire that is subsequently cut into tiny pieces, for example.

4

“White Group”, an ensemble of one table and two guéridons.

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Composition and Design Marks remaining from the compositional underdrawing could only be found on objects with white lacquer. A harpsichord, table and cabinet displayed lines applied with a graphite pencil. Located beneath the trees, plants, cliffs and some of the architectural elements, pencilled outlines were sketched onto the white layer underlying the transparent lacquer layer. They seem to have been drawn freehand, with Fig. 4: V 104 Harpsichord, white lacquer, lines the subsequent application of colour at applied with a graphite pencil example in the times deviating from the predefined outred flowers, © photo by Katja Müller SPSG. lines (fig. 4). The alternating delicate grey and red lines on the mirror’s inlays have been painted on the white paint layer underneath the transparent lacquer layer. Apart from serving as underdrawings for the subsequent painting process, these sketches executed in graphite and red chalk were also applied for painterly effect. The ensuing painting process entailed no further sketches, with the two-toned composition showing through the bluish glaze of the painted areas.

Regarding the Decoration Analysis Results of Colouring Agents and Metals The colorants used are typical for the period around 1700. Materials analyses5 revealed the presence of white lead, smalt and vermillion in all polychromatic decorative elements. A broad palette of colours was applied to the white lacquer of the cabinet and the harpsichord. X-ray fluorescence analyses revealed the use of following pigments: ultramarine, smalt, verdigris, vermillion, ochre, white lead, and earth pigments.6 5

6

Examination with a stereomicroscope of all visible surfaces using reflected and grazing light, in combination with examinations using ultraviolet and infrared radiation, X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF) to determine pigments, bulking agents and metals used and optical spectroscopy to study the reflecting properties of pigments, bulking agents and metals. Analyses by Dr. Jens Bartoll SPSG. Analysed by Dr. Bronk, TU Berlin, Institut für Anorganische und Analytische Chemie, see Schwartz 2002.

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The metal analysis primarily revealed the use of brass, silver and gold. For instance, powdered gold was applied exclusively to the drum-shaped surface of the tea tables. In contrast, various metals in powder form or as flakes, fillings or cuttings were combined and applied to the cabinet.

Colourful Decoration – As Seen in White Lacquer

Fig. 5: V 104 Harpsichord, white lacquer, an example of the detailed polychrome design, © photo by Katja Müller SPSG.

The polychrome decorations form a striking contrast against the white base coat; the flowers and garments, in particular, have been executed in a range of styles and colours. Superimposed layers of colour and glazes visually combine into a whole. The red and green tones are characteristically achieved by using different shades of colour. Another distinctive design element is the mixing ratio of binding agents to pigments: matte areas covering large areas adjoin glossy glazes; thickening agents in the colorants create a granular and pasty appearance. The figures, clouds and objects decorating the table, harpsichord and cabinet interior have been outlined in very delicate black contours (fig. 5). The contours of the plants, fences, birds and patterns on the clothes offset with gold overlay have been applied onto a red, vermilion-infused adherent substrate. The outlined branches and tree trunks have been filled in with a loosely sprinkled, or blended, brass powder that has been applied to a transparent binding medium. The architectural elements, furnishings and smaller accessories have been sketched out in black and partially fleshed out in colour, exhibiting finely drawn details for the most part.

White and Blue Decoration In the “White Group” and eight inlays on the mirror the palette has been reduced to two shades of colour. The contours have been sketched out in a blue glaze and filled in with more blue glazes that have taken on a greenish hue over time. The transparent, superimposed layers of colour with little pigmentation are a typical feature. This is especially true of the delicately applied, diaphanous glaze ornamentation on the mirror’s inlays, which allow

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Fig. 7: IV 3382 Table, red lacquer, varying spreading density and diversity of metal particles, © photo by Wolfgang Pfauder SPSG. Fig. 6: IV 3425 Mirror inlays, white lacquer, translucent painting in scenic blue tones, © photo by Katja Müller SPSG.

the painting of the underdrawing to shine through, creating an effect that is similar to porcelain (fig. 6).

Sprinkled Designs Made with Metal Particles – Red Lacquer Initially, the design was outlined and sketched in with more detailed ornamentation on top of the red base coat. This had been created by applying brass particles to a white, waxy and slightly paste-like adhesive serving as a bonding primer. The more detailed ornamentation of “purely metallic” areas with brass powder and fillings were applied next. Architectural elements and tendrils were decorated with metallic powders, branches, blossoms and tree trunks were embellished with metal fillings. Depending on the thickness and concentration of metal particles the density of the white, pasty adhesive mass also vary. To create a three-dimensional effect, brass particles of different sizes and shapes were sprinkled to create depth and perspective, mountains, and bodies of water. The adhesive of this layer was a colourless lacquer layer; the red base enhancing the dimensional effect further. Upon having completed all sprinkled-metal elements, a transparent lacquer was then applied across the whole area (fig. 7). All colours used to fill in shapes, for painting flesh tones, hair, clothing, shoes and blossoms, were applied on this layer. Opaque areas were further enhanced by also sprin-

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kling metal particles on top of them. Differing densities, sizes and colours of metal were used to create additional visual and chromatic effects. On white and green areas preferably a coarse powder made of silver flakes was applied. Pink-hued areas could also be covered in larger cuttings or fillings, which were frequently silver-coated.

Creating Perspective in Landscape Designs (Black Lacquer and Aventurine Bases) Lacquer work with perspectival landscapes is highly elaborate and labour-intensive, as demonstrated by the aforementioned cabinet, a crowning masterpiece of Dagly’s art.

Layers Covered with Large Areas of Metallic Particles and Pastiglia First larger areas, such as mountain ranges and bodies of water were applied in partial relief, to which further raised figurative elements were added, such as trees, pavilion-like structures, or groups of figures. Floral and plant motifs, such as branches, flowers or leaves, as well as images of birds have also been sculpted with pastiglia. The build-up and composition of the pastiglia used could only be examined more closely in a few places of the analysed objects, and indicate the use of various materials. For example, the drum-shaped surface of the tea table has a brownish-transparent layer partially covered by a grainy, red-coloured substance containing particles of blue smalt. The underlying white grounding has been applied to smooth out any irregularities. A few isolated damaged spots on the cabinet, by contrast, present a white and homogeneous surface. The materials analyses of the group of figures on the right door of the cabinet show that it is backed with a tin plate, revealing a special production method. It was subsequently covered in a densely strewn layer of gold, more specifically copper-coloured particles, composed of different metals. The underlayer for this metallic layer vary greatly in colour. A thin, red layer can be discerned on the surfaces of the cabinet, while the architectural elements and trees on the harpsichord seem to have had more of a light green layer applied to them. For the drum-shaped surface of the tea table, the particles have presumably been scattered onto a transparent adhesive substance that was applied directly to the black base coat. Beside the choice of metallic powder, the coloured and transparent underlying layers also decisively affect the hue of the sprinkled layer. On the drum-shaped area of the tea table individual leaves and blossoms have been contrasted one another by alternately applying a tinted finishing coat.

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Fig. 8: IV 3376 Cabinet, densely scattered gold powder to picturesque accent lights in landscapes, © photo by Wolfgang Pfauder SPSG.

Painstaking Elaboration It was also on these broadly decorated backgrounds that a much more detailed sprinkling technique was applied: by sprinkling various metal flakes in different sizes and shapes, and varying their density, the resulting effect was a visually nuanced and highly subtle sprinkled imagery (fig. 8). The metal particles were usually affixed to a transparent substrate, which allowed the underlying colour of the base to show through. Some of the raised areas covered in metallic powder and coloured glazes have also been covered with pastiglia, as demonstrated by the application of homogeneous pastiglia mixture to elements on the left cabinet door, allowing for curving leaves, petals and pistils to be elaborated. Subsequently, a red, cinnabar-rich underlayer was applied that was densely sprinkled with gold or silver powder, producing delicate reflections and transitions between light and dark areas. The subsequent application of finely painted contours and details dusted in gold powder on white, slightly pasty underlayer amalgamated all the subtleties of the sprinkled

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imagery. Flowering branches and leaves were contoured decoratively and ornamented with leaf-veins; figures were enlivened with expressions and their clothes ornamented with flowers.

Protective Coat Owing to recent restorations little can be said about the application methods of original protective coatings. As silver oxidizes slightly when exposed to atmospheric oxygen, and a high percentage of brass in metal can lead to corrosion, we can assume that a protective coat was applied. The application of a protective finish has only been clearly established with the White Ensemble. On the other hand the black tea table, whose sprinkled surfaces consist of pure powdered gold, was originally not painted with a protective coat; neither were the white harpsichord and white lacquered cabinet interiors, as far as can be inferred. With these objects the contrast between the highly polished base coat, and matte, coloured metal particles seem to have been employed to additional artistic effect.

Conclusion Even today, the unique complexity and outstanding quality of these individual lacquers testify to the exceptional quality of Dagly’s work, even though more delicate distinguishing characteristics have been largely lost due to the ravages of time, substances applied at a later date, and subsequent restorations. The technological analyses of the lacquers will continue to be our primary focus in order to answer questions regarding more detailed analyses of the metal particles used, as well as to clarify details concerning technical aspects of the lacquer work.7

Acknowledgements Special thanks go to the Museum für Lackkunst in Münster and its director, Dr. Monika Kopplin, whose generous financial support made it possible for us to research and preserve the objects, as well as to carry out these analyses and to publish our findings. The author would like to thank Wendy Wallis for the help with the translation and everyone involved at the Stiftung Preussische Schlösser und Gärten: Dr. Henriette Graf, 7

New results of the study were published in: “The Lacquerwork of Gérard Dagly – Technical Analyses of Sprinkled Metal Particles and Pigments Used around 1700.” See Lamfried et al. 2016: 309–324.

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curator of the furniture collection; Dr. Jens Bartoll, director of the scientific laboratory; Ulrike Eichner, the head of the restoration department section wood; Mark Heincke, the furniture restorer, and the lacquer work colleagues, Jule Eckhart and Tatjana Lamfried.

References Jagozinski 2015: Jagozinski, S. 2015. “unsers Dagelÿs beÿ dieser Kunst erworbene renommie”Gérard Dagly und seine Berliner Hofwerkstatt. In: Gérard Dagly und die Berliner Hofwerkstatt (exhibition catalogue Museum für Lackkunst, Münster), ed. M. Kopplin, 21. Munich: Hirmer. Kopplin 2015: Kopplin, M. (ed.). 2015. Gérard Dagly und die Berliner Hofwerkstatt (exhibition catalogue Museum für Lackkunst, Münster). Munich: Hirmer. Lamfried et al. 2016: Lamfried, T., Müller, K., Bartoll, J. 2016. The Lacquerwork of Gérard Dagly – Technical Analyses of Sprinkled Metal Particles and Pigments Used around 1700. ZKK 2/2016: 309–324. Müller et al. 2015: Müller, K., Lamfried, T., Heincke, M., Eichner, U., Eckhart, J. and Bartoll, J. 2015. Weiß, Rot und auch Schwarz - Kunsttechnologische Untersuchungen an Werken Gérard Daglys aus den Schlössern der Stiftung Preußische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg. In: Gérard Dagly und die Berliner Hofwerkstatt (exhibition catalogue Museum für Lackkunst, Münster), ed. M. Kopplin, 89–105. Munich: Hirmer. Schwartz 2002: Schwartz, G. 2002. Befundsicherung der weißen Lackfassungen eines Cembalos und eines Kabinettschrankes aus der Sammlung der Stiftung Preußische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg (SPSG). Unveröffentlichte Seminararbeit für das externe Diplomverfahren in der Fachklasse für Konservierung und Restaurierung polychromer Bildwerke, Bildtafeln und Retabel, Hochschule für Bildende Künste Dresden.

Paola Buscaglia, Michela Cardinali, Paolo Luciani, Anna Piccirillo, Tommaso Poli, Paola Manchinu

The Panels of Quirinale Palace A Study of Provenance and Manufacture for a Correct Conservation Intervention

Abstract The Conservation and Restoration Centre (CCR) “La Venaria Reale” had the opportunity to study and intervene on seven panels found in the deposits of the Quirinale Palace (Rome), which probably formed part of the four Chinese Cabinets set up in the Palace of Venaria between 1753 and 1755 for the Dukes of Savoy. When Rome became the capital of Italy, part of the furniture which decorated Savoy palaces was brought to Quirinale Palace, and was subjected to dimensional changes, renovations and additions in order to be adapted to the new environment. The cognitive study addressed the characterization of the constituent and intervention materials, the evaluation of the causes of deterioration and their extension, in order to identify specific conservative solutions. The results showed the coexistence of different manufactures, Piedmontese and Eastern, the latter subsequently amended in sizes and surface finishes for adaptation to other panels. ***

Premise Throughout 2014, the CCR “La Venaria Reale” had the chance to deal with the study and preservation project of seven panels from the Quirinale Palace in Rome, which probably had originally been part of the Chinese Cabinets of the Venaria Reale Palace. The opportunity was particularly valuable given the complex technical execution, as well as the presence of several layers of intervention owing to previous adaptations and stylistic changes. The project involved professional conservators and students attending the Mas-

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ter Degree Course in Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage based at the Venaria Reale.1 The study was divided into several steps and included a preliminary campaign of analysis aimed at a better understanding of the constituent materials and executive techniques, conducted simultaneously with the condition assessment of each panel. The intervention project took into account the technical literature on the deterioration mechanisms of Oriental materials, as well as the results of effectiveness and non-interference tests designed to identify suitable materials for consolidation and cleaning. The investigation results helped in proving the Oriental origin of two of these seven panels (which will be indicated in the text as panels no. 5 and no. 7), which have been compared to the remaining five of Western origin (corresponding to the four corner panels, nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, and a third planar panel, no. 6)

Conservation History The panels were probably part of the wall covering of the four Chinese Cabinets set up in Venaria between 1753 and 1755 for the Dukes of Savoy. In a first phase the painter Francesco Servozelli worked on decorating these spaces (his intervention in the four rooms is documented by payments in 1754–1756; in March 21, 1755 “the painter in the paint” is paid 1000 liras for “works of gilding in china style and paint made ​​for the 4 cabinets of the apartments of the Duke and Duchess of Savoy, in Venaria” executed in 1753).2 Michele Rapous was appointed in a second phase, at the end of the 18th century.3 1

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Working Group of the CCR La Venaria Reale: Michela Cardinali (Director of the Restoration’s Laboratories), Paolo Luciani, Paolo Mallus, Andra Minì, Valentina Tasso (Restoration’s Laboratories), Anna Piccirillo, Tommaso Poli (Scientific Laboratories); Didactical activity: Paola Buscaglia, Francesca Zenucchini (Professors) with Valentina Giusy Bellantoni, Yole Narva Botti, Luisa Cervini, Daniele Dutto, Francesca Erbetta, Nicole Manfredda, Valeria Ponza, Silvia Tagliante, Beatrice Viganò, Roberta Viotto (students); Paolo Luciani, Francesca Spagnoli (Professors) with Sara Aveni, Giulia Di Lecce, Bianca Ferrarato, Valentina Gucciardi, Serena Mansi, Federica Puricelli, Fabiola Rocco, Chiara Santhià (students). However, the address refers to 1753: Archivio di Stato di Torino (ASTo), Casa di S.M., Conti categorici, 1755, reg. n. 4845, cat. 79, Somme rimesse pagarsi nel Residuo 1754, sheet 470 left; from Data Base Palazzo Reale (BDPR), 100401; misprint; in the same month he received from the Master Francesco Lorenzo Compaire 45/210 Gold sheets of second quality used by the “operaio in vernice” Servozelli and by the gilders Alloardo, Monticelli, Pace e Fantino to gild the furniture and ornaments of the apartments of the Dukes of Savoy, paid 2,385 liras. In June 1786 Rapous is paid 1,626 liras for paint works done “attorno a lesene con ornati alla “chinese”, chiambrane, sovrapporte, squarci di finestre ed altro nell’appartamento della Principessa di Piemonte” (compare ASTo, Casa di S.M., Conti categorici, 1786, reg. n. 4905, cat. 37, “Mobili nuovi, e riaggiustamento de’ Vecchj. Paratura, e disparatura de’ Reali Appartamenti”; from BDPR, 135068). He receives 1,540 liras in November for paint works “fatti alla chinese attorno vari mobili” existing in the Cabinet of the Princess, in addition to gold and silver sheets given by the gilder Benedetto and used in these works

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It is documented that “60 boards with paint and gold, flowers and animals in China style ordered for Real Service”, which had arrived in Venaria in March 1733 from the port of Civitavecchia, were intended for mounting in the Chinese Cabinets at the Palace.4 At the beginning of the 19th century the four cabinets of the Palace were dismantled and between 9 and 22 July 1817 the furniture was moved to the Castle of Moncalieri. In 1870, when the capital was transferred from Florence to Rome, a large part of the furniture from the Savoy residences was brought to the Quirinale Palace; in particular for the decoration of the Japanese Living Room, situated in the Manica Lunga of the First Imperial Apartment. Created in 1888 during the stay of the Emperor of Germany in Rome, the furnishing was brought from Turin, and a series of lacquer panels were used as wall coverings. Part of a series formed of 72 lacquered panels was re-used for the boiserie of the Japanese Living Room. Twelve of these panels, decorated with gold lacquer on black and originally located at the Royal Palace of Venaria Reale, were transported from Moncalieri Castle to the new capital on 8 May 1878 by the Guardamobili Regio of Turin. Additionally, other items of furniture were added, specially made ​​for the new room, and reduced in size to facilitate the placement of lacquer panels. In the Quirinale Palace’s Japanese Living Room, 14 panels, stylistically and technically different, decorated with fantastic animals, were arranged above the doors. The single elements came from at least three different Chinese cabinets (seascapes; two panels above the doors; two jambs with embossed figures of warriors). The list of the objects transferred from Turin to Rome indicates also two groups of seven panel paintings “in Chinese style painted on both sides”. The reused panels were subject to major adaptations carried out by the cabinetmaker Luca Seri and by the painter Ignazio Perricci, under the direction of the architect Emilio



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(compare ASTo, Casa di S.M., Conti categorici, 1786, reg. n. 4905, cat. 37, “Mobili nuovi, e riaggiustamento de’ Vecchj. Paratura, e disparatura de’ Reali Appartamenti”; from BDPR, 135075). In May 1787 he gets 800 liras to paint three overdoors and four pieces “di ghiaccie di cristallo” for the apartments in Venaria. In May 1790 he gets 356 liras for having restored and rebuilt the paintings of different flying doors, overdoors and other things in the apartment of the Prince and Princess of Piedmont (compare ASTo, Casa di S.M., Recapiti, 1790, reg. 7172, f. 245, rec. 37; from BDPR, 100988). In 1791 the artist is paid for painting “roccaglie, piante, fiori e uccelli in basso riglievo dorati”. In May a payment of 2,700 liras is recorded for “lavori di pittura con provista di colori fatti nel corso dell’anno nel Gabinetto alla China della Principessa di Piemonte a Venaria” (compare ASTo, Casa di S.M., Conti categorici, 1791, reg. n. 4911, cat. 37, “Mobili nuovi, e riaggiustamento de’ Vecchj. Paratura e disparatura de’ Reali Appartamenti”; from BDPR, 135578). By Messrs Duranti that pay Barassi merchants 1,859 liras in Rome (compare BDPR, 105308). The transport of “quattro grandi casse contenenti tavole e pezzi di legno con vernice nera, ed oro, fiori e animali alla China” from Genoa to Turin is paid in May 1733 (compare ASTo, Casa di S.M., Conti categorici, 1733, reg. n. 4827, cat. 77 “Residuo Spesa 1732”, sheet 157 left; from BDPR, 105358).

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Stramucci, in order to harmonize the Piedmontese pieces with the new decoration. In addition, the craftsman Roncati intervened in the Japanese Living Room of the Manica Lunga in 1903; he also worked at the modernization of the toilet room of Queen Margherita’s apartment, transformed in Japanese Living Room, with the inclusion of Japanese decorations, repainting the background of these panels, originally in black lacquer, in a brown colour.

Artistic Techniques – Comparison of Modus Operandi The seven panels depicting flowering branches, “rock gardens” and a fantastic animal, were very similar to the two overdoors in the Japanese living area. Three panels were made on a planar support, while the other four were realized on a concave support (concave pilasters); this particular shape was required to cover the corners of the room, according to a comparable Chinese cabinet project at Villa della Regina in Turin (fig. 1). The existence of a tradition of imitative experiments, attested in Italy and generally in Europe since the third decade of the 17th century, is verified in the rich treatises concerning technical imitation of the Chinese technique and by documented purchases of materials from the Far East. The information gathered through the study of the sources, compared with direct observation of artefacts made in the West and present in Piedmont, has allowed us to recognize the morphology of the typical degradation of the materials used in the Western context, which occurs, as detailed later, also on some of the panels that are the object of study and intervention. The scientific insights, conducted before the intervention, permitted us to gather information about the materials and techniques used, and led to the development of several hypotheses on the origin of the artefacts. The first classification of origin was based on the analysis results of the species of wood, which indicated panels no. 5 and no. 7 were of Oriental origin, and all the others of Western origin. In detail, the presence of two different wood species was detected on the panels no. 5 and no. 7: on the back was a wooden frame of poplar (Populus sp.) which was glued to the original support made of Japanese red cedar (Cryptomeria japonica). It seems possible that the poplar frame was implemented as structural reinforcement of the original support after the sawing of the double-sided painted panels, with the consequent transformation into panels that were painted only on one side.5 The obser-

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Given the historical record available we could identify these two panels as part of two groups of seven Chinese style panel paintings painted on both sides. See in general Caterina et al. 2005. The frame in poplar consisted of two long longitudinal planks between which were joined transversely, by means of joints, mortise and tenon type, fastened with dowels, seven crossbars. Between the crosses are six panels assembled with tongue and groove interlocking.

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Fig. 1: Seven panels depicting flowering branches, “rock gardens” and a fantastic animal. Three panels are on a planar wooden support, four are painted on concave ones to cover the corners of the room, © CCR LA Venaria Reale; Roma, Quirinale Palace.

vation of the radiographic analysis6 however allowed us to identify the presence of bamboo dowels, functional for the assembly of the axes of the original plank, which did not seem sectioned. The radiography did not indicate the presence of traces related to the separation of the two faces, so we cannot confirm with certainty the hypothesis (fig. 2). However, the four corner panels and the panel no. 6 were fixed on a fir wood support, an indication that led to the assumption of their Western manufacture. Based on this first distinction, in the panels no. 5 and no. 7 we attempted to identify (alleged Eastern manufacture) areas not fully covered by subsequent interventions of stylistic changes, certainly present as reported in historical sources. An interesting contribution was given by the multi-spectral analysis, with particular reference to the UV and to NIR-FC analysis, ​​which allowed us to locate the presence of urushi lacquer corresponding with some “Western repainting” gaps: the absence of fluorescence in the exposed portion of urushi lacquer compared to the typical reddish brown colour of the image drawn in NIR-FC ​​was identified as typical behaviour of the urushi lacquer (fig. 3). In contact with wood the cross section highlighted a red porous preparation consisting of iron ore based pigments and binders containing oil and natural resin, compatible

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X-ray source voltage: 60kV; X-ray source current: 10 mA.

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Fig. 2: Detail of the bamboo dowels seen by radiographic analysis, © CCR LA Venaria Reale; Roma, Quirinale Palace.

Fig. 3: UVF: predominance of a layer with a yellow-green answer, compatible with the presence of a natural protective (terpene varnish). Uncomplete distribution on the surface, where original urushi lacquer doesn’t have any fluorescence. NIR1-FC: the reading of the false colour permit to indicate the area where urushi gives a brown-red colour answer, © CCR LA Venaria Reale; Roma, Quirinale Palace.

with the Chinese operational practice, above which two probably original thick layers of urushi lacquer were applied.7 7

In technical literature we find frequent use of inert ash and fragmented clay bound with minimal amounts of mixtures of oil and urushi in the Chinese context. See Bianchi et al. 2005; Bianchi and Lucarelli 2005: 357, 380. The resulting mixture is porous, and is functional to accommodate overlying lacquer. The SEM observation of the reference stratigraphy allows us to verify the presence of irregular granules of clay and large in scale. This element seems compatible with the use of fragmented clay in Chinese area. The identification of only two layers is due to their different porosity: it is not possible to say whether those layers have been obtained by the overlapping of more homogeneous drafts.

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Fig. 4: Infrared spectroscopy analysis of the lacquers.

The four corner panels and the panel no. 6 (Western manufacture) exhibited a preparation consisting of two layers composed mainly of gypsum and alumina-silicates (iron ore based pigment), mixed with a peptide substance (glue). On all panels a common preparation layer seemed to be present, constituted by vermilion, barium sulphate, gypsum, calcite, iron ore based pigment and bone black. In the case of Oriental panels this layer was applied in some areas over the urushi and over the original decoration, while in the Western panels it was applied over the two gypsum preparation layers. The infrared spectroscopy analysis had been particularly helpful in defining the composition of the lacquers (urushi in the original parts of the Eastern panels and natural resin in the other panels and in non-original parts of panels no. 5 and no. 7 (already highlighted by the UVF and NIR-FC images); also the composition of the paint binder (oil) and of the Prussian blue based pigment showing green tones; these are probably due to the preparation method of the pigment that gives rise to the “green of Prussia”. Identification of signs of a natural resins detected on the surface (black line in the fig. 4) might be related to an urushi resin (green line in the fig. 4, reference), as reflected in figure 4. The natural resins and the drying oil were probably often mixed together. It was therefore assumed a pictorial palette, as summarized below: 1. Preparation of the Eastern panels: iron ore based pigments. 2. Original lacquer of Oriental panels: urushi.

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Fig. 5: Cross section: on the right the first three layers in visible light; on the left the others layers in UVF, © CCR LA Venaria Reale; Roma, Quirinale Palace.

3. Preparation of the Western panels: plaster, glue and silicates (iron ore based pigments). 4. Second red layer, common to all seven panels: vermilion, barium sulphate, gypsum, calcite, iron ore based pigments and bone black; oil and natural resin as binder. 5. Lacquer of Western panels and re-paintings on Eastern ones: natural resins mixed with vermilion, bone black, Prussian blue, silicates. 6. Golden decorations on all panels: gold, metal powders (copper and zinc), silver, tin. 7. Green colours: based on Prussian blue, chrome green and ultramarine blue. 8. Red colours: composition indistinguishable from the upper layer of lacquer (fig. 5). The paint film technique was therefore constituted by a first level, the outer one, common to all seven panels and comprises the points from 3 to 8, and by a second level, to be considered as original stratigraphy of panels no. 5 and no. 7, below the mentioned layers (points 1 and 2).

State of Preservation All panels showed the presence of significant surface deposits, partially cohesive to the surface. The planar panels, although in better condition, were affected by widespread weaknesses (small and large in size) of the surface layers, located mainly along the perimeter and in particular on its upper and lower sides. The wooden support of the Eastern panels was in some places detached from the latest panelling, and there was clear visible damage owing to fungal attack. On the back of the panel no. 7 in the central part in proximity of the mortise and tenon joints a high-mag-

The Panels of Quirinale Palace

Fig. 6: Cracks associated with weaknesses, corresponding with the joints at the axes of the support and the presence of the nails visible in the areas in which the axes were more distant from each other, © CCR LA Venaria Reale; Roma, Quirinale Palace. Fig. 7: Craquelure pattern, owing to sliding of the film paint, which is frequently found in Western technique, © CCR LA Venaria Reale; Roma, Quirinale Palace.

nitude split shattered the solidity of the artefact. The painted surface of the Eastern panels was affected by scratches, gouges and abrasions related to damage of an accidental nature. The more severe conservation problem most certainly concerned the 4 concave panels. Their deterioration could be partly ascribed to the nature of constituent materials of the artefacts and to the techniques used to implement them, and partly to their conservation history. The painted surfaces also showed conspicuous cracks associated with shortcomings, corresponding with the joints of the axes of the support. On two of the four panels such cracks

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measured up to 5–8 mm in length, and impaired the decoration readability. In areas where the boards were more distant from each other, metal nails, probably iron nails, were present (fig. 6). In addition, the observation of the back of the board revealed the presence of cracks with a vertical progression owing to tensions created by traction and by the constraint system. Even in curved panels an increased presence of gaps corresponding with the upper and lower sides was noticed, in addition to the presence of extensive areas affected by defects of adhesion of the surface layers. Finally, there was evidence of degradation owing to Western execution technique: in particular, crimps by sliding were visible, presumably because of the use of large quantities of linseed oil, (fig. 7).

Preliminary Tests and Conservation Treatments Cleaning of the paint surface and consolidation of detached paint layers from the support were preceded by a series of tests of effectiveness and non-interference, to define materials and methods of intervention. We therefore proceeded with testing aqueous agents for the removal of surface deposits, which verified the efficacy of the aqueous surfactant solution with Tween 20 (2 %).8 Regarding the re-adhering operations, however, it was necessary to consider the strong reactivity of Western materials to polar solvents. Therefore adhesives soluble in nonpolar solvents and waterborne adhesives were primarily chosen. Regarding the Oriental panels, we were aware of the partial reactivity to water of the urushi lacquer in case of areas with reduced cohesion. First we tested adhesives (natural and synthetic) dissolved in solvent (both nonpolar, both polar); later, after having verified the good state of conservation of the original material, we also tested vinyl adhesives dissolved in minimum percentages of water. This solution proved to be suitable for both types, and we proceeded with the conservation treatment using the glue Bindan-RS® in aqueous solution.9 The intervention on the wooden support started with the recovery of bonds of the Eastern panels, carried out using collagen glue, which was chosen because of its excellent reversibility. We removed the portions of support compromised by fungal attack and not recoverable with a normal biocide treatment and consolidation.

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The solutions tested were: buffered solutions at different pH (5.5, 7, 8.5), surfactant solutions (Sodium lauryl sulphate and Tween 20 in water) and chelating solutions (Triammonium citrate and EDTA). Western panels: effectiveness test with Plexisol P550 in white spirit, vinyl adhesive (Bindan-RS) in water, natural adhesive in water. Oriental panels: effectiveness test with Plexisol P550 in white spirit, Paraloid B72 in acetone, vinyl adhesive (Bindan-RS) in water.

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Fig. 8: Fracture through the perimeter portion of the plank support and healing of the crack, © CCR LA Venaria Reale; Roma, Quirinale Palace.

The removed parts were replaced by wood of the same species, glued with Bindan-RS®. The damaged parts in the area of the crack on the rear side of panel no. 7 were removed and replaced with poplar wood laths, while the original joint and dowels were preserved (fig. 8). The integration of the original wooden supports in the Eastern panels was carried out with a similar wood to the original one, and, since it was impossible to find the red cedar of Japan, we decided to use fir wood. The integrations were carried out with the same operating modalities adopted for the poplar panels. The cracks on the constituent axes of the original support in red cedar of Japan were compensated using the very soft and elastic balsa wood in order to allow for the dimensional variations caused by humidity changes without stress for the original material. The intervention on the support of the curved panels was very complex: the axes of the supports were disjointed and presented relevant cracks. Moreover the planks were fixed together only by glue and nails. The boards not only had shrunk but were also warped and deformed. In a first step nails were removed where possible by cutting and extracting them and the old glue in the joints between the boards was removed using water gels (prepared with Klucel G). The boards were then glued together using a structure able to keep them in place during the drying of the glue, the co-planarity of the axes being recovered by means of a system of levers. The glue Bindan-B4® was used as adhesive, because of its high load capacity and its elastic modulus, similar to that of wood. The slits on the back of the work were treated by insertion of wooden elements of the same species, bonded with the glue Bindan-RS®.

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Fig. 9: Realization of a containment structure with elastic constraints to ensure greater structural stability allowing for dimensional changes due to temperature and humidity changes, © CCR LA Venaria Reale; Roma, Quirinale Palace.

On the back of the curved panels, we constructed an elastic constraint system, with helical compression and tension springs. This intervention provides greater structural stability but at the same time allows for dimensional variations caused by fluctuations of relative humidity. The frame was made ​​of oak wood with mortise and tenon joints for the perimeter, the central crossbars were assembled by means of tongue and rebate joints; gluing was done with solvent free polyurethane glue Z. Pur. O TAN® (Fratelli Zucchini; the cone-shaped anchors on the support – perforated and milled to allow the housing of the brass screw – was made of ​​ beech wood. Additionally springs10 were used. The back of the boards and of the frames was coated with microcrystalline wax with the aim of decreasing the reactivity in variations of temperature and humidity and of facilitating sliding between frames and boards (fig. 9). The paint film’s gaps were grouted under level, in agreement with the director of works, the pictorial reintegration was carried out in a lighter shade in comparison with the paint film in order to make all interventions perfectly recognizable. The gaps of urushi lacquer were left visible (panels no. 5 and no. 7). The panels were finally varnished with aliphatic Regalrez 1126 (20 % in Shellsol D40). An ultraviolet filter (Tinuvin 292, 2% of the weight of the resin) was added to the varnish.

10 Wire diameter 1.3 mm, spring diameter 16.95 mm, free length 16 mm and 4.75 turns.

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References Bianchi and Lucarelli 2005: Bianchi, R. and Lucarelli, L. 2005. Suggestioni d’oriente: una sfida tecnica ‘per gli artisti occidentali. Aspetti salienti delle tecniche di esecuzione alla China a Villa della Regina: rapporti con la letteratura artistica coeva e i gabinetti alla China torinesi. In: Villa della Regina. Il riflesso dell’Oriente nel Piemonte del Settecento, eds. C. Mossetti and L.C. Mossetti, 380–397. Torino: Allemandi & c. Bianchi et al. 2005: Bianchi, R., Dei Negri, J. and Lucarelli, L. 2005. Tecniche a confronto: L’Oriente e le imitazioni a Torino. In: Villa della Regina. Il riflesso dell’Oriente nel Piemonte del Settecento, eds. C. Mossetti and L.C. Mossetti, 357–361. Torino: Allemandi & c. Caterina et al. 2005: Caterina, L., Ghisotti, S., Morozzi, L. and Mossetti, C. 2005. Roma, Palazzo del Quirinale, Salotto giapponese. In: Villa della Regina. Il riflesso dell’Oriente nel Piemonte del Settecento, eds. L. Caterina and C. Mossetti, 494–497. Torino: Allemandi & c.

Additional Literature Cornaglia, P. 2003. Alla china: i gabinetti cinesi di Venaria Reale nel Castello di Moncalieri. In: Il Castello di Moncalieri. Gli Appartamenti reali, ed. F. Pernice, 61–73. Beinasco: n.p. Morozzi, L. 1998. Salottino giapponese. In: Il catalogo delle opere d’arte del Quirinale, ed. L. Morozzi, vol. 1, Gli appartamenti imperiali nella Manica Lunga, 176–182. Roma: Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato.

Monika Wrona

Research on Berlin Lacquered Vases Manufacturing Techniques and Materials A Source of Information on Works of Art and a Pre-Study for their Conservation Treatment

Abstract The subject of this paper and ongoing PhD research are “Berliner Lackvasen”1, a diverse group of rare fayence vases richly decorated with European lacquer. Cross sectional studies on Berlin lacquered vases from the Polish collection started from much smaller research on technique and materials of six green vases from the Jagiellonian University Museum in Krakow, carried out in order to develop and conduct the conservation treatment they required. Resumed research now includes twenty-one vases with green, red, and navy blue japanning. Various analytical methods were employed, and a series of technological experiments, based on findings and instructions given in historical treatises, were carried out. Scientific analysis provided important information regarding Berlin lacquered vases materials, and techniques. It allowed comparisons with historical sources, and showed differences between suites of vases. Moreover, dating pigments were detected indicating that Berlin lacquered vases are not baroque, but 19th-century works. ***

Introduction Berlin lacquered vases are not very numerous, but they are a diverse group of fayence vases with a wide range of forms and sizes – at least 12 different form types exist with sizes in the range of 27 to 130 cm (10.6 to 51 inch) high. They also differ in decoration schemes and colours of japanned ground. Examples are known in a variety of colours – black, green, navy blue, various shades of red, or bicolour black and red. They are glazed on 1

Wittwer 2003.

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the inside and underside, but the outside is richly decorated with European lacquer. All are signed with a cobalt blue Chinese coin (fig. 3, E) or leaf mark (fig. 1). The most common are baluster vases with domed covers2, and beaker vases (Ku-form)3. Interestingly, only a few examples of such vases with tall columnar pedestals4 are known. Sporadically, such pedestals appear individually in auctions as well.5 Less common forms within the Berlin lacquer vases group are hexagonal6, triple-gourd7, monumental8, cornet9, and baluster-like vases with covers but a sightly less elongated and more slender than typical baluster type10. Also a group of octagonal vases of two shape types are known – an octogonal

2

For exemplary pictures see: Christie’s, London 7.07.2005, sale 7053, lot 384. A pair of German parcel-gilt, polychrome and red-japanned fayence vases and covers. http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_details. aspx?pos=4&intObjectID=4541642&sid. Christie’s, Paris 1.10.2013, sale 3574, lot 69. Paire de vases et leur couvercle en faience de Berlin du XIXeme siècle. http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/lot/paire-de-vases-etleur-couvercle-en-5710007-details.aspx 3 Christie’s, London 18.11.1999, sale 8580, lot 73. A pair of Berlin (Funcke) green-lacquered fayence beaker vases. http://www.christies.com/lotFinder/lot_details.aspx?intObjectID=1625844. Christie’s, Milan 15.05.2006, sale 2487, lot 452. Due grandi vasi a tromba in terracotta dipinta a cineserie. http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_details.aspx?intObjectID=4718633 4 Sotheby’s, Paris 20.04.2012, sale PF1201, lot 60. A pair of Berlin earthenware vases with matching pedestals imitating the Chinese lacquer. http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2012/important-mobilier-sculptures-et-objets-dart/lot.60.lotnum.html and lot 61 http://www.sothebys.com/fr/auctions/ ecatalogue/2012/important-mobilier-sculptures-et-objets-dart/lot.61.html. Vietebahn Fine Arts. Black Japanned Faience Vase on Pedestal. http://www.viebahnfinearts.com/en/objekte/details/1476_Black-Japanned-Faience-Vase-on-Pedestal.html 5 Bonhams, LA 13.07.2009, lot 1183W. A pair of Berlin style scarlet lacquered pedestals http://www.bonhams. com/auctions/17631/lot/1183/ 6 Beaussant Lefèvre, Paris 18.10.2013, lot 144. Allemagne (Berlin). Paire de grands vases en faïence http://www.beaussant-lefevre.com/html/fiche.jsp?id=3326212&np=1&lng=fr&npp=10000&ordre=1&aff=1&r=. Nagel Auktionen, Stuttgart 26.03.2009, sale 411S, lot 1273. Paar seltene Berliner Lackvasen. http://www.auction.de/_scripts/nax_object.php?id=58937&language=g 7 Il Ponte, sale 19/20/21/22.06.2007, Lotto n° 641/Catalogo n° 237. http://www.ponteonline.com/lotto.asp?TORNATA=0&PAG=17&ASTA=237&LOTTO=641&BIS=N 8 Christie’s, NY 17.-18.05.2005, sale 1519, lot 45. A pair of black lacquered faience monumental vases ‚Berliner Lackvasen‘ .http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_details.aspx?pos=6&intObjectID=4496165&sid. Other example: Thierry de Maigret, Paris 05.06.2013, Sale Tableaux anciens - meubles et objets d’art, lot 160. CORNELIUS FUNCKE (attribuée à la Manufacture de). http://www.thierrydemaigret.com/html/ fiche.jsp?id=3040470&np=1&lng=fr&npp=10000&ordre=1&aff=1&r and: National Trust, Nostell Priory. Vase www.nationaltrustcollections.org.uk/object/959582.1 9 Sotheby’s, London, 09.06.2015, sale L15320, lot 139. A Berlin faience garniture of five vases, three with covers, mid-19th century. http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2015/tale-two-cities-venicedresden-l15320/lot.139.html 10 Florence Number Nine, Auction catalog Asian Export Art and Chinoiserie, Florence 10.05.2013, Lot 429, Lacquered painted and guilt ceramic. https://issuu.com/florencenumbernine/docs/chinoiserie/132 See also footnote 8.

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cornet vase11 and an octogonal baluster vase with a domed cover mounted with Foo-dog knop12. They imitate the form and proportions of a certain type of fayence vases manufactured in Delft during the second half of the 18th century. A very rare form is seen in the quadrilateral beaker vases (fig. 1) and gourd vases with bulbous bodies and long slender necks.13 Moreover, one turine inlaid with mother of pearl is known. Decorations of Berlin lacquered vases are sometimes very similar, but never identical unless vases belong to one set or pair. They consist mainly of chinoiserie lanscape scenes with figures and architecture settings, or nature scenes depicting birds and flowering bushes or both of these combined. These main decorations are often accompanied by various ornamental motifs and friezes.

Time and Place of Manufacturing Based on the stylistic analyses, art historians unitedly ascribed vase decorations to one of the lacquer workshops in Berlin. But, their opinions on the time of manufacturing were divided. In the literature, three different dates are given: c. 1720–172514, c. 179015, and c. 184016. Wittwer presents strong arguments to date these vases after 1840. In addition to detailed stylistic analyses, he also cites historical evidence that no records of such vases can be found before 1840. After that date, several are suddenly mentioned in Prussian royal purchase ledgers. For further details on various forms and decoration types, the history of related research, and Wittwer’s reattribution, refer to the publication from Wittwer “Die ‘Berliner Lackvasen’. Eine These”.

11

Expertissim, Cornet earthenware vase, Berlin. https://en.expertissim.com/cornet-earthenware-vase-berlin-12169106 See also footnote 11. 12 Sotheby’s, NY 4.11.1011, sale N08842, lot 241. A rare Berlin tin-glazed and lacquered earthenware garniture of five vases and three covers. http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2011/property-from-the-collection-of-carl-desantis/lot.241.lotnum.html 13 Two vases of such form can be seen on the archival photograph taken before 1925 in the palace of Pusłowski earl family in Kraków. All vases in fig. 1 belonged to Pusłowski family collection until 1953 when they have been donated to the JU Museum. One pair is in Nostell Priory, UK, inv. no. NT 959617.1 and NT 959617.2 (information provided by Helen Lloyd of National Trust) – National Trust, Nostell Priory. Vase www.nationaltrustcollections.org.uk/object/959617.1 14 Sauerlandt 1931; Hüseler 1956; Holzhausen 1959. 15 Falke 1923. 16 Wittwer 2003.

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Berlin Lacquered Vases from the Polish Collection The Polish collection amounts to twenty-one red, purple, green, and navy blue Berlin lacquered vases located in six museums. Six green vases from three different sets are at the Jagiellonian University Museum17. Three of them are typical beaker vases (one only partially preserved), and the other three are baluster vases with domed covers and Putai figurines as knobs. Eight red vases are in the collection of the National Museum in Warsaw: a pair of haxagonal vases (H: 43 cm), a pair of quadrilateral beaker vases (fig. 1; H: 27 and 28 cm), two single baluster vases without covers and a pair of baluster vases and covers with cockerel figurines as knobs (H: c. 56 cm). Another two pairs of baluster vases, one from the collection of the Wawel Castle (red) and the other from National Museum in Kielce (green; H: c. 96cm), are quite different from ones already counted. Both pairs are almost identical in size, shape and decoration scheme. They have very short necks and covers mounted with an identical, and very large, rooster figurine.18 Stored at the National Museum in Kraków is a pair of high (87 and 88 cm) navy blue beaker vases which is the private prewar deposit of Sobańska countess. Another high beaker vase of near-identical form and size (H: 84.5 cm), but red, is in a collection of the National Museum in Wroclaw. These three vases from Krakow and Wroclaw differ in size and proportions from the rest of beaker vases from the Polish collection, but are very similar to two pairs of beaker vases with matching columnar pedestals sold by Sotheby’s in 2012.19 All vases from the Polish collecton are signed with a coin mark, except hexagonal and quadrilateral beaker vases, which have a leaf mark signature. As the total estimated number of Berlin lacquer vases is approximately one hundred20, this collection should be considered quite sizable. It consists greatly of most popular forms, i.e. baluster and beaker vases, along with much rarer hexagonal or even exceptional quadrilateral beaker vases (fig. 1).

17 Photos of vases from the collection of the Jagiellonian University Museum in Kraków can be found in the author’s paper Piotrowska 2012 and in the catalogue Frontczak 2009: 156–163. 18 Two identically shaped porcelain figurines (Japan, Arita,1700–1720) of a rooster on the rock are in the collection of the Museum of King Jan III’s at Wilanów, inv. no.Wil. 2143 and Wil. 2144. Pictures in Ekielska-Mardal 2008: 64–67. 19 Sotheby’s, Paris 20.04.2012 Paris, sale PF1201, lot 60 and 61. For website addresses see footnote 3. 20 However, this number could be higher. Wittwer estimated that approximately 70 vases are known, taking into account the ones in German collections, and some from private collections and auctions known to him. But quite few more vases that appeared in auctions since 2003 should be added to that number as some of them certainly hadn’t been included in this numer (eg. hexagonal vases or triple gourd vases), along with another 21 from Polish collection.

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Fig. 1: A pair of quadrilateral cornet vases, National Museum in Warsaw. A - In small areas covered for a long time by raised decoration (now partially missing) the original deep purple colour of the japanned finish was preserved. B, C – leaf mark signature, photos by M. Wrona (2010).

Although even typical baluster and beaker forms are not uniform, as they differ somewhat in shape and size. Three of the baluster vases (from the J. U. Museum collection) have an unusual shape of the cover knob – a figurine of a seated, cross-legged boy (god Putai or Budai)21 instead of the characteristic cockerel standing on a rock. Almost iden21

Frontczak 2009: 399.

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tically shaped Putai figurines were manufactured in Meissen c. 1713, and some are in the Dresden Porcelain Collection.22

Materials and Technique Identification The following analytical methods were employed for identification of materials used in decoration: SEM-EDS, XRD, Raman spectroscopy, FTIR, FTIR-ATR, GC/MS, and a classic chemical analysis. For the identification of pigments, fillers, and mediums, powder samples of different layers of decoration were collected for analysis. From each set of vases, cross-sections were prepared23 and observed in white and UV light. Layers of cross-sections were analysed by SEM-EDS, FTIR-ATR and Raman spectroscopy. Some samples, before embedding in the resin, were observed under electron microscope. This allowed for the analysis of very thin top layers hardly visible on cross-sections. In order to identify the protein or oil medium in decoration layers, some samples were stained.24 Additionally, UV luminescence of the decoration was observed and compared among vases. To complete the analytical analysis, a series of technological experiments was carried out in order to recreate the process of manufacturing the vases. Samples of different japanning finishes were created along with various types of decoration. These experiments enabled practical verification of conclusions and theoretical assumptions, and proved to be a useful aid for better understanding the technique, its potential, and its limitations.

Research Findings Even though the techniques and materials used in vases’ decoration are quite similar, certain distinctions between suites of vases can be pointed out. For example, analogous motifs (such as raised colour flower petals), or japanned grounds with even the same colour were created less or more differently. Top finish is always of transparent lacquer, although its thickness varies considerably between sets of vases, as well as the coloured ground lying underneath it. In the case of green and blue, it is semi-transparent, and has been applied on a surface of tin foil (figs. 2 and 3, H–J). Red grounds are always opaque, with no foil underneath. They are often composed of two different coats of colour – opaque lighter red layer covered with the glaze of a deeper red, enhancing the base colour. In this way, rich red or even deep purple tones 22 Inv. no. P.E. 2381, P.E. 2391, Porzellansammlung, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden. Pictures in Pietsch 1996: 64. 23 Samples were embedded in an acrylic resin (Duracryl® Plus), ground and polished using micro-mesh abrasive papers and cloths. 24 Schramm and Hering 1995: 214–217.

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Fig. 2: Photos in VIS and UV light of cross-sections from green (A, B) and navy-blue (C) Berlin lacquered vases. Layers on cross sections: 1–5 – lacquered ground, 6–10 – layers decoration created on the lacquered ground. 1 – chalk ground, 2 and 3 – mordant and tin foil, 4 – colour ground, 5 – lacquer, 6 – mordant, 7 – brass powder, 8 – rasied colour decoration (flower), 9 – reddish brown paste (raised motif ); 10 – layers of a decoration on a raised motif (mordant, metal, glaze). Sample A and B from the vases from the collection of J.U. Museum in Krakow – beaker vase inv. no. MUJ 7360/1, 4254/IV (sample A), baluster vase inv. no. MUJ 7385/1, 3914/IV (sample B). Sample C from a beaker vase from the National Museum in Kraków, inv. no. MNK-ND-4919/2, photos by M. Wrona (2010).

were created. It yielded a much better effect than mixing the colours together before application. This method of creating red grounds has been described by Stalker and Parker (1688) and Dossie (1758). An analogy to the vases’ green japanned finish can be found in Dossie’s instructions for a bright green ground for which “chrystals of verdigrise, (called distilled verdigrise) should be employed; and to heighten the effect, they should be laid on a ground of leaf gold, which renders the colour extremely brilliant and pleasing”25. But in these vases tin foil was used instead of gold. On the other hand, none of the methods described by them corresponds to how blue ground on the pair of navy blue beaker vases was created (fig. 2, C). For blue japanning Stalker instructs using a mixture of white lead and smalt26, whereas Dossie recommends Prussian blue, verdited glazed over with Prussian blue or a smalt.27 In the case of Polish navy blue vases, colour ground was created by

25 Dossie 1758: 418. 26 Stalker and Parker 1688: 23. 27 Dossie 1758: 416.

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applying three different transparent layers on the tin foil (fig. 2, C). Prussian blue, indigo and plant black28 were used.

Vases from the Jagiellonian University Museum Due to vastness of the research, only green vases from the Jagiellonian University Museum are discussed more closely in this paper. Analysis showed that technique and materials used to create these vases are almost identical (manufacturing process is illustrated in fig. 3). Ceramic bodies of these vases were formed on a potter’s wheel (fig. 3, A). After drying and firing (fig. 3, B), bisques were partly glazed with tin-glaze (only on the inside and underside on the foot; fig. 3, C and D), and signed with the coin mark on the foot (fig. 3, D). Numerous small pale dots visible on signatures lines, which are also present on others vases’ marks (fig. 1, C), indicate that they were painted in-glaze (i.e. on the surface of unfired glaze) with cobalt blue. After the second firing (fig. 3, E) the whole outside bare ceramic surface was coated with several very thin layers of chalk-glue ground (fig. 3, F). After smoothing, it was coated with an oil mordant (fig. 3, G) and tin foil (fig. 3, H). On its surface, the translucent green ground was applied (fig. 3, I). It was prepared of verdigris grounded very finely with binder (most likely a lacquer). To create even and strong colouring, it had to be applied in a few thin layers. On one set of three vases two coats are distinguishable29 (fig. 2, B), while on two others only one is present30 (fig. 2, A). When this ground was completely dry, a final coat of lacquer was applied on it (fig. 3, J), but judging by certain blemishes on the japanning surface, it hadn’t been polished. GC/ MS analysis of a lacquer sample taken from one of the vases showed that oil-resinous varnish of high quality was used. It contains mostly linseed oil, amber, camphor and probably pine resin (colophony).31 Camphor is not mentioned by Stalker and Parker (1688), or Dossie (1758) treatises, but it appears in some of the recipes given by Watin (1773) and in later books.32 Brilliant green japanned finish produced this way somewhat resembles enamel, due to the tin foil visible through japanning coats. It forms a beautiful background for the 28 Carbon and potassium cations were detected in the sample. 29 This upper layer present only in this one set contains Prussian blue, and was laid to slightly modify the shade of the lower layer of green ground coloured with verdigris. 30 This layer contains distilled verdigris and is present on vases from all three sets. 31 Dehydroabietic acid and its oxidation products could verify pine resin, however, dehydroabietic acid diterepenes are also common for amber, fossil resin from conifer trees, and therefore, it is not clear if these diterpenes originate only from amber or if pine resin was also added to the varnish. See Pitthard 2016. 32 e.g. Hewson and Dougall 1817 or Shephard 1827.

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Fig. 3: Stages of manufacturing the beaker vase (technological experiment): creation of the vase and coin-mark signature (A-E), the green lacquered background (F–J) and the decoration (K–S) – flat, raised (L, M, S), metallic and colour (L, N, S). The vase and the decoration was modeled on the vase from J.U. Muzeum collection, inv. no. MUJ 7360/1, 4254/IV, photos by M. Wrona (2010).

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Fig. 4: Examples of upper friezes typical of the Berlin lacquered vases group. A – compound frieze around the mouth of beaker vase from the collection of J. U. Museum, inv. no. MUJ 7360/1, 4254/IV. A1-A5 – stages of creation of a gilded panel from the frieze shown in a pic A. Stages of cereation the whole frieze can be seen in fig. 3 pic K-S. B and C – friezes under the neck of baluster vases from the collection of National Museum in Warsaw: B – wholly guilded and partially glazed lambrequin-shaped frieze, vase inv. no. 156154; C – compounded frieze with guilded and glazed panels, vase inv. no. SZC 2047, photos by M. Wrona (2010).

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decoration. In this case mainly nature scenes depicting black herons among tall bamboo and blooming bushes (mainly white peonies), low hills, rocks, and shallow water ponds. These main scenes are accompanied by flowering leafy springs, animals on ornamental backgrounds, and friezes. One frieze around the foot comprises of stylized leaves and half flower heads (fig. 3 and 5), the other under the neck or around mouth is composed of gilded ornamental panels, sinuous vine scrolls, and half flower heads on a trellis ground (an example of such a frieze on another vase can be ssen in fig. 4, C). This frieze is different in the case of one set (figs.1, B–D and 5, B). It is entirely gilded, and its shape resembles a lambrequin.33 These panels, or valances, differ between sets of vases, but in the case of vases from the J.U. Museum they have all been created the same way. A gold leaf was laid on top a coloureless mordant applied locally on the japanned finish (fig. 4, A1). Then the entire surface of the gold was covered with a thin coat of a colourless binder. The whole surface of gold leaf shows bright yellowish luminescence in UV light. A linear contour was created with metal powder (brass or tin) on a mordant (fig. 4, A2). Then the interior decoration was created. Foliate scrolls and flowers decorating panels were left in gold, while the background was coated by a brown glaze (fig. 4, A3). Then the black outlines of gold ornaments were painted (fig. 4, A4), and before the glaze had dried numerous small spirals were scratched in it with a pointed, but not sharp tool (fig. 4, A5). The majority of the vases’ decorations was created with metals powders. Mainly brass was used (fig. 5), along with tin, copper, gold and silver. They were all applied on a mordant. But in opposite to information given in Stalker and Parker’s (1688), Watin’s (1773) and Dossie’s (1758) treatises, in these vases’ case it is not coloured, but clear. Its layer is well visible on the cross sections in the UV light (fig. 2, A and C). In some areas, metallic powders were sprinkled and sieved on the surface of fresh paint (fig. 6, B and C), glaze or clear lacquer (fig. 5). Shadings and the delicate subtle variations between semitransparent and opaque areas covered with metal powders were created in this way. In some areas bigger grains of metal were used, and rectangular brass plates (fig. 6, A–C). These metal decorations were created on the surface of the japanning or raised motifs. Raised motifs were produced with two kinds of paste (fig. 3, M). One contains plaster, and is liable to separate from the smooth surface of lacquer, which causes many losses (fig. 6, B and D). The other one, a reddish brown, is a complex mixture of bole armoniac, chalk, umbra, hematite, and lead white with binder (lacquer?). It has a consistency similar to thick honey and was applied with a small brush, or less probably a stick. The appearance of the raised motifs indicates that the paste was applied in one thick layer.

33

A very similar frieze adornes a vase from the National Museum Collection (fig. 4, B).

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Some of the motifs of plaster paste (herons) were additionally coated with a thin layer of the reddish brown paste (fig. 3, M). Raised motifs were all decorated in various ways (figs. 3, 5 and 6). Plaster motifs were covered with black paint (fig. 3, N) onto which further decoration was applied. In the case of herons, after black paint had dried, a drawing of the birds’ feathers and outlines of the birds were created with a brass powder on a mordant (figs. 3, R, and 6, D). On rocks, copper plates and metal powders were sieved locally on the surface of still fresh paint (fig. 6, A–C). Motifs made of brown paste were uniformly coated with metals (brass, gold, silver or tin) on a mordant (figs. 5 and 6, E–G), and further decorated mostly with a black drawing (figs. 5, F, and 6, F). But some were more richly decorated. For instance peacocks (fig. 6, G) were silvered and covered with yellow, blue and green glazes, on which additional opaque decoration and black drawing were painted. Colour decorations like flowers, half flower heads (fig. 4, A) and sometimes butterflies are raised as well. They have been made of various thick paints applied in the same way as the reddish brown paste. On some of them, red or gold lines and dots were painted. Beside verdigris used for japanning in the decoration of these six vases, also vermilion, indigo, chrome yellow, bone black and lead white with traces of calcite were detected.

Conservation Treatment Vases from the Jagiellonian University Museum have never undergone conservation before. No signs of any old repairs, or overpaintings were present, so conservation treatment was considerably basic.34 It mainly involved cleaning the surface of the decoration after consolidating numerous extensive detachments which were causing progressive flaking off and losses (fig. 6, E). Chalk ground separated from the ceramic surface, and raised motifs made of plaster paste in many places split away from the smooth japanned finish (fig. 6, B and D). For consolidation, a 5% isinglass with a small addition of ox gall as a wetting agent was used. Warm glue was introduced into the network of cracks, and after it penetrated the ground layer the spots were slightly pressed with a soft cloth. The same method was employed for consolidation and readhesion of raised plaster motifs. Cleaning proved to be problematic, as the black lines (e.g. drawing of the leaf veins) painted on many motifs were easily affected by various agents. After tests, synthetic saliva was chosen.35 It had been succesfully used for cleaning very similar decoration of Chinese porcelain vases overdecorated with European lacquer from the collection of the

34 So far only single beaker vase undergone conservation. 35 Regarding cleaning I received considerable help from the specialists from the conservation studio at Wilanów Palace: A. Guzowska and K. Grams.

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Fig. 5: Fragment of decoration of a green beaker vase from J.U. Museum collection, inv. no. MUJ 7360/1, 4254/IV. Bright gold appearance of brass powder was preserved under the layer of lacquer which was applied on top of it to create sprinkled decoration. Drawings showes stages of creating the decoration: A – raised leaf, B – mordant, C – brass powder applied on the mordant, D – lacquer applied on some of the leafs, E – brass dust sprinkled on the undried layer of lacquer, F – black drawing of leaf veins, photo and drawings by M. Wrona (2010), photo in UV light by Z. Kaszowska (2009).

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Fig. 6: Examples of raised motifs. A – stages of creating of the raised rock. A detail from the beaker vase in fig. 3 O. B – cracks and losses of the raised rock. C – decoration of a raised rock: metal grains and plates sprinkled on a surface of black paint. On the left imprints of a plates left in a layer of a black paint can be seen. D – detachment of a raised plaster motif (black heron). E – extensive loss of lacquered ground and raised motif due to chalk-glue ground detachment from the ceramic surface. F – deep cracks in a raised motif . In abrasions of the gold decoration surface of a reddish-brown paste is visible. F – raised motifs formed out of plaster (rocks) and

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reddish-­brown paste (peacocks). Details in photos from Berlin lacquered vases from J.U. Museum collecton: B and D baluster vase inv. no. MUJ 7384, 3913/IV; C and E beaker vase inv. no. MUJ 7360/1, 4254/IV; E beaker vase inv. no. MUJ 7360/2, 4255/IV; F beaker vase inv. no. MUJ 6820/IV, photos by M. Wrona (2010).

Museum of King Jan III’s at Wilanów. Tests confirmed that it was the best choice in this case as well. It removed the accumulated dirt most effectively, without causing any damage, staining, or changes in the appearance of the japanned finish. Cleaned areas were neutralized with demineralized water. It should be emphasized that decorations created by sprinkling metal powders on the surface of a binder are very fragile36, and should be handled with delicate care, or not handled at all. At this stage the conservation treatment was suspended. Only losses in the metallic decoration laying around the mouth of the vase (inside on the surface of ceramic glaze) were retouched. Instead of the brass powder used originally, earth pigments in an arabic gum medium were applied, as they imitated the look of a tarnished metal surface a lot better. They blended in with the original surroundings very well. Decision on retouchings and fills of other decoration losses will be made after completing the research.

Summary The ongoing research involves cross-sectional studies of the Berlin lacquered vases from the Polish collection. Scientific analysis provided important information about the techniques and materials of these vases. So far analyses have shown a variety of formulas used to create japanned finish. Methods of creating the vases’ decoration along with materials used for it correspond in a quite large part to those described in historic treatises on japanning, but they also vary to some extent between suites of vases. Acquired data was also used to reconstruct the missing part of the damaged beaker vase in order to make its exhibition possible. Studies also provided information on the time of manufacturing. Further analyses are being conducted, but so far the presence of chrome yellow was confirmed in the decoration of almost all vases and in some of them also copper arsenite and zinc white. These findings seems to corroborate Wittwer’s thesis that in all likelihood “Berliner Lackvasen” are 19th-century works.

36 Metal particles sunk into the binder in varying degrees and some are almost deposited loosely on the surfaces and can be easily removed by rubbing.

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Acknowledgments The author would like to thank the Jagiellonian University Museum, National Museum in Kraków, National Museum in Warsaw, National Museum in Kielce and National Museum in Wrocław for granting access to the vases, and allowing their analyses, which made this research possible. The author also would like to thank all who carried out analyses and have contributed to author’s PhD project, especially the supervisor, Dr. hab. Zofia Kaszowska.

References Dossie 1758: Dossie, R. 1758. The handmaid to the arts, London: n.p. Available online at: https:// archive.org/details/handmaidtoartsb00dossgoog Ekielska-Mardal 2008: Ekielska-Mardal, A. 2008. Daleki Wschód w Wilanowie. Warsaw: Rzeczpospolita S.A. Falke 1923: Falke, O.v. 1923. Altberliner Fayencen. Berlin: Ernst Wasmuth. Frontczak 2009: Frontczak, B. 2009. Earthenware from the 15th century to the year 1914 in the Collection of the Jagiellonian University Museum, catalogue vol. IV. Kraków: Kier. Hewson and Dougall 1817: Clarke, H. and Dougall, J. 1817. The cabinet of arts. London: T. Kinnersley. Available online at: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015063739448;view= 1up;seq=528. Holzhausen 1959: Holzhausen, W. 1959. Lackkunst in Europa. Braunschweig: Klinkhardt und Bier­ mann. Hüseler 1956: Hüseler, K. 1956. Deutche Fayencen, vol. 2. Stuttgart: Hiersemann. Pietsch 1996: Pietsch, U. 1996. Meissener Porzellan und seine ostasiatischen Vorbilder. Leipzig: Edition Leipzig. Piotrowska 2012: Piotrowska, M. 2012. „Berliner Lackvasen” – obecny stan wiedzy i egzemplarze ze zbiorów polskich (“Berliner Lackvasen” – Lacquered Berlin earthenware vases). Opuscula Musealia 20/2012: 95–131. Pitthard 2016: Pitthard, V. 2016. Report on the GC/MS analysis of lacquer from vase belonging to the Jagiellonian University collection, Krakow, unpublished report, Conservation Science Department, KHM Vienna. Sauerlandt 1931: Sauerlandt, M. 1931. Justus Brinkmann-Gesellschaft Hamburg, Bericht über die Neuerwerbungen des Jahres 1930/31. Hamburg:n.p. Schramm and Hering 1995: Schramm, H.-P. and Hering, B. 1995. Historische Malmaterialien und ihre Identifizierung. Bücherei des Restaurators, vol. 1. Stuttgart: Ferdinand Enke Verlag. Shepard 1827: Shepard, J. 1827. The Artist and Tradesman’s Guide. New York: William Williams. Available online at: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.hxuab8;view=1up;seq=110. Stalker and Parker 1688: Stalker, J. and Parker, G. 1688. A treatise of japanning and varnishing.

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­ xford: n.p. Available online at: https://archive.org/stream/treatisejapanin00Stal#page/n3/ O mode/2up. Watin 1773: Watin, J.-F. 1773. L’art. Du peintre, doreur, vernisseur. Paris: Grangé, Durand, Watin. Available online at: http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k841821. Wittwer 2003: Wittwer, S. 2003. Die “Berliner Lackvasen”. Eine These. In: Schwartz Porcelain, ed. M. Kopplin, 237–249. Munich: Hirmer Verlag. All museums’ and auctionhouses’ websites listed in footnotes were accessed on 18 June 2016.

Additional Literature Estaugh, N., Walsh, V., Chaplin, T., Siddal, R. 2008. Pigment Compendium. Oxford: Buttelworth-Heinemann an imprint of Elsevier. Webb, M. 2000. Lacquer: Technology and Conservation. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.

Jan Dorscheid, Paul van Duin, Christina Hagelskamp

The late 17th-Century Lacquer Room from the Palace of the Stadtholder in Leeuwarden Part Two: Aspects of the Conservation and Reinstallation in the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam

Abstract The Leeuwarden Lacquer Room was made for the Palace of the Frisian Stadholder in Leeuwarden c. 1695, and since 1885 has been in the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. It has walls lined with Chinese coromandel (kuancai) lacquer panels above a dado with carved and gilt ornaments and a painted ceiling surrounded by a gilt architrave. Based on previous research of historic installations, documentary evidence, a technical study, and material analysis, a programme for conservation and reinstallation was developed and undertaken. Over the course of the treatment, further analysis and research was carried out; new information about the original lacquer screens, their manufacturing and construction techniques, and alterations that occurred as part of its integration into the wall panelling are now better understood. In 2014, the Leeuwarden Lacquer Room was reinstalled in the newly renovated Rijksmuseum and has been made accessible to the public once more. ***

Introduction With their large dimensions of mostly twelve-leafed folding-screens and ready availability in the Kangxi Period (1662–1722) of the Qing-Dynasty as Chinese exports to the European market, coromandel, or kuancai (incised and coloured), lacquer panels, were often reused as wall panelling in European interiors.1 Further facilitated by the trading routes of the East Indian Companies the desire for Asian arts and crafts reached its peak in Eu1

Campen 2009: 139–140.

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Fig. 1: Leeuwarden Lacquer Room reinstalled and furnished with two 17th-century marquetry tables and a corner étagère, with a large collection of Chinese export ceramics, © Rijksmuseum.

rope in the 17th century and was increasingly introduced at the courts of Europe.2 While some screens stayed intact, numerous so-called “chambers of curiosities” were decorated using split sections of lacquer panels. The Leeuwarden Lacquer Room is the earliest surviving example of its kind (fig. 1).3 Made in the late 17th century for the Palace of the Frisian Stadtholder in Leeuwarden the Lacquer Room has walls lined with kuancai panels above a dado of carved and gilt ornaments, crowned with a cornice and a ceiling painting. The room was created for the private apartment of Henrietta Amalia of Anhalt-Dessau, the spouse of the Frisian Stadtholder Henry Casimir II of Nassau-Dietz. Henrietta Amalia owned three twelve-panelled kuancai folding-screens which she had later split and integrated into the wall panelling of one of two private chambers in her apartment. The Palace in Leeuwarden underwent numerous modifications after Leeuwarden lost its significance as a residence in 1747. The contents of the palace were released for sale during the revolution 2 3

Piert-Borgers 2000: 480. Campen 2009: 140.

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of 1795. During this time, the Lacquer Room’s layout was probably altered and moved to a different location in the palace. In 1880 the Leeuwarden Lacquer Room was shipped to Amsterdam to be integrated into the nearly complete and newly built Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam as an example of royal interiors and decorative arts.4 Until 2003, when a major renovation of the museum commenced, the Lacquer Room had been on continuous display, although it has been exhibited in various forms since 1885.5 After two different spatial arrangements in the Rijksmuseum, the Lacquer Room was assembled in 1954 in a reconstruction of its last appearance in Leeuwarden in 1880.6 Recent study created a better understanding of the materials present, their deterioration, previous treatment campaigns and alterations, as well as the authenticity of the last installation arrangement. The results of which were presented at the first conference “The Conservation of East Asian Cabinets in Imperial Residences (1700–1900)” 4–5 July, 2013.7 Coincidentally, the final decision to install the room in the renovated Rijksmuseum was made by its directors at the same time as this conference. The subsequent treatment encompassed the consolidation of the lacquered and pigmented surfaces, removal of adhesive residue and wax incrustation applied during previous treatments, and reinstallation in accordance with its 1954 reconstruction of the layout in the Palace in Leeuwarden between 1808 and 1880.

Manufacturing Techniques The scientific research has shown that the individual kuancai panels were made by joining up to five vertical planks made of cypress (Cupressaceae) with bamboo (Bambuseae) pegs and reinforced with cleats on either end. To further prevent warping and to provide additional stability, two channels were cut, approximately 70 cm from top and bottom edges and through all planks of each panel. Battens were inserted into each channel (fig.  2). The same construction details have been found on other screens produced for the Chinese domestic market as well as for export from the Kangxi Period (1654–1722) and might reflect a certain period or a geographic location.8 While the majority of kuancai screens are made of panels joined with pegs, occasionally mortise and tenon joints or sliding dovetails on the reverse side have been observed.9 4 5 6 7 8 9

Haan 2009: 157–173. Duin 2000: 79–80. Lunsingh-Scheurleer 1970: 168. Dorscheid et al. 2015: 239–259. Hagelskamp 2015: 39. Kesel and Dhont 2002: 100; Hagelskamp 2016.

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Fig. 2: Schematic illustration of the panel construction, back of panel with highlighted a channel for the (now missing) inserted battens and bamboo pegs, © Rijksmuseum.

The substrate was reinforced by covering the joints between the cleat and the vertical members with woven fabric. Subsequently, a coarse ground layer was applied consisting of unfired clay (quartz, calcite, feldspar, kaolin, muscovite or biotite), animal glue, and starch. This was followed by a layer of loose hemp (Cannabis satavia) fibres and three finer clay coatings with two intermediate layers of paper. After levelling the foundation, the Chinese lacquer qi (Toxicodendron vernicifluum) with added tung oil was applied.10 When the lacquer coating was fully cured, the designs were incised into the surface and the lacquer was removed in these areas. The exposed foundation layer was painted in a variety of colours. The final details of the design were applied using gold leaf and a range of coloured glazes. It seems very likely that the designs were based on templates from woodblock prints.11 Comparing the individual panels of the palace scenes to one another further suggests that the same stencils were used since individual elements are nearly identical (fig. 3). 10 Dorscheid et al. 2015: 249–250. 11 Kesel and Dhont 2002: 100.

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Fig. 3: Details of two panels from opposite walls, with great similarity in design, © Rijksmuseum.

Geometric elements and patterns were scored into the lacquer using rulers and compasses, which is visible through mistakes such as overlapping incised lines and circles made in preparation for the medallions.12 Slight differences in details and significant variations in decorative patterns suggest a free-hand execution by individual lacquer carvers.

Integration of Lacquer Panels into the Wall Panelling In 1694, Henrietta Amalia of Anhalt-Dessau’s inventory mentions three Chinese folding screens. The inventory describes them as black lacquer with large figures on the front and small figures on the reverse.13 In the present room the two opposing long walls have nearly identical palace scenes representing the “Spring Morning in the Han Palace” with women of the court surrounded by a border depicting the “hundred antiques” with a narrow meandering pat12 13

Hagelskamp 2015: 41. Drossaers and Lunsingh-Scheurleer 1974–1976: 141.

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Fig. 4: Photomontage of three original screens and position of existing panels. The panels in black are missing. The palace scenes of screens 2 and 3 are combined to form the right-hand wall, © Rijksmuseum.

tern inside and alternating medallion patterns of cranes and characters on the outside. The seven panels on the rear wall depict the landscape from the “West Lake” in the central field; four other panels with West Lake scenes are kept in storage. It was assumed that the front and back of the panels of the three screens mentioned in the 1694 inventory were separated by sawing; the fronts were used to decorate the room in Leeuwarden and the back of the screens were lost.14 The split panels show further alterations: they have been shortened adjacent to the outer decorative patterns visible by cuts within the decorative border on one of the long walls and on the short wall. This suggests that these were shortened to match the height of the panels of the opposite long wall. During the recent conservation treatment it became evident that not all of the scenes on the panels of the right long wall lined up exactly and also differed in their details or colour. The reason for this became clear with the discovery of the exposed wood grain and knots on the reverse of the rightmost panel of the short wall matching exactly exactly those of the adjacent panel of the right long wall. This discovery provided evidence 14 Dorscheid et al. 2015: 239–259.

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that these two split panels originally formed the front and the back of one single panel. By studying the remaining panels the ones with the scenes of the West Lake could be matched with the panels depicting palace scenes. Combining this finding with the three individual screens mentioned in Henrietta Amalia’s inventory of 1694 it was concluded that the lacquer room is comprised of elements originating from these three screens, which all have depictions of palace scenes on the front and images of the “West Lake” on the reverse (fig. 4). The left wall is made of the panels of one individual screen, whereas the right wall is composed of panels from two screens, explaining the previously mentioned differences between some adjacent panels.

Condition The lacquer panels have suffered much damage over the past centuries, caused by multiple alterations and environmental influences.15 The initial splitting and integration of the lacquer panels into the wall decoration has caused significant tension, warping, and cupping. At some point in time a thin oak cradle with stretchers was applied as a reinforcement on the reverse of the panels, probably already in Leeuwarden. Tongue and groove joints were introduced on the vertical edges in order to slot the lacquer panels together when mounting them on the wall. The mounting of the panels onto plywood boards and additional fixation with nails during the 1983–1985 treatment caused further tension and damage. Along the top and bottom of the panels, the textile layer was partly delaminated. The original panel was detached from the cradling in some instances. Dents and scratches bear witness of the handling and movements of the elements over the course of time. The multi-layered structure of wood, ground, paper, and lacquer layers layers has a variety of mechanical properties. The individual materials respond differently to fluctuations in humidity and temperature. Since the lacquer is much stronger than the protein-bound and relatively porous ground layers, delamination took place within the weaker ground, especially along the paper layer. Carving away the lacquer to create the design further added to the deterioration of the surface, disrupting the seal of the lacquer and causing the substrate to respond more readily to changes in humidity. The tendency of Asian lacquer on a wooden substrate to form a craquelure across the grain is visible to a certain extent throughout the decorative surface. This is caused by tension occurring during the initial film forming process as well as the dimensional 15

Dorscheid et al. 2015: 243.

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changes of the wooden substrate in response to climatic fluctuations.16 Light exposure has caused the initially black lacquer to become increasingly transparent, resulting in a reddish-brown coloured surface as its beige foundation shines through. Furthermore, the light-induced micro-fissure of the lacquer caused a matt appearance, and during a previous restoration campaign the surface has been coated with a thin layer of wax. There is extensive loss in pigmented areas, which has exposed the ground layers. Damage patterns vary by the kind of pigment: while the white coloured areas appear to be most stable, the blue and green areas are more friable and the pigment is powdery; gilded areas are largely lost; red areas are heavily cupped and a considerable amount is detached from the ground layer and is also missing. Fortunately, many losses in the pigmented areas were not treated during previous restoration campaigns. More substantial damages in the lacquered and painted decoration were retouched, with paint often applied directly onto the remaining foundation. Losses that included the original wooden substrate were compensated with wooden inserts that imitated the adjacent original decoration as well as reproduced the missing design from related panels. Strips of pine were added in 1983–1985 to the back in order to stabilize splits in the panels. These were attached with polyvinyl acetate (PVA) adhesive that leaked throught the splits and onto the front side, both on the lacquer and in recessed areas. Various fillers, retouching mediums, varnish layers, and waxes have contributed to a compromised appearance as well as limited re-treatability.

Treatment The large splits along the grain of the substrate posed no structural concerns, and a removal of the wax coating was considered too invasive. The main objective was to consolidate the delaminated ground layers and the friable polychromy. The medium for the treatment of the foundation had to serve as both a consolidant and an adhesive. The porous ground required a consolidant which would not discolour or oversaturate the material, had sufficient viscosity to avoid migrating too far into the surrounding coarse ground, enabling a precise application, and had the appropriate strength to stabilize the foundation without adding internal stress. Because of the earlier applied thin layer of wax, the increased water and heat sensitivity of degraded lacquer did not pose a problem.17 Tests yielded good results with a mixture of sturgeon glue

16 Webb 2000: 66-61. 17 Webb 2000: 72; Rivers and Umney 2003: 763

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Fig. 5: Treatment of lacquer ground. Images from top left to bottom right: insertion of paper pulp; injecting consolidant; weighting Mylar®, silicon sheet and lead shot; after treatment, © ­Rijksmuseum.

and wheat starch paste.18 Sturgeon glue has a relatively low gelling temperature and a high mechanical strength and elasticity; it had good penetration properties and, if applied carefully, posed no risk to the deteriorated lacquer. Wheat starch paste paste has a high viscosity and a relatively low water content. Intermixed, the starch paste acted as a thickening agent for the sturgeon glue avoiding uncontrolled spreading into the porous foundation and its resulting swelling. Areas with delaminating ground layers were pre-treated for its wettability with ethanol. Subsequently the areas were consolidated with a 1:1 (w/w) mixture of wheat starch paste (1:5) and and either 4% or 10% sturgeon glue. Larger areas with an exposed foundation were pre-treated with 1:1 (w/w) solution of 0.5% JunFunori® and 1% sturgeon glue in order to saturate the surface and prevent tidelines, and subsequently consolidated as afore mentioned. The consolidant was injected using bent needles, for easier and safer access under the lifting areas. These were subsequently covered with a flexible package that included silicone sheet, Mylar®, occasionally Perspex®, and small bags of lead shot. In 18

Dorscheid 2012: 93.

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areas where the wooden substrate was missing underneath the foundation, paper fibres mixed with wheat starch paste were used to build up a support. The paper pulp was inserted and positioned, if necessary in several steps (fig. 5). To consolidate the powdery paint, a colourless and matt drying medium was required. Tests were carried out with JunFunori®. The adhesive strength is comparatively weak, the solution is clear, does not change the optical properties of the treated surface, and it remains flexible with aging. Tests with solutions of up to 1% did not have enough adhesive strength. A 1% solution of sturgeon glue succeeded to consolidate the pigments after a first application, but spread very rapidly over the entire surface. The addition of JunFunori® thickened the low-viscous sturgeon glue solution allowing for much better control. A solution of 1:1 (w/w) of 0.5% JunFunori® and 1% sturgeon glue proved satisfactory in a single application. Applications with a brush resulted in tide lines and it also proved difficult to control the amount of the medium applied and keep track of the already covered surface. In addition there was risk of dislodging loose pigments with the tip of the brush. Applying the consolidation medium through a tissue allowed working in a much more controlled manner. After drying the surface did neither show any change in colour nor tide lines (fig. 6). Accretions of fibres and wax from application with a cloth, as well as paint spatters and PVA adhesive, were removed from the lacquer surface with horn spatulas. The surface was further cleaned with a smooth white cotton cloth damped with small amounts of ethanol and water. Dry cloth was used to buff the superficial waxy residue. Excess PVA adhesive on the painted areas was carefully softened with water and reduced with a scalpel where possible. The skirting boards and dado rails were dusted and consolidated with fish glue (Kremer Pigmente). Gilded areas on the dado and crown moulding were cleaned with water and cotton swabs, consolidated with fish glue where possible, and otherwise with Lascaux consolidation medium 4176, or 5% Aquazol® 200 (Kremer Pigmente) in ethanol for craquelures. Abrasions and losses were retouched with Golden Acrylics (Golden Artist Colors, Inc.). Fills were executed with Modostuc filler (Plasveroi Int.). The ceiling consisted of five canvas segments: an oval centre and four rectangular segments. These had been fixed onto plywood panels during the 1983–1985 conservation treatment. The joins were covered with painted and gilded thin wooden semi-circular mounts. Loose paint of the ceiling was consolidated with sturgeon glue and Lascaux consolidation medium 4176, and losses were retouched with Golden Artist Colors and Golden PVA Color (both Golden Artist Colors, Inc.). Cracks in the wooden mounts were glued with animal glue (Sheppy Scotch glue, Sheppy Ltd.).

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Fig. 6: Consolidation of pigments. Images from top left to bottom right: consolidation medium; application of medium through tissue; saturated area; after consolidation, © Rijksmuseum.

Reinstallation A sub-construction for the walls and ceiling was erected consisting of four walls made of beams and plywood and on top of which beams were fitted to mount the ceiling. The five ceiling segments on plywood were screwed onto the beams using the holes of the screws of the previous installation. The wooden mounts covering the joins were fixed with thin brass nails. The dado and dado-rail were screwed onto the wall and the skirting boards were raised to reflect their height of the first installation in the Rijksmuseum in 1885. The previous system where the panels were screwed onto plywood was regarded as too rigid and heavy, and a new mounting system had to be developed. This was required to stabilize the warping lacquer panels and to create an even plane throughout the wall panelling in order to maintain the previous corner solution of the panels. For added flexibility, ease of handling and to prevent unnecessary tension, it was decided beneficial to mount each panel separately. After the conservation of the lacquer panels, the back of each individual panel was reinforced with 12 mm birch-plywood strips of 55 mm width,

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which were attached along the grain to the vertical thin oak frame of the panels. Existing holes, from previous treatments, were utilized for the attachment. An aluminium Z-profile was fixed horizontally in the middle to mount the panels to a counter-profile on the sub-construction of the wall. The panels fit into the rebate of the dado rail and are held in place by the aluminium Z-profiles. Finally the architrave mouldings were fastened with support blocks onto the sub-construction. This overall construction allows to detach individual panels for study or future treatment (fig. 7). The pine floor is made from repurposed narrow pine boards which run the full length across the room and are treated with linseed-oil and wax. The air-flow from the air-conditioning system is placed above the ceiling and a narrow gap between the skirting boards and floor allows for circulation of air inside the room. A U-shaped glass fence is erected at the entrance, allowing the visitors 1 meter access into the room. The lacquer room is furnished with two 17th-century marquetry tables and a corner étagère, all abundantly covered with Chinese export ceramics, to honour the original creator of the room, Henrietta Amalia of Anhalt-Dessau. Her inventories are testimony that she displayed a large collection of ceramics in the rooms of her private apartment.

Discussion Neither archival research by De Haan (2009) nor technical research by Dorscheid (2012) provided evidence of the exact original appearance of the room.19 If De Haan’s assumption that the lacquer panels were originally mounted in the larger, adjacent room is correct, the question of the exact location of the panels, the original appearance of the windows, doors and chimney-piece remains open. The recreation of the 1808–1880 situation by Lunsingh-Scheurleer in 1954 suffered from a similar lack of information. According to the reconstructed floor plans, the room had a window in one of the shorter walls, and one or two doors. Because a re-interpretation would also be questionable, it was accepted that the lacquer room might not fully reflect its original appearance. Likewise, the replacements of missing parts of the panels, some of which date from the installation in 1934, were accepted. Structural reinforcements were also left in place. The appearance was greatly improved by removing excess wax and adhesive. Although the lacquer has changed from black to reddish-brown and there is substantial loss of pigments, the scenes still have a strong visual impact. Many other surviving kuancai screens have been heavily retouched, making the survival and reinstallation of the lacquer room even more significant. 19 Haan 2009: 151–167.

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Fig. 7: Trial assemblage of lacquer panels. The lower and upper parts of the panel fit into a rebate created by mouldings. To give the panels more stability two vertical strips of 12 mm birch plywood are fixed with screws in existing holes in the oak frame at the back of the panel. An aluminium strip secures the panel in the middle, © Rijksmuseum.

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Finding an appropriate space for a historic interior can be difficult. In the main 17 -century galleries it had proved impossible to find a suitable place for the lacquer room. Dedicating a part of a large gallery to this rather small room would have disrupted the appearance of such a gallery, and other smaller galleries all lead to emergency exits. After a long search a gallery in the Philips Wing of the Rijksmuseum, just slightly larger than the lacquer room, was considered suitable to house the room. Apart from the lacquer room and an adjacent gallery with a large kuancai screen, a cabinet with European lacquer, and a large collection of precious teapots, this wing is used for temporary exhibitions. Lastly, this project represented a timely endeavour: on average, five people were involved in the treatment and reinstallation over the course of one year. th

Conclusion Previous research coupled with new insights into the manufacturing process both of the original screens and the creation of the room have become better understood over the course of the treatment and reinstallation. It has been discovered that the Lacquer Room from Leeuwarden is comprised of the remnants of three complete and corresponding palace screens, which have been split and reused. New information about the panels’ original construction technique included inserted battens as an unusual but not unique structural reinforcement, which suggests its use during a specific time and/or geographical location. Its reinstallation was uncertain for a long time. The Lacquer Room can now be experienced again in its entire integrity, showing the early fascination of European courts with the Asian world. The fascination with Asian art remains strong. Simultaneously with the treatment of the Lacquer Room a complete kuancai screen, also from the collection of the Rijksmuseum was prepared for display in the adjacent gallery. The information gained during these treatments as well as ongoing research of a screen from the same time period at the Metropolitan Museum of Art ensures continuous advancement of the topic.20

Acknowledgements Iskander Breebaart, Saskia Smulders-de Jong, Sophie Glerum, Lisette Vos, Arie ­Wallert, Reinier Baarsen, Jan van Campen, Taco Dibbits, Menno Fitski, Ching-Ling Wang, Dominque van Loosdrecht, Ton Nuijen (Rijksmuseum Amsterdam), Joost Hoving 20 Hagelskamp 2015; Hagelskamp 2016.

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Fig. 8: Lacquer Room during treatment and examination; names from left to right: Iskander Breebaart, Christina Hagelskamp, Paul van Duin, Henk van Keulen, Saskia Smulders-de Jong, Sophie Glerum, © Rijksmuseum.

(Hoving en Klusener), Henk van Keulen (Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands), Hannah Jaeckel (University of Applied Science Potsdam), Johan de Haan (Radboud University Nijmegen), and Van Hoogevest Architecten. This project was made possible by the Irma Theodora Fonds/Rijksmuseum Fonds.

References Campen 2009: Campen, J.v. 2009. Reduced to a heap of monstrous shivers and splinters: Some Notes on Cormandel Lacquer in Europe in the 17th and 18th Centuries. The Rijksmuseum Bulletin 2/2009: 137–148. Dorscheid 2012: Dorscheid, J. 2012. Das Koromandellack–Zimmer aus dem späten 17. Jh. aus der Sammlung des Rijksmuseums in Amsterdam – Geschichte, Zustand und Konzept zum Wiedereinbau. Unpublished MA Thesis, Fachhochschule Potsdam, Germany. Dorscheid et al. 2015: Dorscheid, J., Duin P.v. and Keulen, H.v. 2015. The late 17th-century Lac-

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quer Room from the Palace of the Stadtholder in Leeuwarden, Preserved in the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam. In: Investigation and Conservation of East Asian Cabinets in Imperial Residences (1700–1900) – Lacquerware and Porcelain, Konservierungswissenschaft.Restaurierung.Technolgie, Bd. 11, eds. G. Krist and E. Iby, 239–259. Vienna: Böhlau Verlag. Drossaers and Lunsingh-Scheurleer 1974–1976: Drossaers, S.W.A. and Lunsingh-Scheurleer, T.H. 1974–1976. Inventaris van de inboedel van het hof te Leeuwarden 1712, 1731, 1764. In: Inventarissen van de inboedels in de verblijven van de Oranjes en daarmede gelijk te stellen stukken, 1567– 1795. Vol. II–III. The Hague: Martinus Nijhof. Duin 2000: Duin, P.v. 2000. Historic interiors in the Rijksmuseum. In: Historic Interiors. Conservation, Restoration and Reconstruction, Fifth International Symposium on Wood and Furniture Conservation, eds. P.v. Duin, D.v. Loosdrecht, and D. Wheeler, 79–86. Amsterdam: Stichting Ebenist. Haan 2009: Haan, J. de. 2009. The Leeuwarden Lacquer Room: a Royal Puzzle. The Rijksmuseum Bulletin 2/2009: 151–167. Hagelskamp 2015: Hagelskamp, C. 2015. De Leeuwarder Lakkamer in het Rijksmuseum: Nieuwe inzichten over het vervaardigen van Chinese kuan cai lakschermen en hun transformatie tot een laat 17e-eeuwse Nederlands interieur. In: Aziatische Kunst, Jaargang 45, Nr 2, juli 2015, 35–43. Groningen: Vereniging van Vrienden der Aziatische Kunst. Hagelskamp 2016: Hagelskamp, C. 2016. Aspects of the Manufacture of Chinese Kuancai Lacquer Screens. Wooden Artifacts Group Postprints. Presentations from the 2016 AIC Annual Meeting in Montreal, Canada, 25–35. Washington: The American Institute for Conservation of Historic & Artistic Works. Kesel and Dhont 2002: Kesel, W. De and Dhont, G. 2002. Coromandel: Lacquer Screens. Gent: Snoeck-Ducaju & Zoon. Lunsingh-Scheurleer 1970: Lunsingh-Scheurleer, T.H. 1970. Stadhouderlijke lakkabinetten. In: Opstellen voor H. van de Waal, ed. E. Tholen, 166–167. Amsterdam: Scheltema & Holkema/ Leiden, Universitaire Pers. Michel 2011: Michel, F. 2011. Funori and JunFunori: Two Related Consolidants With Surprising Properties. In: Proceedings of Symposium 2011 – Adhesives and Consolidants for Conservation, 1–16. Ottawa: Canadian Conservation Institute. Online version: https://www.cci-icc. gc.ca/discovercci-decouvriricc/PDFs/Paper%2016%20-%20Michel%20-%20English.pdf, accessed 9 November 2016. Piert-Borgers 2000: Piert-Borgers, B. 2000. Asiatische Lackarbeiten an französischen Möbeln. In: Japanische und Europäische Lackarbeiten – Rezeption, Adaption, Restaurierung, ed. M. Kühlenthal, 478–515. Munich: Fachbuchhandlung Siegl. Rivers and Umney 2003: Rivers, S. and Umney, N. 2003. Conservation of Furniture. Oxford: Butterworth Heinemann. Webb 2000: Webb, M. 2000. Lacquer: technology and conservation: a comprehensive guide to the technology and conservation of Asian and European lacquer. Oxford, Boston: Butterworth-Heinemann.

Yoshihiko Yamashita, Yoko Futagami, Yasuhiro Hayakawa, Masahide Inuzuka, Takayuki Honda, Phrakhru Udicayanusasana

Investigation and Conservation of Lacquer Panels with Mother-of-Pearl Inlay with Underpaint used for Interior Decoration of Wat Rajpradit, Bangkok

Abstract Wat Rajpradit (Rajpradit Temple), located in Bangkok, Thailand, was founded in 1864 by King Rama IV. At its ordination hall (ubosot), the inner sides of the folding doors are decorated with Japanese-style mother-of-pearl inlay and lacquer painting panels. We studied and conserved two of these panels in Japan in 2013–2015 as a part of the research collaboration and exchange among the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo, Wat Rajpradit and the Fine Arts Department, Ministry of Culture, Thailand, to establish the full-fledged conservation plan of the panels. Scientific analyses of the materials confirmed the panels were Japanese made in terms of species and strontium isotope ratio of wood, as well as chemical composition of lacquer. Conservation work involved removal of coating applied by past restoration, adherence of flaked lacquer layer and colour adjustment of missing part. Consolidation with transparent lacquer also revived the original vivid fades. ***

Introduction Wat Rajpradit (Rajpradit Temple) is one of the first-grade royal Buddhist temples in the old quarter of Bangkok, Thailand, located near the Grand Palace. At its ordination hall (ubosot) (fig. 1), the interior parts of the doors are decorated with Japanese-style mother-of-pearl inlay and lacquer painting panels. The National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo (NRICPT) conducted a field study upon request from the Fine Arts Department, Ministry of Culture of Thailand (FAD). As a result of this observations made in August 2012, we determined that the panels decorated with mother-of-pearl inlay may have been made in Japan. Follow-

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Fig. 1: Ordination Hall, Wat Rajpradit, © Yoshihiko Yamashita, photo by Yoshihiko Yamashita.

ing discussion with the staff of FAD, we decided to provide technical support to the restoration project to be organized and conducted by a Thai team. As part of this technical support, we conducted a detailed study of the door panels of Wat Rajpradit (one mother-of-pearl inlay and one lacquer painting; i.e., a total of two items), bringing them to Japan as part of a study from October 2013 to July 2015 funded by the temple. We conducted not only a detailed investigation of the panels, but also completed a test conservation based on the results of the study. This paper describes the results of a funded study performed by experts both within and outside of our institute on the door panels of Wat Rajpradit.

Description and Provenance of Lacquer Panels of Wat Rajpradit Wat Rajpradit was founded in 1864 by King Rama IV. The temple has a record that the King ordered the interior decoration of the doors from Japan.1

1

Ratchapradit 2010: 20.

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At the ordination hall, there are 19 sets of folding doors including 16 windows, 2 sub-entrances and 1 main entrance. Each opening has a pair of door panels; a door panel consists of three parts, i.e., two mother-of-pearl inlay panels and a lacquer painting panel between them (fig. 2). The motifs of the decoration of the upper panel are flower and bird, the lower panel is Japanese landscape and people’s daily lives. The lacquer painting panels show Chinese legendary good sons and hobbies of literary persons “Qin-QiShu-Hua” (harp, Go game, calligraphy and drawing) and so on drawn on them. Such patterns were popular as decoration of Japanese temples and shrines in the Edo period. Mother-of-pearl inlay with an underpainting method is used in the panels of Wat Rajpradit. At the end of the Edo Period (the middle of the 19th century), an abundance of black lacquer ware with mother-of-pearl inlay with underpainting was exported from Japan. The major manufacturers of export lacquer ware in that period were Aogaiya (青貝屋) and Fig. 2: A pair of folding doors of a window of Sasaya (笹屋 ). They produced lacquer Wat Rajpradit, © NRICPT, processed from a ware in Kyoto and brought their products photo by Seiji Shirono. to Nagasaki to be exported abroad. The fully-fledged production of export lacquer ware began in Nagasaki around 1840. But, mother-of-pearl inlay ware cannot be considered to be the “Nagasaki style” after 1840, since Aogaiya manufactured ao-gai (thin mother-of-pearl) ware until the Kaei period (1848–1854) in Kyoto.2 It is true that ao-gai was made in Nagasaki, and Nagasaki was its main provenance from the end of the Edo to the Meiji periods, but we should note that

2

Katsumori 2011.

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the production of such mother-of-pearl inlay work was undertaken both in Kyoto and in Nagasaki. We turn now to the case of Wat Rajpradit founded in 1864. Motifs of landscapes, people, and flower-bird groupings are the predominant decorations. The coexistence of these patterns is relatively uncommon, and the size of the parts of the windows and doors vary. The panels seem to be made to order, rather than ready-made. Regarding the exact date of production, we may derive a clue from the scroll which is held by a human figure on the lacquer painting panel (fig. 3). According to Katsumori3, the text could read as “叟 鄰/画指/蒔絵工/六十六/壬戌” (literally translated as “old man, next / points of finger / maki-e craftsman / sixty-six / year of older water and dog”). “壬戌” is the fifty-ninth year of the sixty-year cycle widely used in East Asia: this could indicate the year 1862, since the temple was Fig. 3: Lacquer painting: a man hanging a scroll built in 1864. It appears open to question with kanji characters, © NRICPT, processed as to whether so many large panels could from a photo by Yoko Futagami. have been made in Nagasaki, since there was not much experience in this kind of work in that region. The characteristics of the mother-of-pearl inlay, based on the provenances, are not currently clear; in addition, few products have been found similar to the panels of Wat Rajpradit. Thus, the provenance and manufacturer of the mother-of-pearl inlay of the temple remain unclear for the moment. We are continuing the investigation of many more items in order to understand the history of mother-of-pearl inlay of this type.

3

Personal communication, Noriko Katsumori, 2014.

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Scientific Analyses of the Panels of Wat Rajpradit Several scientific analyses were conducted on the panels at NRICPT, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Kochi Prefectural Paper Technology Center and Meiji University. Purposes of the scientific analysis are to identify the materials used, to elucidate geographical origin of the materials, and to examine the place(s) of production of the objects. Analyses were conducted in the following categories: X-ray radiography, identification of species of wood and paper / fibre, non-destructive X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis of the surface materials, cross-section microscopic observation, energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX) analysis, pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) analysis of the sampled materials, and measurement of 87Sr/86Sr isotope ratio of wood.

X-Ray Radiography Transmitted X-ray imaging of the door panels was conducted at the Radiography Laboratory at NRICPT. The aim of this research was to investigate their inner structure and to check existence of metal leaf for decoration. The X-ray generating equipment used for this research was X-ray tube MCN165 produced by YXLON International.4 In the X-ray images of the door panel with mother-of-pearl inlay and the door panel with lacquer painting, a joint consisting of a line formed by joining two pieces was recognized in the direction of red arrow indicated at the bottom of figure 4. Moreover, there are thin strips of wood, which are approximately 3 mm thick and attached to both edges of the long side of the door panel in the directions of blue arrows indicated at the bottom of figure 4. At the upper edge of the door panel (in the area within the yellow circle in fig. 4), a thin strip of wood is also attached along the curvature. Within the yellow circle, there is a deficient part found near the upper edge of the door panel. We found that it was supplemented with different material. One of the purposes of this research was to check the existence of gold leaf for decoration. However, the evidence of using gold leaf was not found in the X-ray images. The green-coloured material used for the decoration on the surface of the door panel was recognized clearly in the X-ray images (for example, in the area within the green

4

The tube voltage and current were set at 20kV and 3 mA, respectively. Irradiation distance and time were 150 cm and 30 sec, respectively. The transmitted X-ray images were obtained by using an imaging plate produced by FUJIFILM Corporation.

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circle indicated in fig. 4). High density material was considered to be selected to express green colour.

Analysis of Tree Species and Paper/Fibre Identification of the tree species used for the panel was done at the Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute. According to the microscopic observation of the cross section of the specimen, the wood used both for lacquer painting and mother-of-pearl inlay decorated panels is sugi (Cryptomeria Japonica, Japanese cedar tree), which is an endemic species of Japan. Kochi Prefectural Paper Technology Center did an observation of the fibre of the paper under the lacquer film to identify the species. The observation revealed the paper was made from kozo (Broussonetia kazinoki × B. papyrifera) fibre. Kozo is a kind of mulberry tree, and is widely distributed across Asia.

X-Ray Fluorescence Analysis In order to perform the material analysis of the panels with lacquer painting and the mother-of-pearl inlay, a handheld Fig. 4: Transmitted X-ray image of the motherX-ray fluorescence spectrometer (Bruker of-pearl inlay decorated panel, © NRICPT. S1-TURO) was applied.5 Regarding the lacquer-painted panel, the materials of 21 points were analysed (fig. 5, upper). X-ray fluorescent intensities obtained from each point are listed in table 1. Mercury and iron were detected from base mate-

5

The spectrometer can be operated with only a Li-ion battery and a tablet PC. Following conditions were set for the present analysis: target: Pd; tube voltage, current: 40kV, 17μA; X-ray radiation diameter: φ2mm; measuring time: 60 sec.

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rial with red colour. As the red colour becomes stronger, detected intensity of mercury increases. From yellow-coloured parts (nos. 4–9), a large amount of arsenic was detected which is considered to be one of the elements constituting the orpiment. Copper and zinc were detected at the measuring points of nos. 13–20. Since the ratio of Cu/Zn was almost the same in all measuring point, it is estimated that brass (Cu-Zn alloy) powder was used. From the measuring points of no. 2, 11 and 15, a small amount of tin was detected. It is not possible to determine whether a pigment or metal powder including tin was used. For the mother-of-pearl inlay panel, the materials of 23 points were analysed (fig. 5, lower). The analytical results are shown in table 2. Calcium and iron, which are derived from shells and Urushi, respectively, were detected from all the points analysed. From many points, silver was detected. It is considered that the silver foil was stuck to the back of the shells. From green-coloured parts (no. 1, 9, 10 and 17), large amount of copper and arsenic were detected. In these green parts, it can be estimated that they were used together with malachite green and orpiment.

Fig. 5: Analysed points by X-ray fluorescence analysis, © NRICPT.

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Tab. 1: Results of X-ray fluorescence analysis of the lacquer-painted panel X-Ray Intensity (cps) No.

MeasurColour ing Points

CaKα

1

base

red

22.5

2

cloth

red

40.5

119.5

3

cloth

dark red

40.8

50.5

13.7

827.4

4

peach

orange yellowish

81.6

4.6

134.5

230.0

5

bat

yellow

24.6

7.8

198.8

468.2

6

leaf

dark ­yellow

35.9

51.1

505.5

327.4

7

leaf

yellow

58.5

30.7

562.9

296.1

8

shoe

yellow

85.0

33.3

353.9

485.9

9

cloth

yellow

41.8

6.6

10

end metal gold

24.5

210.9

11

face

light brown

79.9

3.4

9.1

12

hair

black

57.0

1.9

10.6

615.0

13

cloth

brown

77.4

349.0

133.2

16.7

955.8

14

oblation

brown greenish

126.5

821.7

364.5

19.1

347.9

15

gourd

brown greenish

93.4

218.6

103.0

16.1

16

ornament blackish brown

111.5

256.2

125.1

17.0

755.5

17

tree

192.6

1272.0 574.7

17.6

219.6

18

leaf draw- blackish ing brown

115.5

1177.1

520.6

12.4

158.3

19

petal

dark brown reddish

106.0

80.7

35.8

8.3

525.9

20

rock

dark brown reddish

106.0

34.1

8.1

21

back side, brown metal reddish powder

3.6

Ti-Kα

5.6

brown greenish

202.8

Fe-Kα Cu-Kα Zn-Kα As-Kα SnKα

107.3

Au-Lα Hg-Lα

7.0 54.2

11.5

440.5 14.9

617.0

679.3

700.2

51.7

30.3 34.9

487.7

27.7

820.3

329.0

19.8

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Tab. 2: Results of X-ray fluorescence analysis of the mother-of-pearl inlay panel X-Ray Intensity (cps) No.

Measuring Points

Colour

Ca-Kα

Fe-Kα

Cu-Kα

As-Kα

Ag-Kα

1

leaf

green

19.7

36.6

88.7

192.0

7.6

2

leaf

brown

32.3

28.6

1.6

3.6

6.3

3

roof

blue-green

47.5

22.4

1.3

1.9

4

rock

blue-green

42.9

26.1

1.6

2.8

5

ground

reddishbrown

6.2

46.0

6

leaf

light white

27.8

25.5

7

human face

white

27.8

49.6

8

cloth

light blue

52.1

34.0

9

cloth

green

58.3

20.9

10

cloth

blue-green

52.3

25.2

11

leaf

light reddish-brown

23.6

44.6

12

leaf

reddish-brown

27.9

28.5

13

man’s head

light reddish-brown

34.5

11.2

14

cloth

light reddish-brown

40.2

8.4

15

fish

green

40.6

11.1

16

woman‘s black head

26.6

17

cloth

green

18

wall

green

19

wall

20

wall

21

Sn-Kα

Hg-Lα

4.5 2.9

14.9

2.2

3.4

13.5

63.3

167.1

13.1

103.0

264.6

12.7

2.7

7.7

1.8

7.8

2.0

8.7 2.8

8.2

6.8

16.6

8.9

13.1

1.6

1.6

7.7

28.7

12.1

13.7

37.8

8.1

19.0

20.7

light white

21.0

23.4

1.8

2.2

9.2

light brown

27.1

19.1

1.5

1.9

8.5

edge, restored

red

1.4

11.6

2.0

3.9

185.0

22

edge, restored

light red

1.4

14.6

1.8

8.5

164.3

23

rear side, metal light brown powder

4.7

5.9

4.6

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Chemical and Structural Analysis of Lacquer Samples The analysed samples are listed in tables 3 and 4. Tab. 3: Cross-section and ED-XRF samples Sample No.

Colour

Cross-section

ED-XRF

A

black

⊗

x

B

red

⊗

x

C

red

⊗

⊗

D

black

⊗

x

E

shell

⊗

⊗

F

grey (groundwork)

⊗

⊗

⊗: analysed, X: not analysed Tab. 4: Py-GC/MS samples Sample No.

Place

Details

1

mother-of-pearl

groundwork

from sample a

2

mother-of-pearl

lacquer layer

from sample a

3

mother-of-pearl

old repaired layer

on a shell

4

mother-of-pearl

binder layer

surface of sample b

5

mother-of-pearl

new repaired layer

6

mother-of-pearl

frame

7

lacquer paint flower

8

lacquer paint

yellow ochre

9

lacquer paint

black on back

sample d

mother-of-pearl (different door)

black

paint with shells

10

Results Cross-Section and ED-XRF Analysis Figure 6 shows the cross-section images of the samples.

red + black + groundwork

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Fig. 6: Cross-section images of the samples, © Takayuki Honda.

Sample A The groundwork was a one-layered coat. On the groundwork, two types of Japanese lacquer with different colour density were applied as top coating. This difference can be explained by different refinement rates; raw lacquer and sugurome lacquer.

Sample B This is a cross-section image of a red painted part of the frame of the mother-of-pearl inlay panel. Layers of 23 μm and 11 μm thickness had red iron oxide judging from the colour of a reflecting layer, and the 7μm-thick layer underneath seemed to contain mercuric vermilion. The mercuric vermilion layer was not found on the curved outermost part of the edge.

Sample C Two layers exist in the coating. Considering the result of EDX, the first paint layer was about 13 μm thick with mercuric vermilion, the second was a red-iron-oxide coat about 18 μm thick. Much iron was detected from the groundwork.

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Sample D This is a cross-section result of the black-colour paint part on the rear side of the lacquer painting decorated panel. A coat has two layers and a thin black-colour layer exists between the groundwork and the coat. This groundwork was considered to be charcoal groundwork. Comparing the 14 μm-thick surface layer with the layer of a 7 μm-thick coat, it turned out that more refined Japanese lacquer was used for the upper coat since the lower coat was more or less turbid than the upper coat. Silver-colour particles were observed in the coat. Strong peak of Sn was obtained from these particles by EDX analysis.

Sample E This sample was from a different door panel of Wat Rajpradit. The panel was severely damaged, and some of its fragments were brought to Japan for analysis. Inlaid mother-of-pearl was included in the sample. A piece of shell was buried in a one-layer coat; thickness of the shell was almost the same as the coat (59 μm). Moreover, fine shell-like particles were observed closest to the surface. Much amount of Zn, Fe, and Ca were detected from the shell by EDX analysis. These elements were also identified from the part of the black-colour particulate media, showing that the fine particles observed in the cross section were shells.

Sample F The groundwork was separated into layers at about 40 μm deep from the surface. Magnifying it by x200, particle size changed at the depth of 40 μm. This indicates that undercoatings were applied twice. Moreover, when analysed this groundwork with EDX, Zn, Si, and Fe were strongly detected. Some thin threads about 2 μm long were at the bottom of the ground layer. These threads were considered to be hyphae of fungi.

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Py-GC/MS Analysis Tab. 5: Py-GC/MS analysis result Sample No.

Lacquer Species

Oil Amount

Glue Amount

1

–

very small amount

abundant

2

Japan, China

more than sample 1

abundant

3

Japan, China

present

–

4

Japan, China

detected oil containing c12 and c14

much as sample 2

5

–

abundant

–

6

Thailand, Myanmar

abundant

very small amount

7

Japan, China

little

very small amount

8

Japan, China

little

very small amount

9

Thailand, Myanmar

little

very small amount

Sr/Sr Isotope Ratio Measurement Tab. 6: 87Sr/86Sr isotope ratio measurement result Measurement Part

87

Sr/86Sr Isotope Ratio

lacquer-painted part

0.708141344

mother-of-pearl inlay decorated part

0.708141794

edge, mother-of-pearl inlay decorated part

0.706687754

The strontium isotopic analysis was conducted to identify the place of origin of wood. As for the value obtained by the analysis, 0.71 was set as a threshold value to judge the provenance. If the value is lower, the wood was from the Japanese archipelago, the wood was grown in the Chinese continent if the value is higher than 0.71. Samples were measured from three parts; lacquer painting decorated panel, the mother-of-pearl inlaid panel and the thin wood added to its edge. Since the obtained values coincided to the six decimal points, it is clear that the wood of lacquer painting and mother-of-pearl decorated panels was from the same provenance. It can be also said that the provenance was Japan. On the other hand, the wood on the edge showed a relatively small value, suggesting it was from relatively young land.

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Analytical methods These analyses were conducted following the routine.6

Discussion Japanese or Chinese lacquer was used for the black painting on the front part of the mother-of-pearl decorated panel and the red-colour part of the lacquer painting decorated panel. These parts are considered to be treated first. The analysis indicated that much amount of animal glue was used for groundwork. This was also the case for the red-colour edge of the mother-of-pearl inlay panel. As for the edge, groundwork was considered to be applied over the same coating as the mother-of-pearl decorated part, and red synthetic paint was put over the groundwork. Therefore, it is likely that the detected glue was derived from the groundwork. A component with a shorter carbon chain than the other types of oil was detected in the oil used for the binder of the red colour of the edge. That means different material was used from the ones generally used as drying oil. From the additional red paint surrounding the black-colour coat of the mother-ofpearl inlay panel, lacquer of Thailand or Myanmar was detected. Such lacquer was also used on the rear side of the lacquer painting decorated panel, even the lacquer of Japanese or Chinese was used for dark red colour or yellow paint on its front side. It is highly possible that two or more types of lacquer were used properly in the step of coating. If such method was applicable and if the wood was grown in Japan, it is probable that the panels were made in a region like Nagasaki that had been carried on an active trade with abroad.

Conservation of the Door Panels of Wat Rajpradit Let us summarize here the outline of the conservation project of the door panels of Wat Rajpradit. The project has two phases: the first phase (2012–2015) for the study for planning the full-fledged conservation project, and the second phase (2016–2021) for the conservation of all panels of the temple which is to be held in Thailand. Main objective of the project is to conserve the door panels, but transmission of technique and process of conservation to Thai experts is also an important aim for ensuring sustainable future conservation and maintenance of the panels. 6

Honda et al. 2016 and Lu et al. 2015.

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The project is co-organized by Wat Rajpradit and FAD. NRICPT gives technical assistance to the project. The study in Japan was mainly funded by the temple; the Crown Property Bureau7 funds the conservation project of the whole temple area which includes conservation of the door panels. Foundation for Cultural Heritage and Art Research in Japan also funds the study on mother-of-pearl inlay products exported from Japan in the end of the Edo period. In addition, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand and the Royal Thai Embassy in Tokyo also support the project.

Preparation for Conservation First, we chose two panels (one mother-of-pearl inlay and one lacquer painting) in terms of condition and did facing on the damaged parts with Japanese paper in Bangkok in May 2013. Then the staff of FAD and Wat Rajpradit brought the two panels to Tokyo. After taking their photos at NRICPT previous to the conservation process, the panels were packed and fumigated for three months in low-oxygen atmosphere for killing insects.

Condition of the Panels The panels of the decorative doors at Wat Rajpradit are in fairly poor condition, as they are over 100 years old. Conditions of the panels are divided into two categories: typical damage and peculiar case. The typical damage is following: dirt and dust covered the surfaces and deteriorations were found on ground and film. Deterioration includes light damage and general wear and tear. Shrinkage and distortion of wood caused cracking in the wood and detachment of ground layer from the wooden base. Detached ground layer caused its cracking and flaking, and even loss. Abalone shell inlay, film and painting were lost on detaching parts. Metal powder used on the back surface and painting part had rust and changed original colour. The use of the panels caused many scratches on the surface film. In this particular case, restoration coating material was applied on the surface of black panel. The brownish material had changed its appearance. Some thicker turban shells were also added in the framework of the past restoration works. Red coating was applied on the edge of the black panel and also silver-colour paint was found on the film. According to memory of a monk, the restoration was done in Thailand over 18 years ago. 7

Crown Property Bureau is a semi-governmental organization which manages the Thai Royal Family’s properties. The Bureau was established by the will of King Rama V to manage his legacy and utilize it for repairing royal temples. For that reason, the Crown Property Bureau has been financing and managing conservation projects of temples.

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Guiding Principles for the Treatment • • • •

The principle guideline for treatment is to maintain the present state of the object. Materials for treatment should be selected from organic and synthetic materials. Retouching from past restoration should be removed as much as possible. Coating materials from past restoration on shell should be removed as much as possible. • Cracks and losses should be in-filled. • The missing parts of shell and drawing should not be added to the design. • The in-filled parts should be colour-matched with lacquer for appearance.

Process for Conservation Testing conservation materials Several material tests were done before starting conservation. For testing of different glues, three kinds of animal glue, i.e. Japanese cow glue as well as Thai and Myanmar’s water buffalo glue were on board using cover glass. Three types of materials – hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC), cow glue and Japanese lacquer – were tested for consolidation of ground layers that contain animal glue. Tests with several solvents for removing past restoration measures with oil and lacquer were also conducted. Apart from these tests of materials, we also did testing of conservation techniques by using combination of different conservation materials (fig. 7).

Cleaning and reattachment of detached layers Water and ethanol were used for surface cleaning on the panels.

Reattachment of detached layers Injection of 0.8 % hydroxypropyl cellulose (NISSO HPC M, Nippon Soda Co., Ltd) with ethanol into ground layers was done for consolidation. Waiting 3–4 hours to strengthen the damaged ground layers, 15 % Japanese animal glue (Gyuhi-wakoh “Aoi”, Amanosan Cultural Heritage Research Institute) with water was injected into detached layers. The lifting parts were pressed down by Ramin wood sticks in wooden frames. Acrylic sheets, plastic sheets and cling films were used on the surface. Impregnation with Mugi Urushi (raw Urushi + wheat flour) that was diluted with the solvent Ligroin (JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation) was also done to reinforce edges of the film.

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Fig. 7: Process of restoration: 1. Pressurizing detached Urushi film and mother-of-pearl inlay by animal glue; 2. Reinforcement on the edges of Urushi film by Mugi-Urushi; 3. Cut-off lacquer film that was done in Thailand with Japanese knife; 4. Conservation of damaged Urushi film by transparent Urushi, © Yoshihiko Yamashita.

Fixing, consolidation and filling For fixing cracks in the wood, the cracks were impregnated with Mugi Urushi diluted with Ligroin. Kijiro Urushi (translucent Urushi) and Kijomi Urushi (Japanese raw Urushi) was diluted 4 to 5 times with the solvent Cleansol G (JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation). The pre-diluted Urushi was applied on damaged film and excess Urushi was removed by using soft tissue paper with Ligroin.

Filling of lost parts and cracks The missing parts and cracks were filled by using kokuso (Mugi Urushi + saw dust + burnt diatomaceous earth). Missing areas in the ground were closed with an appropriate filling mass (earth clay + Japanese raw Urushi) several times. Afterwards the ground was polished with small water stone.

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Removing past restoration materials and colour matching Tetrahydrofuran (THF, Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd) was only applied on the surface of shell parts with a cotton swab. After waiting, the film applied in the former restoration became soft, a silicon bit and small carving knife were used to remove the restoration materials. For black missing parts, the soot made from burnt Roiro-Urushi (black Urushi without oil content) was used for middle coating with Suki-Urushi (transparent Urushi). For red missing parts, cinnabar pigment with Suki-Urushi was used for the middle coating. Suki-Urushi and Shuai-Urushi (with oil content) were additionally applied as very thin layer on them as a final coating. Gold leaf and Kijiro-Roiro Urushi mixture was used for gold colour on the edges.

Before and after conservation After-conservation photos show the pattern on the panels clearly (fig. 8). Deteriorated surface of the film and Fig. 8: Panels before (left) and after (right) conpaintings was recovered from light damservation, © NRICPT, photo by Seiji Shirono. age. The missing parts were just matched in colour with surrounding original film, without new drawing. The serious damage of exfoliation on the black panel was fixed completely. During cleaning, the brownish restoration materials on the shells were removed perfectly. Cracks in the wood base were fixed and filled. Whitish past restoration parts were adjusted in original colour. After the conservation, you can see the daily life of the delightful Japanese people again.

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Conclusion We studied the door panels of Wat Rajpradit in collaboration with experts both within and outside of NRICPT. As for the materials used for the panels, two types of lacquer (Japanese/Chinese and Thai/Myanmar) were detected in the original lacquer films. The study, especially the identification of wood species and the analysis of strontium isotope ratio, revealed that the panels were made in Japan and exported to Thailand. Even if the exact provenance and manufacturer of the panels remain unclear, the results of the investigation will help to deepen understanding of lacquer history and techniques. Following a series of scientific analyses and testing of conservation materials, conservation work was performed on two selected panels. We consider the conservation techniques used for these panels will be effective in conserving other 19th-century lacquer objects. The process and technique of conservation works were transmitted to Thai experts during the period of the study. The experts are expected to teach other Thai experts the skills when conservation work in Thailand begins. It is obvious that the door panels of Wat Rajpradit are important evidence of the historical communication links between Japan and Thailand. There will be a special art exhibition in 2017 celebrating the 130th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Some of the door panels of the temple may be displayed at the exhibition. The conservation project of the next stage is being prepared by the temple, FAD and other related organizations in Thailand. Our technical assistance for full-fledged conservation of the panels as well as the study of mother-of-pearl inlay with underpainting will be continued.

References Honda et al. 2016: Honda, T., Lu, R., Kamiya, Y., Nakai, S. and Miyakoshi, T. 2016. Identification of Ryukyu lacquerwares by pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and 87Sr/86Sr isotope ratio. J. Anal. Appl. Pyrolysis 117: 25–29. Kathsumori 2011: Katsumori, N. 2011. Section 5 Manufacturing Places of Exported Lacquer Ware. In: Historical Study on Exotic Fine Arts in the Edo Period (近世異国趣味美術の史的研究 第五 節 輸出漆器の製作地について), 359–361. Kyoto: Rinsen Book Co. Lu et al. 2015: Lu, R., Honda, T., Sato, M., Yoshida, K. and Miyakoshi, T. 2015. Investigation of Ryukyu lacquerwares by pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. J. Anal. Appl. Pyrolysis 113: 84–88. Ratchapradit 2010: Wat Ratchapradit Sathitmahasimaram (ed.). 2010. History, art, and architecture

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of Wat Ratchapradit in Bangkok built by King Mongkut. Bangkok: Wat Ratchapradit Sathitmahasimaram. (in Thai, titled “ราชประดิษฐ พิพธิ บรรณ, วัดราชประดิษฐสถิตมหาสีมาราม”)

Additional Literature Lu, R., Kamiya, Y. and Miyakoshi, T. 2006. Applied analysis of lacquer films based on pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Talanta 70: 370–376.

Silvia Miklin-Kniefacz, Richard Miklin, Susanne M. Käfer

The Rediscovered Lacquer Panels of Schönbrunn – On their History and Conservation

Abstract Preparatory examinations prior to conservation work on the lacquer panels in both Chinese Cabinets at Schönbrunn Palace showed that the rooms have not existed in their original state since the 19th century. Photographs dating before 1900 show different lacquer panels in the middle and bottom zones to the ones installed until 2013. Moreover, an invoice from the Járay Company, which executed the conversion and renovation work in 1899 and 1900, confirms what happened to the original lacquer panels. Further research established that the panels that had once adorned the Chinese Cabinets were among the lacquer panels stored at the Bundesmobiliendepot but there had been no association with Schönbrunn on record until their recent discovery. This provided new prospects for the planned restoration of the rooms. The expediency and possibility of reinstalling the original panels was examined. To this end test treatments were performed on three large panels with various forms of damage, one small coromandel lacquer panel and two panels from the bottom zone – a Viennese lacquer panel and one with a coromandel lacquer panel fragment insert. The various states of preservation demanded various treatments, e.g. some of the Chinese panels were treated using traditional Asian methods (urushigatame). On other panels secondary coatings that were too difficult to remove were left and cleaned. The discovery of the original panels resulted in new insights into the diversity of the Chinese screens used to decorate the Chinese Cabinets and the augmenting Viennese panels. ***

Introduction During initial examinations undertaken in preparation for the conservation of the five different types of lacquer panels belonging to the Chinese Cabinets at Schönbrunn Palace, it

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Fig. 1: Round Cabinet, before 2013, © Schloß Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsges.m.b.H., photo by Alexander Koller.

Fig. 2: Round Cabinet, around 1890, © ÖNB Inv.Nr. 422.569-B, photo by Raimund Stillfried von Rathenitz.

already became evident that they did not constitute the original decoration of the rooms.1 Photographs dating from the years before 1900 showed that different panels to the ones under examination had clad the middle and lowermost areas of the walls (figs.1 and 2). An invoice from the company of Sándor Járay for conversion work done in 1899/1900 documents that the tall lacquer panels of the middle areas were replaced with others (fig. 3). Járay sawed all of the former screen panels apart parallel to the image surfaces and reinstalled them with the reverse sides on show. At the same time almost all of the original panels in the bottom area were removed and replaced with new Japanese lacquer panels. Further research in August 2013 uncovered the panels that had originally decorated the Chinese Cabinets among the lacquer panels stored at the Bundesmobiliendepot (Federal Furniture Depository), which had not been associated with Schönbrunn up to that point. In addition, almost all of the panels belonging to the bottom area (31) were found. This provided totally new prospects for the planned restoration of the cabinets. The possibility of reinstalling the original panels to reconstruct the condition prior to 1900 and thereby restore the cabinets’ original appearance as far as possible was to be examined. This meant that investigative restoration work had to be performed on the panels,

1

Miklin-Kniefacz et al. 2015: 149–168.

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Fig. 3: Detail of the invoice of Sándor Járay concerning the splitting of the panels from June 6, 1900, Haus-, Hof- und Staatsarchiv Wien, Akten der Schlosshauptmannschaft Schönbrunn, Zl. 1108/1900 (Beilage).

which were in part badly damaged. Only after this step could a decision be taken on whether to reinstall the rediscovered panels. Three large Chinese lacquer panels with various forms of damage and three different types of panels from the middle area were selected for these test-conservations. Work on the three large Chinese panels and a small coromandel lacquer panel was carried out under the direction of Silvia Miklin-Kniefacz, and that on the two Viennese lacquer panels under the direction of Susanne Käfer. Furthermore, there was the consideration as to whether the original site of each panel could be determined and whether indeed they would fit into their respective recesses in the wall panelling after more than a hundred years of storage. This work was conducted with the wood conservator Stefan Kainz. With the positive conclusion of all the preparatory examinations and work, a green light for the conservation and reinstallation of all the rediscovered panels was given by the Schloss Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsgesellschaft (Schönbrunn Palace Cultural and Operating Company), the Bundesmobilienverwaltung (Federal Furniture Administration) as representative of the institution owning the panels, and the Bundesdenkmalamt (Federal Monuments Office).

The “Screens” of the Chinese Cabinets Assignment of the lacquer panels discovered in the Bundesmobiliendepot to the Chinese Cabinets made it possible to reconstruct the former screens that were used to decorate the rooms. While it had been impossible before to match up the large panels with the flowers and birds that had previously been installed in the panelling of the middle area to one or more screens, the rediscovered panels could be indisputably assigned to two folding screens. These differ from one another at first sight through their lower bottom regions. While the

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Fig. 4: Virtual reconstruction of the 12(?)-fold screen of the Round Cabinet, © Schloß Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsges.m.b.H. and Bundesmobilienverwaltung, photos by Moritz Krehon.

seven panels from the Round Cabinet possess small painted landscapes or flowers and insects in cartouches in that area, mythological animals, so-called qilin, are depicted on the six panels from the Oval Cabinet. Moreover, the panels in the Round Cabinet could be pieced together to create groups of two or three associates. As if that were not enough, panels on the doors of both cabinets could likewise be assigned to both of these screens. One door from the Oval Cabinet could be placed between two groups of two from the Round Cabinet, which created a contiguous image comprising of five panels (fig. 4). In turn two door panels from the Round Cabinet match two groups of two from the Oval Cabinet. Thus each eight panels can definitely be assigned to a screen, which presumably originally consisted of twelve parts. Only the two panels belonging to the central depiction of each and the respective outer panels are therefore missing. The decoration of the panels from the Oval Cabinet is dominated by depictions of seascapes with rocks and trees. In the stretches of water there are several pavilions standing on piles and bridges. The central figural group of the hunting party was presumably to be found on the central panel of the original screen. It depicts a woman and a man on horseback accompanied by two servants carrying a flag and a gun. The woman is the

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famous heroine of Chinese literature, Mulan.2 The eight panels from the Round Cabinet also display a seascape with pavilions, rocks and trees in which members of an aristocratic party roam about for pleasure, mostly in pairs, but with no hunting scenes. On one panel there is a large sailing ship with a Chinaman smoking a pipe on its roof. While decorating the rooms, attention was paid not to mix up the panels from both screens, although they were arranged haphazardly among themselves. This can also be seen when viewing the areas directly under the tall middle panels. While in the Oval Cabinet panels clearly originating from the outer borders were installed there, panels with qilin depictions were fitted in the comparable area in the Round Cabinet. Swapping the panels of this area would obviously lead to an undesired doubling of the qilin images in the Oval Cabinet, since these mythological beasts are already present in the lower border zones of the large panels. The six small panels cut from the side border panels of the Oval Cabinet cannot be decisively assigned but might well originate from one (or both) of the screens used for both rooms, just as is the case for the four curved panels in the upper area of the window reveals. Besides both presumably twelve-panelled screens, which were mainly used in the middle regions of the cabinets, a third screen with hunting scenes must have been cut up to produce the decoration of the rooms. Its panels, cut back top and bottom, were used above all on the doors and small panels are to be found in the upper regions of the Oval Cabinet, and one in the Round Cabinet. Three groups of two from this screen can be associated with three small panels, remaining unplaced. On purely stylistic grounds the qilin panels of the Round Cabinet could also have originated in this screen yet there are no other corroborative factors to indicate this. Another twelve-panelled folding screen was used to cover the window reveals. Of the twelve panels, only one from the central palace scene is missing and both of the border panels. Above the mirrors and doors a total of nine panels from two different screens were installed, from a small one, which was not cut back, and from a large one, whose edges were cut back top and bottom. From what was once the smaller screen, four panels are in the Oval Cabinet and two in the Round Cabinet, while three panels from the larger screen are only to be found in the latter. The smaller screen, from which only the two edge panels are presumably missing, could be matched to form the single image of an extensive palace complex. The three cut panels of the second screen, which could not be directly sequenced with each other, depict an encampment with soldiers. All nine panels

2

An almost identical representation of the Mulan figure can be seen on a very similar lacquer panel in the Eszterháza Palace in Hungary. See Fajcsák 2010: 106–119.

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Fig. 5: Part of Round Cabinet (see fig. 2.), panels with the same colour originate from the same screen, except the panels marked in dark grey, which are single pieces, © Schloß Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsges.m.b.H., photo by Linsinger ZT G.m.b.H., G. Töpfer. Fig. 6: Coromandel lacquer panel from the Round Cabinet, © Schloß Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsges.m.b.H. and Bundesmobilienverwaltung, photo by Moritz Krehon.

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had small Chinese lacquer fragments side-gated to them and were partially painted in order to create appropriate continuity. A final group is formed by the five small, curved panels in the upper area of the window reveals in the Round Cabinet. These originated from the reverse side of a screen, like the installed panels with the flowers and birds, perhaps even from both of the twelve-panelled screens used to decorate the central areas of the rooms. Only the flowers on these panels are original, all other depictions are Viennese additions. In summary, it can be maintained that at least seven screens of various sizes and panel number were used for both rooms (fig. 5). Besides these panels – without exception all Chinese export lacquer from the first half of the 18th century –coromandel lacquer from the 17th century was fitted in the uppermost und lowest rows in the Round Cabinet, and all are presumed to have originated in the same screen. The panels of the uppermost row have depictions of painting scholars and their attendants (fig. 6) and the lowest originate from the edge of the screen and have, among other things, representations of musical instruments, scholars’ utensils, and antiques.3

The Viennese Panels Over and above the Chinese lacquer panels, there were now two further types of panels that came into the picture after their discovery at the Bundesmobiliendepot, on the one hand panels painted with European lacquer in which coromandel lacquer fragments had been integrated, and on the other lacquer panels that had been painted exclusively in Vienna. Both types originating from the lowermost areas of both cabinets were removed by the Sándor Járay Company in 1899/1900 and replaced with Japanese lacquer panels. These serially produced panels with five different motifs (flowers and birds) were obtained from a Viennese import company.4 The Viennese panels with the coromandel fragments make up a total of 23 pieces. In the centre of every panel is a fragment that was cut out of a coromandel lacquer screen and to the most part depicts a three or four-legged antique vessel, a so-called ting. This was embedded into a larger panel in a Viennese workshop and supplemented with paintings in a Chinese manner of various objects, animals and plants. On the reverse of these panels are various inscriptions that make assignment of the panels to the Round or Oval 3 4

A detailed investigation on these coromandel lacquer panels is provided in Jäckel 2015. There is a paper label on the reverse of one of the panels with the inscription “Society of Japan”. This “society” is a registered trade name of the Prossnitz & Biel Company, founded in 1894. Compare Lehmann 1897: 341, 358 – on the depictions and examinations of the Japanese panels see Miklin-Kniefacz et al. 2015: 156–157.

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Cabinet along with their precise original placement possible. Thus panels with the 18th century inscription “dass Cavinet wo zwey Camin” (the cabinet with two fireplaces) can definitely be placed in the Round Cabinet as there is only one fireplace in the Oval Cabinet. The addition of a single letter, e.g. “d”, allows an exact positioning of the panel as well. Panels with the inscription “in dass Cavinet wo ein Camin” (the cabinet with one fireplace) were obviously installed in the Oval Cabinet. Furthermore, various markings, such as lines and circles, on the reverse sides aid in the precise localisation of the panels. Additional certainty for the ordering of the panels is provided by labels dating from the period around 1900 when these panels were replaced by the Japanese ones. Just such a label bears this inscription “Zu N. 10 Fenster 1 Saal 28 unten” (to no. 10 window 1 room 28 below). 28 was the room number of the Oval Cabinet. The second group comprises eight thick oak panels of two different widths with exclusively Viennese lacquer painting and depictions of vessels and flowers, birds and insects like those on the panels with the coromandel lacquer fragments. They can be assigned to the lower areas of the doors to the south outside staircase and the windows, and they displayed very heavy damage upon their discovery at the Bundesmobiliendepot, resulting from the building work executed around 1899/1900. In order to understand these panels, a glance at the history of the Chinese Cabinets would be helpful. On the printed floor plan by Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach there are rectangular rooms on the sites of the two oval Chinese Cabinets – the so-called Round Cabinet in fact has an oval floor plan too. Conversion began under Nicolaus Pacassi around 1745. The plan of 1743/44 attributed to him displays large deviations from Fischer’s plan with only the position of the respective doors to the outside staircase and the windows in the concave south wall of the medium risalit of the palace being consistent. As Pacassi could or would not change this arrangement, he had to integrate the doors and windows into his plan. So, while he had coromandel lacquer panels and the panels with the integrated coromandel fragments fitted into the panelling on the remaining bottom area of the cabinets, he did not have the existing panels in the lower parts of the outside doors and under the windows removed but had them overpainted in the Chinese manner instead. There are still remnants of an older green or white paint layer under this overpainting. As Sándor Járay decided to replace all of the panels in the bottom area of both cabinets with new Japanese lacquer panels in 1899, he could not so simply swap these panels, because they were integrated parts of the doors and windows. That is why he had them prised out, brutally in some cases, with the result that the wooden supports suffered serious damage. This group of panels therefore has been in the room longer than any of the others. As part of the outer doors and windows, these panels more than likely belonged to the original fabric of the palace (after 1700), were later overpainted in connection with

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the creation of the Chinese Cabinets (around 1750) and finally replaced by Japanese lacquer panels (1899/1900).

On the Conservation of the Chinese Panels The surfaces of the Chinese lacquer panels found at the Bundesmobiliendepot displayed three different states of preservation in the main: – eight large panels had matt, patchy surfaces, – three panels had a thick, transparent brown coating, and – two panels had a thin, yellow coating – optically similar to the majority of the panels installed in both of the cabinets. – The four coromandel lacquer fragments also had matt, light-damaged surfaces. Examination of the original lacquer layers showed laccol, tapped from the wax tree or Japanese wax tree (Toxicodendron succedaneum), to be the main component of the three East Asian types of lacquer as well as a drying oil and cedarwood oil; the coromandel lacquer panels contained in addition the lacquer sap from the so-called Chinese or Japanese lacquer tree (Toxicodendron vernicifluum (Stokes) F.A. Barkley), da qi (Chinese) or urushi (Japanese).5 As already mentioned, all the large panels were split in 1899/1900: the recto and verso were separated and glued to new panels of wood, most to pine wood, some to poplar (as specified in the bill from Sándor Járay). Four wooden slats were glued transversely to each of their backs presumably for stabilisation during storage. Two panels have no slats but were provided with vertical incisions that were presumably to safeguard a more flexible support. However, the consequences were negative: both panels are badly warped. The coromandel lacquer panels were also split. Labelling on the back indicates that they were split at an earlier date and, in contrast to the large panels, the backs were stabilised only with glued strips of textile.

Cleaning A panel from each category and a coromandel lacquer panel were selected for the test conservation (figs. 7 and 8). Cleaning tests were conducted following the mapped damage.

5

cf. footnote 1.

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Fig. 7: Coromandel lacquer panel (MD 070596/013) from the Bundesmobilienverwaltung, © Bundesmobilienverwaltung, photo by Clemens Hubinger. Fig. 8 (see right): Panels from the Bundesmobilienverwaltung: (a) panel with matt surface (MD 012320), (b) panel with thick, brown coating (MD 012315), (c) panel with thin, yellow coating (MD 012327), © Bundesmobilienverwaltung, photos by Clemens Hubinger.

Panel with matt surface (MD 012320) and coromandel lacquer panel (MD 070596/013, figs. 7 and 8a) At first sight there did not appear to be a coating applied at a later date on the panels with the matt surfaces; there was also no fluorescence to be seen, which is typical for aged East Asian lacquer surfaces. Nevertheless, during cleaning tests with various solvent combinations a black substance was removed that could not have emanated from the lacquer surface (it would have been brown if that would be the case) and was too dark to be just dirt. No sample could be taken due to the thinness of the layer, so the swabs with the black substance (the solvent having been acetone) were examined by Václav Pitthard at the laboratory in the Kunsthistorisches Museum (KHM) using GC-MS. The substance turned out to be linseed oil. The linseed oil, which had probably also been coloured black, appeared to have been rubbed on to the surface as a reviver rather than being applied as a uniform coat. Removal and reduction of the linseed oil, which had accumulated particularly around fine cracks, was carried out using a mixture of ethanol and acetone (1:1). Overpainting on the gold decoration could be removed without any damage to the underlying decoration and was also achieved using the same combination of solvents. Cleaning resulted in the surface appearing less patchy and more harmonious, however, without any noticeable increase in gloss.

Panel with the thick, brown coating (MD 012315, fig. 8b) As the coating was badly damaged in many places, deformed by pressure marks from other panels and partially reduced down to the original surface, the original plan to thin the coating was not possible and it had to be removed completely.

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Fig. 9: Detail of panel MD 012315 – left: before restoration, right: after restoration, © Bundesmobilienverwaltung, photos by Clemens Hubinger (left) and Stefan Kainz (right).

A cross-section revealed the coating to comprise of two layers, which were separated under the microscope and individually analysed. Both contained linseed oil, copal, pine resin and wood oil; the upper layer also contained beeswax. The coating was readily soluble in isopropanol; removal was facilitated by applying a gel (Klucel). Final rinsing was also carried out using isopropanol. Removal could be precisely controlled under UV-light due to the distinct blue-green fluorescence of the coating (fig. 9).6

Panel with thin, yellow coating (MD 012327, fig. 8c) Analysis of this coating showed it to possess the same components despite its different appearance: linseed oil, copal and pine resin. However, there was an additional thin layer of shellac on top. Removal of the coating proved to be much more difficult in this case: the highly fluid coat appeared to have penetrated the fine cracks in the original lacquer surface, which meant removal would potentially endanger the gold decoration by its being simply mechanically removed along with the degraded lacquer. In contrast, the thick coating on

6

Tests for the most suitable gel for the removal of the coating were carried out by Mag. Ursula Huber.

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panel MD 012315 was more readily removable from the original surface as it had obviously been applied at a higher viscosity and had not seeped into the cracks. Mindful of these facts, the risk of damaging the gold decoration seemed to be too high and a decision was taken to leave the coating on this group of panels and just to clean them. This decision had wider ramifications: most of the panels installed in the two rooms possessed a more or less thin, yellow oil/resin coating, which consequently had to be preserved. Cleaning of these surfaces was performed using an isotonic buffered solution after Wolbers7: after measuring the surface conductivity and pH, the buffer solution is accordingly prepared with deionised water, acetic acid and thriethanolamine. Rinsing was performed using mineral spirits (140/200). Patches and scratches were treated using micromesh burnishing and polishing linen and partially using a tampon wetted with ethanol. Rinsing was done with mineral spirits (140/200). Urushigatame In accordance with the cleaning concept, the panels of both cabinets were presented in two different conditions: the majority (approximately 100 panels) with polished and yellow surfaces, eleven of the large discovered panels and four coromandel lacquer panels matt and with the exposed original colouring. After much deliberation a decision was made not to sacrifice the discovered panels with the application of a toned coating for the sake of a harmonious overall appearance, but instead to accept the contrast and treat the largely authentically preserved panels with Asian materials and methods. Although the panels are of Chinese origin and their lacquer only contains the sap of Toxicodendron vernicifluum (Chinese da qi, Japanese urushi) in part, in order to revive the surface a method developed in Japan was adopted which had proven successful on lacquer whose main constituents are laccol and thitsiol. Urushigatame (the Japanese name for the method) features the application of an extremely diluted solution of urushi into the micro-cracks followed by the complete removal of the urushi from the surface with a fast evaporating hydrocarbon solvent.8 This does not alter the appearance of the surface, particularly in regards to the gold decora-

7 8

Executed by Mag. Ursula Huber. Benzine with boiling range 80–120.

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Fig. 10: Panel MD 012320 – (a) before cleaning and treatment with Urushi, (c) photomicrograph; (b) after urushigatame, (d) photomicrograph, © Bundesmobilienverwaltung, photos by Silvia Miklin.

tion, whilst it does consolidate the micro-cracks that have developed as a result of light aging and increases the stability and lightfastness of the object. Heavily light-damaged, light-brown areas also experience a certain saturation and gain depth of sheen (fig. 10, a–d).9

9

The exact procedure is described in Yamashita and Rivers 2011: 217–228.

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Consolidation Consolidation of elevated and loose flakes of lacquer was effected using 10 – 20% solution of cowhide glue; pressing was done with either clamps or employing the Japanese shinbari system10 with interlayers of polyester film (Hostaphan©), transparent silicon mats and soft PVC transparent films as well as acrylic glass plates. As the panels’ surfaces are not at all sensitive to water (even the exposed surfaces), there was no need to insulate.

Infilling Losses and small cracks in the panels with a coating were filled with a putty made of a mixture of tonoko (fine Japanese clay) with polyvinylalcohol (PVA, diluted to c. 7.5 % in deionised water). The panels treated with the Asian method were filled with a putty of tonoko, water and raw lacquer (sabi), which was toned using bengara (red iron-oxide pigment) for the underpainted mountains in shallow relief.

Retouching Retouching in black was done using Golden Fluid Acrylics (Golden Artist Colors, Inc.) or also black urushi; gold retouches were carried out using either an oily adhesive (Mixtion) and gold powder (fields) and Golden Fluid Acrylics (lines) or also thinly applied urushi and gold powder of various alloy. A special sprinkling technique was employed for fields of decoration which had been developed based on the original technique: shading on mountains, bushes, trees and the like were also created using stencils in the original. Lost (for instance, no longer extant under overpainting) or reduced gold sprinkling could be reconstructed using transparent film tracing visible residual boundaries or those exposed under raking light. A very thin layer of urushi was applied to areas of loss, the transparent stencil placed upon it and then the gold powder was dusted onto it with a dry brush with an exact regard for its density. The colour of the gold sprinklings was adjusted to accord with the original and could be recreated using the alloys obtainable from Japan (keshifun kin and keshifun aokin) as well as mixtures of the two. No coating was applied over the gold sprinklings, just as in the original, which resulted in the faintness of the original gilding being replicated (fig. 11, a–c).

10 Wooden rods, in our case 4 mm thick beechwood rods, are braced in a frame construction.

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Fig. 11: Detail of panel MD 012315 – retouching in gold: reconstruction of gold sprinkling with the aid of transparent foil stencils; (a) several stencils, (b) attaching the stencil, (c) dusting on of gold powder, © Bundesmobilienverwaltung, photos by Silvia Miklin.

On the Conservation of the Viennese Panels Two lacquer panels (MD 070594/001 and MD 070596/005) from the collection of the Bundesmobiliendepot were chosen from the group of 31 Viennese and combined Viennese-Chinese lacquer panels for a test treatment, because their condition represented the overall condition issues (fig. 12). In advance of the test treatment, condition reports with extensive photo documentation were prepared for both panels (fig. 13) and representative samples were taken for scientific analysis. It was determined during the examination phase that the surfaces were at high risk of damage due to the presence of extensive blisters and losses in the lacquer surface. Both panels have been overpainted to varying degrees with black oil paint, which produces an uneven surface appearance. A compact dirt layer and loose dust are found on both of them. The solid wooden supports are warped, which has led to instabilities in the lacquer layers. Scientific analysis of samples taken during the examination was carried out by the lab at the Kunsthistorisches Museum. Samples were taken from both panels. Three analytical methods were carried out: GC-MS analysis to determine binding media, cross sections

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Fig. 12: Before treatment – left: MD 070594/001, Viennese oak panel, right: MD 070596/005 combined Viennese-Chinese panel, © Bundesmobilienverwaltung, photos by Susanne Käfer.

for an understanding of the layering technique and X-ray fluorescence for identification of pigments used. It was hoped that the analytical results could determine a connection in the creation of the two panels, in the characteristics of their materials and in the technical manufacture based on the binding media, pigments and layering structure. Pigments identified on both panels were lead white, vermilion, red lead and bone black. The green pigment is mainly a copper pigment. But on the Viennese panel we also detected a chrome green. This might indicate a later time of production, but could also be a later retouching. Shellac, sandarac, turpentine, copal and mastic were identified in the binding media analysis for both panels. Cross section analysis revealed that the ground layers are different in the two panels. Gypsum was used on the Viennese panel; lead white was used on the coromandel lacquer panel. A typical layering structure for European lacquer work was found on the Viennese panel: a white ground layer, a dark layer, then a transparent layer followed by a second dark or black layer and then the design drawn in vermilion. The lead white ground on the coromandel lacquer panel was covered with a coarse black ground, a finer black layer, a red brown layer then the design drawn in vermilion with added metal powders. The analytical results lead to the following conclusions: the layers of paint on the Viennese panels and the panels with the inserted coromandel lacquer fragments were produced in about the same time period. The Viennese panel, all on an oak support, has a fragmentary gold border. As mentioned before, the panels were parts of the windows and doors of Fischer von Erlach’s original interior. The thin lacquer panel is glued to a secondary support panel constructed of several wood planks joined by tongue and groove. This has resulted in severe warping of the upper panel. Around 1900 the panel was broken out of the parapet, which led to many

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Fig. 13: MD 070596/005, mapping of damage: inserted Chinese panel fragment in pink, © Bundesmobilienverwaltung, photo and mapping by Clemens Hubinger.

Fig. 14: after treatment – left: MD 070594/001, Viennese oak panel, right: MD 070596/005 combined Viennese-Chinese panel, © Bundesmobilienverwaltung, photos by Susanne Käfer.

losses of the wood along the edges. A split in the solid wood panel was poorly repaired – maybe immediately after dismounting – to prevent total loss. The second test panel has a poplar support into which a coromandel lacquer fragment has been inserted. The Chinese work is inserted into the front and unified with Viennese lacquer work. Asian decorative elements serve to integrate the patched together lacquer pieces. However, one can see that the original Asian lacquer is present under the European lacquer layers. Not surprisingly, there are numerous losses, areas of active flaking and blisters in the polychrome surface due to the use of different substances and materials. This test panel has, on the reverse, a green strip of paint and a groove running along the edge. The green paint matches an earlier layer of paint in the Oval Cabinet, now painted white. The main goal of the conservation treatment was to preserve the existing historic surface. Consolidation of loose surface parts was necessary to prevent further losses. Before the consolidation could be carried out, structural damage such as splits in the wood support were repaired.

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The Viennese oak panel required extensive structural work to consolidate the wood support. The poorly executed repair to a broken section was taken apart, fitted back together and glued with hide glue. Surface cleaning was carried out first with aqueous cleaning agents. More compact dirt was locally removed with ethanol. Any oil-based retouching from previous treatments was carefully removed with gel (carbopol, ethomeen C25, ethanol, benzyl alcohol, acetone, water), after which the surface was rinsed with white spirit 140/200. Fills were made with chalk putty prepared with rabbit skin glue and Bologna chalk (1:10), applied in thin layers and sanded. Small splits, resulting from structural changes in the wood were filled in the same way. All of these repairs and fills were retouched with watercolours to achieve a uniform appearance of the surface and locally varnished with a thin coat of shellac, toned black-brown. It was decided not to apply an overall coating so that the variations in the existing original surface would be retained (fig. 14).

References Fajcsák 2010: Fajcsák, G. 2010. Das Chinesische Lackkabinett im ungarischen Versailles. Ikonografische und ikonologische Studie des Lackkabinetts in Eszterháza. In: China in Schloss und Garten. Chinoise Architekturen und Innenräume, ed. D. Welich, 106–119. Dresden: Sandstein Verlag Dresden und Staatliche Schlösser, Burgen und Gärten Sachsen. Jäckel 2015: Jäckel, H. 2015. Die zwölf Koromandellack-Segmente der Chinesischen Kabinette des Schlosses Schönbrunn in Wien. Technologische und kunsthistorische Untersuchung hinsichtlich Zusammengehörigkeit. Unpublished BA Thesis, University of Potsdam. Lehmann 1987: Lehmann, A. 1897. Adolph Lehmann’s allgemeiner Wohnungsanzeiger: nebst Handels- und Gewerbe-Adreßbuch für die k.k. Reichshaupt und Residenzstadt Wien und Umgebung, vol. 1. Vienna: n.p. Miklin-Kniefacz et al. 2015: Miklin-Kniefacz, S., Miklin, R., Käfer, S., Schwetz, F., Pitthard, V., Stanek, S., Griesser, M. and Parson, W. 2015. First investigations of the Asian Lacquer Panels in the „Chinese Cabinets”, Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna. In: Investigation and Conservation of East Asian Cabinets in Imperial Residences (1700–1900). Laquerware and Porcelain. Conference 2013 Postprints, eds. G. Krist and E. Iby, Konservierungswissenschaft.Restaurierung.Technologie, Bd. 11, 149–168. Vienna-Cologne-Weimar: Böhlau. Yamashita and Rivers 2011: Yamashita, Y., and Rivers, S. 2011. Conservation of the photodegraded surface of the Mazarin Chest. In: East Asian Lacquer: Material Culture, Science and Conservation, eds. S. Rivers, R. Faulkner and B. Pretzel, 217–228. London: Archetype Publications Ltd.

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Additional Literature Haus-, Hof- und Staatsarchiv Wien, Akten der Schlosshauptmannschaft Schönbrunn, Zl. 1108/1900 (Beilage).

Cornelia Juen

Lines by Masters and Amateurs The Porcelain Room in Schönbrunn Palace

Abstract The Porcelain Room (“Blue Cabinet”) of the Schönbrunn Palace is an exceptional example of art in the chinoserie-style typical of the Rococo and amateur art in that period. The 213 graphics, based on prints by François Boucher and Jean-Baptiste Pillement, are the focus of this paper. According to an inscription in the cabinet, some children of Maria Theresa and Francis I of Lorraine created these works of art. However, they have not as yet been attributed to any specific individual. This is the aim of my paper. The first part of the text covers a short overview of the room’s history, the original prints used by the amateurs, signatures, and the painting styles to be found in the works of the cabinet. In the second part, I compare the graphics in the cabinet with assured paintings by four members of the royal family. ***

Introduction The Porcelain Room, formerly named “Blue Cabinet”1 in Schönbrunn Palace looks back at a long history closely associated with the empress Maria Theresa. The room is located on the east side of the palace and was redecorated several times between 1746 and 1772. It served her as a retreat2 and a family keepsake because the graphics were penned by her family members. Therefore, the Porcelain Room offers an interesting insight into amateur art. 1

2

The name was first mentioned in 1772: “660: „dem Fuxeder Mahler die auslaag in blauen Cabinet zu Schönbrunn……………663f 56x (1772, fol.766)” (Fleischer 1932: 134). Raschauer examined other sources for example a note of a Hofbaubeamten (civil servant of the court’s building authority) and proved that the “Blue Cabinet” is indeed the Porcelain Room. See Raschauer 1926: 261. See Raschauer 1932: 140 and Iby/Koller 2000: 118.

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Fig. 1: View into Porcelain Room (south wall), 1760-80, Pictures in a gouache technique in the midst of wood embosses, inventory number HG 113.028, Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna, © Schloß Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsges.m.b.H./ /photo by Alexander Eugen Koller.

On the whole there are 213 works with more or less exotic motives, the so-called chinoiseries (fig. 1). The empress had an extreme foible for porcelain3 and other Asiatica, like many others among her contemporaries. The graphics in the Porcelain Room were painted around the 1760s. But there are only few sources which can help us identify the people involved in the project. It is commonly alleged that Francis I of Lorraine, the daughters of the imperial couple and Isabella of Bourbon-Parma participated in decorating the room.4 Some assume that the famous French Rococo artist Jean-Baptiste Pillement, who was residing at the Habsburg court at that time, assisted the imperial family.5 One certainty in this case is that another important artist, François Boucher, created the artwork which most of the graphics were based on.

3 4 5

In Schönbrunn Palace a part of Maria Theresa’s Chinese porcelain is placed in the “Chinese Cabinets”. See Iby and Koller 2000: 118. There are four sources which confirm his residence in Vienna between 1763–1764/65. See Gordon-Smith 2006: 94, 105, 121 and Fleischer 1932: 93.

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During the course of my research I came across volumes of etchings belonging to the inherited stock of the Collection Albertina in which the original artwork is preserved. The pages are mostly the same size as the finished works in Schönbrunn, and three of them show stains of the Prussian blue which was used in the cabinet.6 The open question regarding the precise attribution of each painting in the Blue Cabinet is the central theme of my text. The papers of the Porcelain Room were removed in the context of the project “Asian Interior Decoration in Schönbrunn Palace (Ost­ asiatische Raumausstattungen im Schloss Schönbrunn)” (FWP25351–G21, Austrian Science Fund, head: o.Univ.-Prof.Dr. Gabriela Krist) in autumn 2014, which provided the chance for a close examination. In an additional analysis of the primary and secondary sources and finally a style comparison of the graphics, I was trying to solve the riddle, whose solution researchers have been trying to find for many decades.

Signatures There are two signings that hint at the initiators of the project. The work MD 056780 has an inscription: “Figures Chinoises Tirées D’aprés Boucher et Pillement. Peintes en 1763. Par sa Majesté l’Empereur, l’Archiduchesse et l’Archiduchesse Marie.” (fig. 2). However, questions arise: Does the year refer to the start of making the pictures, or to the completion of the Porcelain Room? And who is “l’Archiduchesse” and “l’Archiduchesse Marie”? In my opinion the date “1763” marks the start of the project, not the end, because the fitting of the room lasted until the installation of the portrait medallions (fig. 4).7 The second question was more complex and needed an extensive analysis, because the common notation applies to all daughters of the royal couple. Another signature is on MD 056904, the initials “P.A. fec.” (fig. 3). At first look, it confounded any questions because there was no person with these initials among the possible artists. Besides these two written hints, there weren’t any others to be found on the pages regarding their period of origin. But the three-dimensional fitting of the room could also be a clue to the potential artists. Four portrait medallions in the Porcelain Room depict the idealist profiles of the family members Maria Christina, Albert Duke of Teschen, Isabella of Bourbon-Parma

6 7

On the graphics with the inventory number: Frankreich nach Sektion II/43/S.77/GG29268, Frankreich II/52/S.91, Frankreich Sektion II/43/S.78/GG29269. See Iby and Koller 2000: 118.

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Fig. 2: B–hand, MD 056780, 1760–1780, gouache, 29.6 x 21.0 cm, Porcelain Room Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna, © Schloß Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsges.m.b.H./ Sammlung Bundesmobilienverwaltung/Digitalisat: Farbpraxis.

Fig. 3: D–hand, MD 056904, 1760–80, gouache, 35.5 x 28.8 cm, Porcelain Room Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna, © Schloß Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsges.m.b.H. /Sammlung Bundesmobilienverwaltung/Digitalisat: Farbpraxis.

and Francis I (fig. 4). Do they only have a memorial character for the empress?8 Or are they a reference to the creators in the cabinet? In order to figure out the artists of the Porcelain Room I looked closer at their lives, their environment and the chronological circumstances, and subjected their works to an accurate stylistic analysis in my thesis.9 However, I will limit this text to the already mentioned signatures and a comparison of the graphics of the room to trusted works of the family members. By using the latter approach I will show their similarities and differences.

8

9

Two of the depicted members died (Isabella and Francis I) and the couple (Maria Christina and Albert) moved to Pressburg. However – why don’t the portrait medallions show the other family members, who also died or left the Viennese Court at this time? See Juen 2015.

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Fig. 4.: Unknown Artist, portrait medallions in the Porcelain Room (from upper left to bottom right: Francis I, Isabella of Parma, Marie Christine, Albert Duke of Teschen), around 1772, Porcelain Room Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna, © Schloß Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsges.m.b.H./ Sammlung Bundesmobilienverwaltung/photo by Alexander Eugen Koller

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Stylistic Analysis During the analysis of the pictures it became apparent, that there were precisely four “hands”, A, B, C and D, as art historian Jorinde Ebert mentioned in her catalogue of the 213 works,10 without specifically identifying the creators. I adopted her denominations, defined the peculiarities in the styles and argued in-depth which person I attribute to each particular group. All members of the family were tested on their possible collaboration. The following are the precluded ones: Maria Theresa,11 her sons,12 Maria Elisabeth,13 Maria Amalia,14 Maria Karolina,15 Johanna Gabriela,16 Maria Josepha, Maria Antonia17 and Maria Anna.18 They were ruled out because the style of their works did not comply with the chinoiseries and/or the time factor. Despite this, there are a few available persons left who could be in the final selection. But first I want to describe the four styles of the “hands”. A–hand is characterized by a precise, professional manner of painting (fig. 5). Everything is shaped by a parallel hatching and a very fine colour grading of the luscious, bright deep blue. The motives by Boucher and Pillement were seldom implemented by A and if only in a changed version. We search in vain for underwritings with lead pencil in the work process of this hand. Despite this absent assistance there are only a few failures of perspective and in the plastic shading, which confirms the skill. Details on the figures are elaborated with great care.

10 See Ebert 2015: 40, 42–45. 11 Maria Theresa’s state of health in the 1760s was already too poor to make such qualitative graphics as are in the cabinet. See Etzlstorfer 2008: 25, 168. 12 They engaged in art primarily in their childhood but limited themselves to artillery and fortification themes. See Zehetner 2013: 8 and Juen 2015: 36. 13 There are only a few works left, which are not enough to define her mannerisms. Therefore an attribution is too speculative in her case. See Juen 2015: 37–39. 14 The starting point is the same as for Maria Elisabeth and the sources do not mention any special interest in arts. Likewise she had an isolated position in the family and she married 1769, which doesn’t support the thesis of her collaboration. See Pangels 1983: 291–292 and Juen 2015: 39–40. 15 Her drawings in the Graphic Collection Albertina and in the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna show little similarity to the graphics in the cabinet. The style is too different. See Juen 2015: 40–41. 16 Johanna Gabriela and Maria Josepha left neither art works nor other sources that inform us about their art abilities, and they both died early. See Juen 2015: 40. 17 Maria Antonia was very talented and left works that clearly show her style. But at the time when the cabinet project started she still painted very naively and simply and her works do not match with the Porcelain Room graphics. See Juen 2015: 42–43. 18 Her style is very similar to the 213 graphics and her love for the arts indicates that she could be one of the artists in the cabinet. Ultimately I couldn’t find any evidence that connects her to the project. See Juen 2015: 44–46.

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Fig. 5: A–hand, MD 056776, 1760–80, gouache, 43.3 x 57.5 cm, Porcelain Room Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna, © Schloß Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsges.m.b.H. /Sammlung Bundesmobilienverwaltung/Digitalisat: Farbpraxis.

B contributes the largest group in the Porcelain Room and shows an obvious evolution in her/his style (fig. 2). This hand painted the already mentioned picture MD 056780. This dilettante used an underwriting with lead pencil or gouache which barely disappears beneath the contouring. The colours stretch from matte to bright and greenish blue. B– hand doesn’t master perspectives by optic shortening until the final part of the project. B applied parallel hatchings, whereas in the last phase the lines became shortened and show a pointillist manner. With the growing number of works the washes lost their stained look. Interesting for the attribution in the B–group are the physiognomic mannerisms of the facial features, for example the comparatively small eyes placed close to the eyebrows.19 C–hand executes the paintings naively and amateurishly, but there is some improvement thanks to practice (fig. 6). This owes a lot to the multiple uses of the French orig19 The figures seem to be strict and lofty, because of the position of the eyes. The shape of the ears tends to be small and rounded and the hands are elongated with pointed fingertips.

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Fig. 6: C–hand, MD 056928, 1760–80, gouache, 36.3 x 44.0 cm, Porcelain Room Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna, © Schloß Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsges.m.b.H. /Sammlung Bundesmobilienverwaltung/Digitalisat: Farbpraxis.

inals, which C transposes with the lead pencil, as in MD 056928. Uncertainties in the mixing process of the colours and the perspective realization are typical for this dilettante. Such failures are seldom corrected. The significance of the spotted wash is less important than the pithy crosshatching, which is used until the last phase of the graphics. However, the parallel hatching is equally prevalent. In addition to the crosshatching, C’s figures stand out from those of the other artists as well: on one hand through wider hips, and on the other the proportionally small, round heads. The last hand D uses direct contrasts to produce a tense arrangement (fig. 3). In the process she/he consequently sticks to the etchings in order to concentrate solely on the realization. The scrawly underwriting made with lead pencil disappears beneath the fine washes and the contour, which consists of short lines. Furthermore, the ambience is noteworthy, because D has a shrewd understanding of perspective shortenings. D makes

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only limited use of hatchings in contrast to the washes, which supports the overall graphic impression.

Attribution As already mentioned, in the room there are only few hints for the paintings. However, those available point to three likely candidates. A pure style analysis would be too speculative in the case of one of the three and of the hand without any written signs. So I needed reliable, signed works20 for the comparison to support my analysis. Thereby, signed paintings by the family members in the Miniatures Cabinet21 of the same period and works by the imperial family in the inherited stock in the Graphic Collection Albertina22 helped me. It was therefore possible to attribute style elements to each particular hand. I would like to begin with the hand which is identifiable because of the written hint in the Porcelain Room. One graphic, MD 056904, carries the signature “P.A. fec.” (fig. 3). “P.A.” immortalizes himself multiple times on works in the Collection Albertina.23 These pictures are reliably presumed to be by Albert Duke of Teschen.24 Because of them and MD 056904, which is placed on the east wall, Albert’s style becomes recognizable.

20 All covered works for the comparison are pictured in my master thesis, which you can find either in the E-Theses archive of the University of Vienna, or in the online collection of the Graphic Collection Albertina. 21 This Cabinet was examined by Zehetner in her thesis in 2013. Its usage and origin isn’t documented in the sources. The room was restored in part in 2003 and had until then only two other recorded restorations (1872 and 1949). This is why it shows an unadulterated, original impression. See Zehetner 2013: 16 und Raschauer 1926: 258. Raschauer mentioned in his thesis that there are signatures “Franciscus fecit”, “Isabella” (in spite of repeated investigations of the graphics I couldn’t find it), “M.A.” (Maria Anna) and “Maria fecit” as well as the dates of origin 1764, 1762 und 1760. See Raschauer 1926: 257. Also Knight of Sickingen wrote in 1832: “[…] Noch besteht hier ein Cabinet ganz zunächst dem Vorigen, welches in der Haupt=Gartenfronte das Eckcabinet am linken Flügel bildet. In diesem befinden sich viele. Mi­ niaturstücke. Darunter sind mehrere, welche von Kaiser Franz I. von dem Jahre 1764 herrühren, die übrigen aber von den Prinzessinnen und anderen Gliedern des kaiserlichen Hofes […]. Die meisten und schönsten Stücke dieser merkwürdigen Sammlung sind von der Hand der Erzherzogin Maria Anna. […]”. Knight of Sickingen describes a cabinet containing many miniature paintings by Francis I and other members of the royal family but most prominently by the Archduchess Maria Anna. Ritter von Sickingen 1832: 261. 22 See Dossi 1998: 61. Dr. Dossi assures me that their attribution is uncontroversial. 23 For example the works with the inventory numbers 13690, 13691, 13692, 13696 and 46670/15. 24 The exact meaning of the initials “P.A.” couldn’t be solved during my research. “Peintre Albert”, “Prinz Albert” and “Pius Albert” (his christian name) could be possible. His whole Christian name was Albert Casimir August Ignaz Pius Franz Xaver. See Benedik 2014: 21.

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Its motif is based on the etching “Botaniste Chinois” by François Boucher.25 Indeed the work is strongly yellowed, but you can adumbrate the exciting play of contrast in the former’s colouring, especially the fruit-bearing branch over the shoulder of the old man and the accurately formed, detailed drapery. In the darkest areas, we can clearly see the outline set with short lines and its varying thickness. The discontinuous underwriting is covered with it. Yet we adumbrate the fine colour gradation of the wash, which already looks very pale. If the work is examined from the distance, the graphic impression becomes apparent, which is a feature of D. These points are the decisive factor why I relate the D–group to Duke Albert. If the D–works of the Porcelain Room are contrasted with the ones in the Albertina, you can see the parallels in their styles. In this case the landscape “Vue d‘une partie des Montagnes du Tyrol dans laquelle se trouvent les Mines de Sel” 26 is very interesting, despite the fact that it uses another technique. According to the signature Albert had to sketch it on his journey to or during his stay in Innsbruck in 1765.27 Albert works with the same image format shown by the graphics in the cabinet: the single layers are staged like backdrops and increasingly tapered out. This creates an effect of depth. Outstanding is also the handling of the outline, which is similar to MD 056904 and convincingly reflects the materials, too, for example stone and vegetation. Likewise the amount of details and the handling of the optical shortening look familiar. The only thing that is different from the works in the cabinet is the hatching. Albert cannot use washes because of the technique, but he tries to work out the transition with extremely fine and numerous colour gradations. By using these and his outlines, he creates a graphic impression which is typical for his works in the cabinet. The next person, who can clearly be recognized in the room fittings is Archduchess Maria Christina. In the 1760s she produced the 18-parted series of the “Les Cris de Paris”. In its two title pages she inserted inscriptions. Their typefaces, when compared to the inscription of the aforementioned MD 056780 (fig. 2) in the Porcelain Room, are very similar except for a few details.28 This proves that the work was also produced by the Archduchess and thus her style becomes obvious. Both the title page of the “Premiere Suite”29 and MD 056780 have a scrawly, disrupted, well visible underwriting. The outline isn’t steady, but one can see the effort to make a fine line. Both sheets have stained 25 One exemplar can be found in the Graphic Collection Albertina in the volume of etchings: Frankreich nach Sektion II/43/S.113/GG29327. 26 The lead pencil work with the inventory number 13696 is signed and dated. 27 See Hertel 2014: 39. 28 This fact illustrates the irregular spacing between the letters and words and the effort to draw the lines steady and straight for a constant typeface. 29 Inventory number 13640.

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washes, based on the dry and apparently impatient manner of painting. The parallel hatching models the bodies. The plastic impression is destroyed either by too strong or too light washes. This results in a tilting of the depth effect. However, we have to admit that this tendency disappears more and more in her later works. In this phase the Archduchess doesn’t require the etchings or sketches with lead pencil anymore. Because of the exercises in painting and drawing she eschewed close imitation and optimized her techniques. Her development as an artist is well traced in the Porcelain Room. I therefore attribute the B–group to Maria Christina. Now we get to the attribution of A–hand (fig. 5). This artist works very professionally. For this reason, and the speculation propounded by art historian Maria Gordon-Smith, the consideration was not so absurd that A might be Jean-Batiste Pillement. In 1763 he moved to Vienna, 30 where he carried out diverse projects for the imperial court, which were documented by vouchers.31 Direct references of him working in the Porcelain Room could not be detected in the documents. This is why I have to resolve this question with a style comparison. To do this, I confronted the high-quality graphics in the cabinet with works by the artist in the Albertina collection. Especially the “dancing Chinese with bells” painted in 1764 from a small series32 by Pillement is interesting in this case because he must have produced it in Vienna. Among other works of A–hand I used MD 056776 for the style comparison. In his graphics Pillement utilized fine outlines in a raised form. One finds them merely in the dark shadow areas. These dark accentuations support the sculptural effect. The extremely fine colour gradations of the washes also illustrate the materials. Furthermore, the figure is shaped by the colour patches. Another special feature of his style is the finesse accorded to details. The lines are drawn with high precision and skill. We recognize the routine, which Pillement’s works testify to. For MD 056776 (fig. 5) the creator avoided outlines and concentrated on the colour patches. This elementary difference immediately drew my attention. We can clearly see the single, shaping pencil lines which produce the play of light and shade. They are thoughtfully inserted, less experienced and visible on the stiff drapery. Thereby, the dynamic and elegance in the movement are lost. The copier clearly tried to imitate Pillement but nevertheless, the sophistication of the master is missing in this work. The Chi30 Maria Gordon-Smith thinks he was invited to the Viennese court by the actress Eva Maria Veigels or another friend. See Gordon-Smith 2006: n. 371 and 101. 31 See Gordon-Smith 2006: 110 und Berger 1995: 198. Two vouchers in the “geheimen Kammerzahlamtsbüchern” and another one with the annual income of the artist from the imperial court, today in the Main Archives of Old Documents Warsaw, Collection Popiel no.173 (59), documented this. See Gordon-Smith 2006: n. 372 and 121. 32 Chinese, Turks, farmers, Europeans and a girl wearing a folkloristic outfit.

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nese by Pillement seems much more realistic and individual, less stereotype. We might think the physiognomy is fashioned after a real model. With this analysis I was able to clarify that Pillement wasn’t artistically involved in the Porcelain Room. In my view he provided the originals33 and served as a guide for the amateurs trying to perfect their style. Ultimately, who could be A–hand? Again the inscription on MD 056780 gives a clue: “Majesté l’Empereur” (fig. 2). Francis I was definitely involved in the project. But signatures that give away his style are missing in the Porcelain Room. However, there are a few signed paintings by the emperor in the Miniatures Cabinet, for example MD 040084. The “Comedian Production” has an extraordinary quality despite the small format. Every line is seeded with care and patience, not least the accurately written, tiny signature. For the comparison I used MD 056776 (fig. 5). Both works revealed the same precise approach, besides the difference in size (43.3 x 57.5 cm/19.0 x 26.0 cm). Despite the depiction of a large group, the richness of detail and the high-quality in the realization are the most prominent attributes. An apparent original and visible underwriting are absent in both works. This indicates how talented the creator was, because there are no incongruities in the complex image format. How carefully he shaped the well-proportioned bodies in their sculptural light-and-shade effect using short, parallel lines. This enhances the colour grading with fine nuances, reinforced by the exact realization of details, for example the facial expressions. The depth effect in both works is carved out through the gradations in the crowd, the architecture/vegetation and the colour. Because of this comparison of the style impressions and the written clue I attribute the group A to Francis I of Lorraine. Unfortunately there was no other written evidence in the cabinet for the last involved person C. The only clue as to the identity of the author is the style of the C–works in comparison to the signed sheets in the Miniatures Cabinet and the Albertina. The last hand has also stylistic specialties (fig. 6). The execution seems very naive in part and shows some incongruities. Particularly the figures with their plump proportions and faces attract attention. One can find precisely this anomaly in the other graphics in the Albertina and Miniatures Cabinet. The signed example “carousing farmer”34 in the Albertina Collection is a direct model for the work “Farmer family and wine bower”35 in the Miniatures Cabinet. The sketch is drawn very accurately and shows C’s features, among other things the proportions and the crosshatching. Such exact sketches, as “carousing farmer”, are missing in the Por33

Either the models for the cabinet were bought by intermediaries or the artist himself sold them to the imperial family during his stay in Vienna. 34 Inventory number 13639. 35 Inventory number MD 040094.

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celain Room, because C used the etchings as models there. The artist signed the works with: “Maria fecit 1759”.36 This signature, with the date of origin 1762, can be found as well on the works “St. Nicholas’ Day”37 and “Joseph at the childbed of his wife Isabella”38. Their style is very reminiscent of the already mentioned works in Schönbrunn. Both graphics have long been attributed to Archduchess Marie Christina. But I think it very extraordinary that the majority of her securely attributed works do not have this signature. And to use the name “Maria” as the only evidence of her authorship is very problematic, because there was a concentration of “Marias” at the Viennese court. It drew my attention that there were no dates of origin of the “Maria” group after 1763 among the signed works. This could be a clue. Another indication for the dilettante are the portrait medallions in the Porcelain Room (fig. 4). Three artists, who were already discussed, have their profile on them. It seems highly likely that the fourth portrait medallion depicts our missing creator: Isabella of Bourbon-Parma.39 She had already died in 1763, one year after the last “Maria” signed graphics. In addition, she is said to have been as talented as Maria Christina. That she worked artistically can be proven by seven minimalist lead pencil drawings in the Albertina, which show ordinary folk, for example the “vegetable woman”40. This woman shows physical characteristics and the manner of painting attributed to C–hand. Ten sheets subsequently cut in the Porcelain Room41 could also be evidence. C has the highest ratio (around 36%) of all attributed and cut works.42 This traces back to a changed hanging scheme. But why didn’t C produce new drawings with the required dimensions? The sensation of seeing the pictures without alterations for sheet-enlargements or missing edges would be much more harmonious. That could be ascribed to Isabella’s early death. She died before the completion of the room and so she was not able to create more graphics. At any event, to present her works appropriately, they were adapted. One last point countering my argumentation is the longstanding attribution of “St. Nicholas’ Day” and “Joseph at the childbed of his wife Isabella”, which were signed by “Maria” too. I would argue that the name cannot be used as the single piece of evi-

36 37 38 39 40 41 42

Another miniature (MD 071850) was signed with the date “1762”. Inventory number MD 039840. Inventory number MD 039841. One can read on it: “ELISABETH.BOURB.P.INF.HISP.F.A.A.”. Inventory number 13631. C is the second smallest group in the Cabinet, too. The B-group has the largest number of works (126) with 19 subsequently cut sheets (around 15%). D has two of 19 (10%) and A two of 32 (around 6%).

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dence. Isabella signed her letters with “Isabelle Marie-Luise”.43 This means that the signature “Maria/Marie” cannot exclude Isabella.44 The same is true for the theme. The portrayed family members and moments were also important to Isabella, not only for Maria Christina. Because of the style in the picture examples, the portrait medallions, the cut sheets, the signature and her close relationship to the family members involved in the project, I stick to my judgement that the C–group is to be attributed to Isabella of Bourbon-Parma.

Summary The Porcelain Room can be considered a source for information and preserved family secrets of the House of Habsburg. The classification and analysis of all works in the Porcelain Room illustrate four different hands: A, B, C and D. An attribution derives from comparisons with secured works and receives confirmation through written clues. Albert Duke of Teschen’s signed works share features with those of the D–group. The creatorship of Marie Christina’s husband is confirmed by the initials “P.A.”. The second hand that could be attributed was B. The typeface of the inscription on MD 056780 corresponds to Archduchess Marie Christina’s “Les Cris de Paris”. The working manner and characteristics overlap as well. The A–hand was harder to define. In the end, an inscription in the cabinet provided an answer to this question. It is “Majesté l’Empereur” Francis I. The comparison with his signed works from the 1760s underpins the thesis. C–hand can only be indentified through his style and hints in the fitting of the Porcelain Room. Paintings in the Miniatures Cabinet with the same stylistic characteristics as C’s are signed by the artist “Maria” and have dates of origin between 1759 and 1762. This is why I suspect Isabella of Bourbon-Parma, who died in 1763. Another evidence were the portrait medallions, which represent the assumed creators and include Isabella. The style 43 See Tamussino 1989: 89. 44 In fact, there is a report by Gottfried von Rotenstein in 1792/1793 in which he mentioned the situation in the Pressburg Palace and the childbed scene: “[…] Das Porzellain=Kabinet sahe sehr niedlich und kostbar aus, die Wände sind weiß lackirt und mit stark vergoldeter Bildhauerarbeit verzieret. Auf vergoldeten Tragsteinen stunden rings herum zertheilet 105 Stück auserlesene porzellainerne Figuren, Vasen und Gruppen, dann zwischen solchen 95 Miniaturgemählde, welche Landlustbarkeiten, und andere Begebenheiten vorstellen. (diese Bilder waren meistens von denen Erzherzoginnen eigenhändig gemahlt) Unter solchen gefiel mir besonders ein Bild, welches die erste Gemahlin Kaiser Josephs aus Parma vorstellt, wie Sie Ihrer kleinen Prinzessin die Brust reichet […].” But he wrote that the pictures were drawn by the Archduchesses and he didn’t mention specifically that Maria Christina was the creator of the childbed scene. Rotenstein 1793: 56–57.

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comparison with the seven Miniatures in the Collection Albertina confirms my supposition. Therefore I think Isabella is the creator of the works by “Maria” and C–hand. To summarize I have determined that the artists are: Albert Duke of Teschen (D), Maria Christina (B), Francis I (A) and Isabella (C). All four amateurs were anxious to copy the originals in the best way they could. These lines by masters and amateurs, which still have secrets, fascinate the visitors of Schönbrunn Palace to date: A Porcelain Room without porcelain, made of paper and wood, which is nowhere else to be found.

References Benedik 2014: Benedik, C. 2014. Herzog Albert von Sachsen-Teschen Grandseigneur und Connaisseur. In: Die Gründung der Albertina. Herzog Albert und seine Zeit, eds. C. Benedik and K.A. Schröder, 21–33. Vienna: Hatje Cantz. Berger 1995: Berger, G. 1995. Chinoiserien in Österreich Ungarn. Frankfurt am Main: Lang. Dossi 1998: Dossi, B. 1998. Albertina. Sammlungsgeschichte und Meisterwerke. Munich, New York: Prestel. Ebert 2015: Ebert, J. 2015. Die Chinoiesen Tuschemalereien und Gouachen des Blauen Kabinetts in Schloß Schönbrunn (catalogue). Vienna: unpublished. Etzlstofer 2008: Etzlstorfer, H. 2008. Maria Theresia. Kinder, Kirche & Korsett. Die privaten Seiten einer Herrscherin. Vienna: Kremayr & Scheriau. Fleischer 1932: Fleischer, J. 1932. Das kunstgeschichtliche Material der geheimen Kammerzahlamtsbücher in den staatlichen Archiven Wiens von 1705 bis 1790. Vienna: Krystall-Verlag. Gordon-Smith 2006: Gordon-Smith, M. 2006. Jean Pillement. Cracow: IRSA. Hertel 2014: Hertel, S. 2014. Erzherzogin Marie Christine. Die «Maîtresse en titre« der Kaiserin. In: Die Gründung der Albertina. Herzog Albert und seine Zeit, ed. C. Benedik and K.A. Schröder, 35–53. Vienna: Hatje Cantz. Iby and Koller 2000: Iby, E. and Koller, A. 2000. Schönbrunn. Vienna: Brandstätter. Juen 2015: Juen, C. 2015. Linien der Meister und Laien. Das Blaue Kabinett in Schloss Schönbrunn. PhD dissertation, University of Vienna. Pangels 1983: Pangels, C. 1983. Die Kinder Maria Theresias: Leben und Schicksal in kaiserlichen Glanz. Munich: Callwey. Raschauer 1926: Raschauer, O. 1926. Geschichte der Innenausstattung des Lustschlosses Schoenbrunn. Eine denkmalkundliche Darstellung mit besonderer Berücksichtigung des Mariatheresianischen Schönbrunn und mit Ergänzungen zur allgemeinen Baugeschichte des Schlosses. PhD dissertation, University of Vienna. Raschauer 1932: Raschauer, O. 1932. Zur Geschichte der Ausstattung des Schlosses Schönbrunn zur Zeit Maria Theresias. In: Josef Strzygowski-Festschrift: zum 70. Geburtstag dargebracht von seinen Schülern, ed. J. Strzygowski, 137–141. Klagenfurt: Kollitsch.

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Ritter von Sickingen 1832: Ritter von Sickingen, F.X. 1832. Darstellung des Erzherzogtums Österreich unter der Ens, durch umfassende Beschreibung aller Burgen, Schlösser, Herrschaften, Städte, Märkte, Dörfer, Rotten c.c., vol. 5. Vienna: PP. Mechitaristen. Rotenstein 1793: Rotenstein, G. von. 1793. Lust-Reisen durch Bayern, Würtemberg, Pfalz, Sachsen, Brandenburg, Oesterreich, Mähren, Böhmen und Ungarn: in den Jahren 1784 bis 1791. 3. Dritter Theil. Leipzig: Friederich Schneidern. Tamussino 1989: Tamussino, U. 1989. Isabella von Parma. Gemahlin Josephs II.. Vienna: Öster­ reichischer Bundesverlag. Zehetner 2013: Zehetner, I. 2013. Eine fürstliche Dilettantin des 18.Jahrhunderts. Erzherzogin Marie Christine als Malerin (1742 – 1798). PhD dissertation, University of Vienna.

Doris Müller-Hess, Melanie Nief, Karin Troschke, Ute Henniges, Gabriela Krist

Into the Blue – Into the Brown Conservation Strategies for Permanent Exhibition of 212 Gouache Paintings in Vienna ’s Schönbrunn Palace

Abstract 212 blue gouache paintings form a main part of the original Baroque interior decoration of the so-called “Porcelain Room”. Within a research project funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF)1 on East Asian interior decorations in Schönbrunn Palace, which also includes the implementation of preservation plans in the “Porcelain Room”, the paintings were examined and conservation strategies established for further permanent exhibition. The paintings had been restored in 1978, because the paper showed severe brownish discolouration owing to long-term direct contact with the wooden backing of the frames. When the sheets were examined in 2013, patterns of discolouration were the same as in 1978. Several treatment options were tested and discussed. Priority was given to the removal of discolouration compounds. Good mechanical properties of the papers led to a conservation strategy which concentrated on the optimization of mounting and re-housing. Precise documentation, digitalization, and photometric monitoring of selected objects were further focal areas of the conservation campaign. ***

Introduction Of all East Asian decorated interiors at Schönbrunn Palace, the “Porcelain Room” is the most striking. Established in the 1760s as private study of Empress Maria Theresia, it is more a unique interpretation of Baroque chinoiserie than an East Asian cabinet. It is also 1

FWF-Project “Ostasiatische Raumausstattungen in Schloss Schönbrunn“, FWP-25351-G21, led by Univ. Prof. Dr. Gabriela Krist.

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Fig. 1: View into the Porcelain room, © Schloss Schoenbrunn Kultur- und betriebs GmbH.

a rare expression of the personal commitment of the royal family concerning interior design matters (fig. 1). The small room derives its name from the entirely wooden and carved decoration in white and blue, imitating painted porcelain.2 The panelling is structured by fruit and flower festoons, which emerge from a balustrade and the upper part is decorated with Chinese umbrellas. Inserted in between are 212 blue gouache paintings in wall-mounted frames. They show idyllic scenes of Far Eastern cultures, which were never experienced but faithfully imagined by the artists. It is remarkable that these paintings were created in the early 1760s by members of the royal family. Attributions concerning the authorship of the drawings were recently studied by Cornelia Juen.3

2 3

Iby and Koller 2007. Juen 2015.

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Within the framework of a government funded project, the gouache paintings have been a topic of research. As regards the conservation of the interior of the “Porcelain Room”, the gouaches underwent technological examination and conservation strategies were established. The conditions for permanent exhibition were also discussed. The paper carriers were affected to different extents by brown discolouration, which had been the reason for conservation treatment already in 1978, during which the discolouration could be removed. It is not known when the discolouration returned and it was not possible to determine causes without further examination. However, conservation history of the objects had to be taken into account. The main goals of the project included – the examination and analysis of paper and media of selected objects,4 – the discussion on (re-)treatment of the paper regarding discolouration, – testing treatments for reducing the brown discolouration on selected objects and – a preservation plan including recommendations for the conservation campaign in 2014.

Technological Examination and Damage Assessment Frames and Mount Each frame is closely attached to the wooden panelling with screws at the corners. Screws are covered by a delicate ornamental frame attached with glue. The backing is a 4 mm flush mounted fir wood panel5. Each drawing was loosely inserted between backing and glazing and had direct contact with the glass. A sheet of drawing board was additionally inserted between drawing and backing.

Painting and Paper Carrier The palette of the paintings is dominated by dark blue hues, imitating blue porcelain decoration. The colour application is opaque rather than translucent, and the paintings appear matte. Depending on the executing “artist”, the painting style is either linear – similar to ink drawings6 – or extensive and shaded. 4 5 6

The examination was extended in 2014 to all objects during the conservation campaign. On many backing panels Mr. Josef Enderes immortalised himself after performing renovation work in 1872 in the course of the Viennese World Exhibition. The paintings were formerly misleadingly termed “Tuschezeichnungen” (ink-drawings) – this might also be due to this designation for water colours in the 18th century.

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In the microscope, underdrawings in graphite are clearly visible in most of the paintings. Prussian blue could be identified via XRF7 as the main blue pigment. Various shades of blue are due to different pigment qualities. Additional mixtures with organic colour lakes might be possible. However, organic substances cannot be identified in this range, via non-invasive Fig. 2: Detail of MD 056770, left part was analytical methods. Brighter hues of Pruscovered by the rebate of the frame – colours sian blue are mixtures with Permanent are less faded, © Doris Mueller-Hess. White.8 The appearance of colours indicates that the paintings were executed in gouache which consists of a binding media (Gum Arabic), a wetting agent (ox gall), hygroscopic additives (honey, glycerine) and a colourant (pigment, colour lake). The composition of gouache differs from that of water colour only in the degree of dispersity. It is rather difficult to distinguish gouache and water colour by this physical property. In the present case the attribution “gouache” is made because of the dominant opaque character of the paint layer and the use of a white pigment, which is absent in the water colour palette. Gouache paint layers9 become less water sensitive with time because of irreversible loss of water content and aggregation of polymer chains of the binding media gum arabic. Additionally, occlusion and sorption reactions between pigments and cellulose fibres enhance water resistance. In the present case, the aged gouache paint is completely water-insoluble. This already became obvious during the conservation campaign in 1978, where the gouache paintings underwent washing treatment in a bath. However, when considering future conservation options, minimal invasive wet treatment methods should be preferred. The appearance of the colours in general is vibrant and bright. However, the colours faded owing to light exposure which becomes evident when comparing areas of the paintings which were covered by the rebates of the frame for many decades to areas which had been uncovered (fig. 2). The ferric ferrocyanide complex of Prussian blue is 7 8 9

Manfred Schreiner, Institute for Natural Sciences and Technology in the Arts, Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna. Manfred Schreiner, Institute for Natural Sciences and Technology in the Arts, Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna. Daniels 1995, Ehrenfort 1993.

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Fig. 3: MD 056773, example for damage pattern 1, © SKB, Hofmobilienverwaltung.

quite stable, though complex fading reactions have been studied recently. Possible fading depends not only on pigment quality, but also on interactions with the substrate.10 Prognosis concerning fading during permanent exhibition in individual cases is rather complicated. Efforts should be made on any account to maintain stable climate and optimized lighting conditions. It was further suggested to observe colour changes in situ over a longer period (see Conservation Strategy).

Paper The handmade rag papers are first grade quality of the renowned Dutch paper mill Honig.11 Six different paper qualities could be identified on the basis of the watermarks. All papers are flexible and not brittle. However, many sheets show iron (Fe(III)) particles, which can be detected by the naked eye. 10 Gervais et al. 2013. 11 Churchill 1990: 83.

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Fig. 5: MD 056763, Example for damage pattern 2b, © SKB, Hofmobilienverwaltung.

Fig. 4: MD 056774, example for damage pattern 2a, © SKB, Hofmobilienverwaltung.

A main issue of the examination was the current paper colour (see figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6): – 43% of the papers did show an evenly bright tone (= damage pattern 1), – 55% did show a moderate blurry or striped brown discoloration (= damage pattern 2a + 2b) and – 2% did show a heavily overall brown discoloration (= damage pattern 3). Different tones are not explainable by the localization of the drawings in the room. Discolouration is also not a matter of light incidence and there is no correlation regarding paper quality. The phenomena are randomly distributed.

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Excursus – Conservation History In 1978 the drawings underwent a conservation treatment.12 The papers had direct contact with the wooden backing of the frames when examined in 1978. This caused severe brownish discoloration because (gaseous) wood extractives (organic acids, phenols etc.) caused reactions with the cellulose matrix, resulting in coloured products. In 1978, the papers were bleached using chlorine dioxide in the gas phase resulting in brightening of the paper. After the bleaching procedure, papers were rinsed in water, resized using methylcellulose (magnesium bicarbonate added as an alkaline reserve) and flattened. In some cases small tears and losses were Fig. 6: MD 056762, example for damage patmended. Mounting was improved by add- tern 3, © SKB, Hofmobilienverwaltung. ing a sheet of acid free, heavyweight paper between each paper object and wooden backing. A direct contact between paper and glazing remained. Some detail photographs from the 1978 conservation report show exactly the same patterns of discolouration as could be observed when examining the paintings in 2013. It is evident that recent discolouration phenomena are due to colour reversion reactions after the 1978 bleaching treatment. Colour reversion after bleaching treatment is well reported in paper conservation literature.13 However, causes of discolouration are difficult to identify in individual cases and there is not much experience in the re-treatment of such phenomena. Nevertheless, the 1978 conservation campaign can be regarded as efficacious in view of the following key aspects: – All papers show very good mechanical stability – they are flexible and not brittle. The pH range is neutral to slightly alkaline. 12 Conservation campaign was led by the late Otto Wächter. A conservation report was submitted to the Federal Antiquities and Monuments Office (Bundesdenkmalamt, BDA), written by Karin Jahoda. BDA kindly forwarded this report in 2013. 13 Brückle 2012, Smith 2012.

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– The brown discoloration could be reduced and because of efficient washing after bleaching no chlorine residues could be detected via XRF. This excludes the formation of chloramines as a cause of recent discoloration. – The inlayed acid-free drawing cardboard acted as a barrier. None of the cardboards are discoloured and their pH range is neutral to alkaline. The wooden backing is therefore not (again) the cause of the recent discolouration. Discolouration is obviously related to the former close contact between paper and wood backing which led to a striped or overall brown discolouration, whereas partial contact (due to undulations of the paper) led to a blurry brown appearance. However, the causes for recent discolouration respectively colour reversion and the chemical composition of the chromophores remain unknown. Furthermore it is unclear whether this condition is stable or alterations causing deterioration of the paper substrate will occur. Priority was therefore given to the analysis of the discolouration compounds in order to be able to estimate long term effects and to consider the reduction of discolouration products by applying selective solvents.

Analytical Methods and Treatment – Questions, Results and Discussion “Many of the degradation products of paper that have been identified, e.g. glucose, acetic acid, citric acid and furfural, are colourless, water-soluble or volatile […]”.14 Analysis of chromophores is possible, but in the case of original artworks it is intricate because of limited sample material. If analysis proves successful, is there a method to selectively extract or reduce the brown discolouration products from the paper substrate? If the brown discolouration could be reduced by washing, then water soluble products would be the cause. If discolouration can be traced back to an iron-ion content of the paper, than these ions could be either reduced or eliminated using a chelating agent. But, as in all naturally aged samples, it is presumably a complex mixture of both effects. Samples of washing water collected after treatment of two objects (damage pattern 1, bright, and 3, discoloured) were analysed using mass-spectroscopy. Water soluble extracted compounds consisted of organic acids, sugar-alcohols and saccharides – all of them colourless. The coloured compounds could not be detected. The wet treatment using capillary matting could not effectively reduce the discolouration (fig.7). A disadvantage of water washing alone is the reduction of the alkaline reserve 14 Daniels 2015.

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introduced during the 1978 conservation treatment. The extractable iron (Fe(II)) content of two papers (damage pattern 1 and 3) was also evaluated by mass-spectroscopy. A chelator, disodium salt of EDTA (0,1n), was used for capillary mat washing and the resulting liquid extract was analysed. The iron content of the two papers did not differ significantly (2–5 µg/g), but was approximately 5 times higher than in samples of modern cellulose pulp. A high iron Fig. 7: MD 56763 during washing, © Doris content implies a higher risk for colour reMüller-Hess. version effects after bleaching. The results of these measurements suggest that there is no correlation between the iron content and the discolouration. In order to gain more reliable results, further investigations are needed. As historical sample material is very limited, this has to be done using model samples. Originally, the chelating agent was introduced in order to complex iron ions in the paper, but surprisingly this treatment had a brightening effect. EDTA obviously acts as a washing aid in this case, although it is not yet clear what type of coloured substance(s) is reduced or dissolved by EDTA. The Prussian blue pigment was apparently not affected by the EDTA treatment, as the ferric ferrocyanide complex of Prussian blue is stable. With regard to applying EDTA as a selective solvent for reducing coloured cellulose degradation products in original artworks, further testing has to be performed on model papers in order to assess long term stability. Also, future studies will have to address the chemical composition of the chelating agent (pH, concentration) which may need further improvement.

Preservation Plan During the conservation campaign of the “Porcelain room” in 2014 all stakeholders decided that the gouaches should not be treated further (except treatments already executed on selected objects during the research project), since questions about the long term stability of the paper still remain open. The following conservation strategy was implemented:

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Fig. 8: Set up spectrophotometric measurement, © Wilfried Vetter.

1. Condition report and photographic documentation of all 212 objects 2. Digitalization 3. Monitoring Spectrophotometric colour measurements of 31 selected gouache drawings (including 9 objects treated within the research project) were taken in order to determine possible colour changes of the paper and fading of the colours in the near future due to permanent exhibition. For performing spectrophotometric colour measurements, approximately 8 positions on paper and media were selected. These selected measuring points were punched out of a sheet of Mylar which can be safely placed on the object; the punch holes indicate the right position for the spectrophotometer (fig. 8).15 This way a remission spectrum was emitted for every single position. Additionally, colour coordinates using the L/a/b colour gradient were determined. Measurements will be repeated after a period of 3–5 years to evaluate significant changes due to permanent exhibition and to establish risk management.

15

Spectrophotometer: Spectro Eye TM, fa. X-rite, Software Gretag Key Wizard V2.5, measurement was done by Manfred Schreiner, Wilfried Vetter; Institute for Natural Sciences and Technology in the Arts, Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna.

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4. Optimization of mounting and housing Objects were mounted with V-hinges made of Japanese paper and applied with starch paste to the edges of the objects on a 2.5 mm thick, acid free museum board which contains an alkaline reserve. Glass was cleaned with water/Ethanol (1:1). A distance between paper object and glazing was achieved by attaching a 1.5 mm museum board strip at the edges of the glass. The inner wooden parts of the frame in contact with museum board or paper were covered using a gummed acid-free paper tape. The wooden backing of the frame was replaced with an acid free, corrugated board containing an alkaline reserve.

Summary Research on 212 gouache paintings of the Schönbrunn “Porcelain Room” was carried out within the framework of a project funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) in order to establish a conservation strategy. Brownish paper discolouration of approximately half of the paintings was the main focus of examination, analysis and test treatments. Obtaining sample material from original artwork on paper is limited and rather intricate. Therefore, questions concerning the nature of the brownish discolouration could not be sufficiently answered before the conservation campaign of the “Porcelain Room” in 2014. However, examination of the gouache paintings showed that the papers exhibit good mechanical properties despite their discolouration, the painting medium is stable and conservation treatment carried out in 1978 had a positive impact. Decision makers agreed on a preservation plan which concentrated on the optimization of mounting and re-housing, documentation and digitalization. Discolouration phenomena will be subject of further studies. An innovative approach in this context is the long-term monitoring of colour changes of paper and media caused by permanent exhibition via spectrophotometric measurement.

References Brückle 2012: Brückle, I. 2012. Historical Note: Aqueous Chlorine Dioxide Bleaching at Christa Gaedhes Studio in the 1990 ’s. Restaurator 3,4/2012: 274ff. Churchill 1990: Churchill, W.A.1990. Watermarks. Amsterdam: Nieuwkoop, De Graaf. Daniels 1995: Daniels, V. 1995. Factors influencing the wash-fastness of watercolours. The Paper Conservator 1/1995: 31–40. Daniels 2015: Daniels, V. 2015. Wässrige Extraktion alterungsbedingter Verfärbungen aus Papier.

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In: Papier und Wasser. Ein Lehrbuch für Restauratoren, Konservierungswissenschaftler und Papiermacher, ed. G. Banik and I. Brückle, 359ff. Munich: Siegl. Ehrenforth 1993: Ehrenforth, C. 1993. Aquarell- und Gouachefarben, Beiträge zu Materialzusammensetzung, Veränderung, Schäden. Master thesis, Inst. f. Technologie der Malerei der Staatl. Akademie d. bild. Künste, Stuttgart. Gervais et al. 2013: Gervais, C. et al. 2013. Why Does Prussian Blue Fade? Understanding the Role(s) of the Substrate. Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry 2013: 1600–1609. Iby and Koller 2000: Iby, E. and Koller, A. 2000. Schönbrunn. Vienna: Brandstätter. Juen 2015: Juen, C. 2015. Linien der Meister und Laien – das blaue Kabinett in Schloß Schönbrunn. Master thesis, University of Vienna. Smith 2012: Smith, T. 2012. An Evaluation of Historical Bleaching with Chlorine Dioxide Gas, Sodium Hypochlorite, and Chloramin T at the Fogg Art Museum. Restaurator 3,4/2012: 249ff.

Additional Literature Liebner, F. et al. 2013. Evaluation of different derivatisation approaches for gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric Analysis of carbohydrates in complex matrices of biological and synthetic origin. Journal of Chromatography A 1281/2013:115–126. Zweckmair, T. et al. 2015. Analysis of degradation products in rayon spinning baths. Holzforschung 69(6)/2015: 695–702.

Anna Mader-Kratky

The East Asian Cabinets at Schönbrunn Palace and their Archive Sources

Abstract On the basis of the dissertation of Oskar Raschauer (1926) studies at different departments of the Austrian State Archive have been undertaken to document the history of the East Asian Cabinets at Schönbrunn Palace. The court board of work (Hofbauamt) was responsible for the construction as well as the ongoing maintenance of court buildings and attached garden facilities. As there are no cohesive records for the time span between 1740 and 1772 we lack detailed information about creating the two cabinets in 1760. So we have to get by with single hints. The oldest inventories date back to 1803 and 1812. An analysis of the holdings of the Palace Department Schönbrunn, starting in 1779, allows us precisely to set the restoration history of the East Asian Cabinets including later changes of decoration. In this context the records of Obersthofmeisteramt, the leading administration court department, are also of particular interest, as all requests of the Palace Department Schönbrunn had to be approved by the chamberlain. *** In addition to the conservation sciences examination of the East Asian Cabinets at Schönbrunn Palace, extensive archival work has been done to document the history of the ensembles in the 18th and 19th centuries – from their installation under the reign of Maria Theresa till the end of Habsburg monarchy.1 In the 1920s Oskar Raschauer was the first to go through the archive sources of the imperial residence of Schönbrunn to reconstruct its building history and the changes of interior decoration. With his archival results he compiled an unpublished catalogue of each room of the palace.2 Raschauer’s essential work was the basis for the current research in different departments of the Austrian State Archive such as the Haus-, Hof- und Staatsarchiv with the holdings of court 1

2

The archival work was part of the FWF-funded research project “Asian Interior Decoration in Schönbrunn Palace” (P 25351-G21) under the direction of Gabriela Krist at the University of Applied Arts Vienna. Raschauer 1926.

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offices as the court board of works (Hofbauamt)3 or the court furniture administration (Mobilieninspektion)4. The Finanz- und Hofkammerarchiv holds records of financial administration such as the private account books of the imperial family (Geheime Kammerzahlamtsbücher)5. Julius Fleischer evaluated these voluminous books in the 1930s and published all entries relevant for art history.6 Because of his restricted interpretation of art history he concentrated on artists and their work but disregarded entries concerning applied arts such as the acquisition of material. Therefore a glance over the material seemed to make sense. An analysis of the holdings of the Palace Department Schönbrunn (Schlosshauptmannschaft)7, starting in 1779, allows us to precisely reconstruct the restoration history of the East Asian Cabinets including later changes of decoration during the 19th century. In this context the records of Obersthofmeisteramt8, the leading administration court department, are also of particular interest as all requests of the Palace Department Schönbrunn had to be approved by the chamberlain.

Installation of the East Asian Cabinets (around 1760) The court board of works (Hofbauamt) was responsible for the construction as well as the ongoing maintenance of court buildings and attached garden facilities. As there are no cohesive records on construction administration for the time span between 1740 and 1772 we lack detailed information about the creation of the Round and the Oval Cabinet on either side of the Small Gallery. So we have to get by with single hints. The Great and the Small Gallery were built around 1760 – the fresco of the Small Gallery is dated in 1759 by Gregorio Guglielmi, the Great Gallery was finished two years later in 1761.9 At the same time, the two cabinets were redesigned, as we know from a remuneration for cabinetmaker Andre Wachtelbrenner for looking after the recently completed cabinets.10 The donation started on 1 May 1760, and the cabinetmaker was paid to take care of the 3

Österreichisches Staatsarchiv (OeStA), Haus-, Hof- und Staatsarchiv (HHStA), Hofarchive, Hofbaudepartement (HBA). 4 OeStA, HHStA, Hofarchive, Hofarchive, Oberstkämmereramt (OKäA). 5 OeStA, Finanz- und Hofkammerarchiv (FHKA), Sonderbestände, Sammlungen und Selekte, Nachgeordnete Dienststellen, Hofzahlamtsbücher (HZAB). 6 Fleischer 1932. 7 OeStA, HHStA, Hofarchive, Obersthofmeisteramt, Schloss- und Hofgartenverwaltungen, Schlosshauptmannschaft (SChlH). 8 OeStA, HHStA, Hofarchive, Obersthofmeisteramt (OMeA). 9 Iby and Koller 2007: 101-107. 10 Raschauer 1926: Vol. 2: 30. Nowadays the original (OeStA, HHStA, OKäA, Geheimes Kammerzahlamt [GehKZ], Hauptbuch 3) is kept under lock and key.

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two cabinets. However, this entry in the private account books of the imperial family does not prove Wachtelbrenner to be the executing artisan.11 On 12 February 1761 the gilders Franz Spantz, Michael Pfeisthofer, Joseph Grädl and Johann Widsack addressed a letter to the court board of work to ask for the refund of 20,624 florins.12 One month later, on 9 March 1761, a supplication followed from the sculptor Wenzel Egger and the gilders Simon Landter and Anton Rogg, who expected the payment of 15,136 florins.13 A report of the court board of works to the Obersthofmeisteramt informs us that the debts dated back to 1759-1760.14 In these years the Small Gallery and the two cabinets were finished and the aforementioned artisans might have taken part. In the report the court board of works also accuses the responsible architect Nikolaus Pacassi of making most of his arrangements with the artisans verbally, and so the court board of works had to reconstruct the payments without any further information. Unfortunately we have no information about the acquisition of the porcelain and the lacquer panels presented in the cabinets. So we do not know if they were still in the possession of Maria Theresa before she started the refurbishment of the cabinets or if she acquired the porcelain and the lacquer panels exactly for this redecoration.

Inventories of Schönbrunn Palace (1803/1812) The oldest (still existing) inventories of Schönbrunn Palace were compiled in 1803 and 1812. The inventory of 1803 describes the “Indian” lacquer panels in both cabinets and lists the porcelain objects:15 the Oval Cabinet was decorated with 145 pieces, 138 small vases and figurines, two floor vases (the inventory calls them “heavy Indian pots”) and five figurines on the mantel.16 In the Round Cabinet 176 objects were arranged, but one of them broke while dusting.17 Both cabinets were illuminated with a central chandelier and sconces, the Oval Cabinet with four and the Round Cabinet with six lights affixed to 11 12 13 14 15

Iby 2015: 23. OeStA, HHStA, HBA, box 2, envelope 1, fol. 119r-120v and 115r. OeStA, HHStA, HBA, box 2, envelope 1, fol. 121r–123v, 117r. OeStA, HHStA, HBA, box 2, envelope 1, fol. 114 and 124. “Inventarium. Uiber die in dem Kaih[serlich] königl[ichen] Lustschlohs Schönbrun sich befindlichen Meubles”, Hofmobiliendepot – Möbel Museum Wien, Archive. The Oval Cabinet is numbered “Nr. 28” and the Round Cabinet “Nr. 31”. 16 “”Oval Kabinette mit indianischen Lack und 138 Stück Porcellain Figuren und Wasen verzirt […] 2 große indianische Töpfe […] 5 indianische Figuren auf den Kamin Stein […]“; ibid. 17 “Mit indianischen Lack und 165 d[er] Figuren und Wasen verziehrt […] Eine kleine Wasen ist bei den Abstauben zerschlagen worden“; ibid.

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the wall. Those sconces were adorned with “melted flowers” (“geschmolzene Blumen”), meaning porcelain decoration. All seating furniture was covered with white satin. According to the inventory the cabinets had only a few pieces of furniture – for example in the Round Cabinet only three chairs and two stools are mentioned. Between the windows, there stood a Trumeau desk with a green marble plate. In 1812 another inventory was compiled:18 in both cabinets white walls with lacquer panels in gilded frames are mentioned. Besides this, 274 porcelain objects – 110 vases and figurines in the Oval Cabinet and 164 pieces in the Round Cabinet – and 12 lacquer bottles fixed on gilded consoles are listed,19 all in all 286 objects; nowadays 252 pieces of porcelain and 10 lacquer bottles still exist, which means that 24 objects are left. But we are not able to relate which pieces are missing or have been changed later, because the inventory of 1812 does not specify the porcelain, but summarily enumerates it, like the inventory of 1803. The furniture is described more precisely: the seating and tables were made of lacquerwork or had porcelain decoration and the seat pads were covered with green textile. When we compare this description with the oldest picture we know of the Round Cabinet by Franz Heinrich dated 1855/1860, we find the cabinet 40 years later more furnished and the colour scheme of the furniture has changed from green to red (see fig. 5 in the contribution of Krist, Haselberger and Müllauer in this volume).

First Renovation (1808) The first renovations of the two cabinets started in the early 19th century: in June 1808 the inspector of court furniture, Vincent Caballini, recommended a renovation of parts of the imperial apartment.20 Owing to renovation works of the façade, the apartment was not habitable during the summer. Caballini wanted to take advantage of this situation and overhaul the furniture and decoration of some rooms – among them the East Asian Cabinets. The inspector of court furniture had noticed that the glue which fixed the porcelain on the gilded consoles had dried out and the objects were on the verge of 18

“Inventarium der in dem kaiserl[ichen] königl[ichen] Lustschloße Schönbrunn befindlichen Meubles Anno 1812”, OeStA, HHStA, OMeA, Akten, box 193 (1813), No. 148. The numbers of the room accord to the inventory of 1803. 19 “Oval-Cabinet die Wände weis und mit Violack poisiert, in vergoldeten Leisteln. 110 verschiedene japponische Gefäße und Figuren auf eben so viel ganz vergoldeten hölzernen Postamenten befestigt. 12 schwarz indianisch lackirte Flaschen auf [vergoldeten hölzernen] Postamenten […] 2tes Oval Cabinet, die Wände weiß und mit Violack poisirt, darauf 164 japponische verschiedene Gefäße und Figuren auf eben so viel vergoldeten hölzernen Postamenten befestigt”; ibid. 20 OeStA, HHStA, OMeA, Prot. 66 (1808), No. 1468.

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falling down. The Obersthofmeisteramt placed the order to contact the Vienna Porcelain Manufactory to deliver an opinion and submit an estimate.21 The situation seems to be critical because Caballini received the order to take the necessary steps only a few weeks later. Interestingly the logbooks and documents of Vienna Porcelain Manufactory do not contain any advice of this commission.22 In the course of the renovation 1808 also the gilded consoles of the porcelain objects were restored. Besides this, a metalworker was paid, together with the Vienna Porcelain Manufactory.23 It seems likely that he helped to mount the vases on their gilded consoles, as the inventory of 1812 tells us: “Vases and figurines fixed on gilded wooden consoles.”24

Application for a Fundamental Renovation (1872–1873) Seventy years later the Palace Department Schönbrunn took the initiative to propound a fundamental renovation of the two cabinets to the Obersthofmeisteramt. Estimates of court sculptor August la Vigne, court cabinetmaker Vinzenz Hefele and court painter Matthäus Häusermann have remained in the holdings of the Palace Department Schönbrunn.25 They recommended the following measures in May 1872: to replace the lacquer panels over the doors, to repair the decoration and supplement missing parts, to shade the celling (we do not know in which colour instead of white we see on the picture of Franz Heinrich26) and to renew the doors. The total costs were 3,000 florin. None of these suggestions was granted, because the Obersthofmeisteramt ordered only the renewal of the mirrors in both cabinets and the renovation of the French doors.27 One year later the Palace Department Schönbrunn gave the fundamental renovation of the two cabinets another try:28 this time the partially damaged parquet floor had to be overhauled by the Viennese company Carl Leistler & Söhne.29 Court sculptor August la Vigne submitted a new estimate: in addition to his proposal of 1872 he suggested the 21 OeStA, HHStA, OMeA, Prot. 66 (1808), No. 424. 22 OeStA, FHKA, Sonderbestände, Sammlungen und Selekte (SUS), Nachgeordnete Dienststellen, Porzellanfabrik Wien: Direktionsprotokolle, vol. 10 (November 1804 to October 1811); Direktionsakten, box 124a (1808-1809). 23 Circular of the Obersthofmeisteramt to Vincent Caballini, July 16th 1808; OeStA, HHStA, OMeA, Prot. 66 (1808), No. 424. 24 See fn. 19. 25 OeStA, HHStA, OMeA, SchlH Schönbrunn, Akten, box 86 (1872), No. 302; Raschauer 1926: Vol. 2: 101. See Ottillinger 1997: 214-215, with divergent information. 26 See figure 5 in the contribution of Krist, Haselberger and Müllauer in this volume. 27 OeStA, HHStA, OMeA, SchlH Schönbrunn, Akten, box 86 (1872), No. 613 and No. 748. 28 OeStA, HHStA, OMeA, SchlH Schönbrunn, Akten, box 88 (1873), No. 748. 29 Ibid.

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maintenance and repair of all lights by adding more arms to each sconce. Although the renovation was no less urgent than before the decision of the Obersthofmeisteramt was adjourned and in February 1875, three years after the first attempt of the Palace Department Schönbrunn, they received a negative reply.30 In 1887, the windows and shutters of the garden façade were repaired and painted green.31 Because of the south facing of this façade the coat of the windows and shutters had to be refreshed during the summer of 1899.32

The Electrification of Schönbrunn Palace (1898–1900) After parts of the Vienna Hofburg and Belvedere Palace were powered by electricity, the electrification of the imperial apartment in Schönbrunn Palace was started by the company of Vereinigte Elektricitäts-Actiengesellschaft in October 1898. The next summer the Great and the Small Gallery and the two cabinets had to be connected up. The estimate lists all concerned lamps – in the Oval Cabinet an eight-armed chandelier and 18 twoarmed sconces and in the Round Cabinet an eight-armed chandelier and 22 sconces.33 The company Ullwer & Bednar was tasked with the preparation of all lamps for electrification.34 Apparently this modernization might have been the determining factor for the decision to renovate the wood panelling, because they had to be displaced to lay the cables behind them. This renovation was put in hand of Sandor Jaray and his company, one of the leading furniture industries in Vienna.35 The commission informs us about the far-reaching intervention:36 Jaray had to cleave the lacquer panels and glue them on poplar wood – in the Oval Cabinet 14 panels and in the Round Cabinet 17 panels. Besides this 25 “Japanese” panels in the Oval Cabinet and 23 “Japanese” panels in the Round Cabinet had to be refaced (“neue japanische Füllungen”). During this renovation the panels were turned around so that the former back side became the new front side. The old panels were stored, and it is due to Silvia Miklin-Kniefacz to rediscover them in the 30 Ibid: “Nachdem diese Herstellung im laufenden Jahre nicht bewilliget wird, folgen die Berichtsbeilagen im Anschlusse zurück.” 31 OeStA, HHStA, OMeA, Akten, box 1140 (1887), Rub. 128/B/10. 32 OeStA, HHStA, OMeA, Akten, box 1436 (1899), Rub. 128/B/18. 33 OeStA, HHStA, OMeA, SchlH Schönbrunn, Akten box 154 (1900), No. 1108. 34 OeStA, HHStA, OMeA, Akten, box 1479 (1900), Rub, 128/B/10. 35 OeStA, HHStA, OMeA, Akten, box 1479 (1900), Rub, 128/B/4; SchlH Schönbrunn, Akten, box 149 (1899), No. 883. 36 OeStA, HHStA, OMeA, SchlH Schönbrunn, box 154 (1900), No. 1108. See Miklin-Kniefacz et al. 2015: 150-151.

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Imperial-Royal Furniture Storehouse some years ago.37 The sources do not tell us why the panels had to be cleaved, perhaps the former front sides were intended for another imperial residence.

References Fleischer 1932: Fleischer, J. 1932. Das kunstgeschichtliche Material der geheimen Kammerzahlamtsbücher in den staatlichen Archiven Wiens von 1705 bis 1790. Quellenschriften zur barocken Kunst in Österreich und Ungarn, Bd. 1. Vienna: Krystall-Verlag. Iby 2015: Iby, E. 2015. The “Chinese Cabinets” in the Historical Context of Schönbrunn Palace’s Interior Decoration. In: Investigation and Conservation of East Asian Cabinets in Imperial Residences (1700–1900). Laquerware and Porcelain. Conference 2013 Postprints, eds. G. Krist and E. Iby, Konservierungswissenschaft.Restaurierung.Technologie, Bd. 11, 11-24. Vienna- CologneWeimar: Böhlau. Iby and Koller 2007: Iby, E. and Koller, A. 2007. Schönbrunn. Vienna: Brandstätter. Miklin-Kniefacz et al. 2015: Miklin-Kniefacz, S., Miklin, R., Käfer, S., Schwetz, F., Pitthard, V., Stanek, S., Griesser, M., Parson, W. 2015. First Investigations of the Asian Lacquer Panels in the “Chinese Cabinets”, Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna. In: Investigation and Conservation of East Asian Cabinets in Imperial Residences (1700–1900). Laquerware and Porcelain. Conference 2013 Postprints, eds. G. Krist and E. Iby, Konservierungswissenschaft.Restaurierung.Technologie, Bd. 11, 149-168. Vienna-Cologne-Weimar: Böhlau. Ottillinger 1997: Ottillinger, E. B. 1997. Schönbrunn und Hetzendorf 1835-1919. In: Kaiserliche Interieurs. Die Wohnkultur des Wiener Hofes im 19. Jahrhundert und die Wiener Kunstge­ werbereform, eds. E. B. Ottillinger and L. Hanzl-Wachter, Museen des Mobiliendepots, Bd. III, 200–226. Vienna-Cologne-Weimar: Böhlau. Raschauer 1926: Raschauer, O. 1926. Geschichte der Innenausstattung des Lustschlosses Schönbrunn. Unpublished Dissertation, University of Vienna.

37 See the contribution of Miklin-Kniefacz, Miklin and Käfer in this volume.

Gabriela Krist, Martina Haselberger, Birgit Müllauer

Conservation and Remounting of the Ceramics in the East Asian Cabinets at Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna

Abstract In the framework of the research project “Asian Interior Decoration in Schönbrunn Palace” supported by the Austrian Science Fund, detailed examination and documentation of the interiors of the three East Asian Cabinets in Schönbrunn Palace were carried out in the last four years. One focus of the project was placed on historical and new mounting strategies of the 242 ceramics, mainly porcelain, exhibited in the two “Chinese Cabinets”, as well as on their future presentation after conservation. They are an integral part of the interior decoration and wall-mounted on small carved and gilded consoles. The porcelains represent a heterogeneous collection, some objects were replaced or added from the cabinets’ installation in 1760 until the middle of the 20th century. Archival documents record not only severe changes in the presentation scheme and display but also prove loss of several objects. Most of the artworks have holes drilled in their bases so they could be attached more securely onto the consoles by screws and various adhesives. The current mounting poses high risk to the objects, which is why a new mounting system has been developed based on waxes. After an extensive test series on chemical and physical properties, appropriate materials are selected for re-mounting in the two cabinets. The reconstruction of a historical arrangement of the porcelains on the consoles reflects the original appearance of the cabinets’ interiors more authentically, whereby the newly developed mounting system provides a basis for an adequate and safe presentation of the objects, being fundamental for the long-term and sustainable preservation of the porcelains. *** In their completeness and material variety, the East Asian Cabinets at Schönbrunn Palace are among the most significant testimonies of the European aristocracy’s predilection for “exotic” goods during the Baroque and Rococo eras. The two so-called “Chinese Cabinets” are among the most precious room ensembles of the palace, being installed in 1760 under Empress Maria Theresa (1717–1780). The two cabinets, which are decorated with

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white-and-gold wooden wall panelling, mirrors, sconces and precious chandeliers, are additionally furnished with lacquerware, metal objects and ceramics, mainly porcelain. The interdisciplinary research project “Asian Interior Decoration in Schönbrunn Palace”, funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), focuses on this interior decoration, whereby the porcelains are one of the research themes in the project. Mounted on carved and gilded wooden consoles, which are part of the wall panelling, they include 242 pieces today. They are from Chinese, Japanese and European origin and are dated from the 17th to the 20th century.1 Research within the framework of the project concentrated on the history and provenance of the porcelains, whereby archival documents were investigated and comparative studies with similar collections were done in cooperation with art historians. Material analyses and technological surveys contributed to the clarification of the used material and their production technologies. The study of the conservation history of the objects revealed not only restoration measures undertaken in the past centuries but also helped to understand damage phenomena present today. The comprehensive study provided new information on attribution, dating, provenance and collection’s as well as objects’ history. Technological and condition surveys of the porcelains formed the basis for their conservation concept which aimed to maintain the cohesion of the cabinet ensembles and to respect their history.2

Previous Presentation and Mounting of the Porcelains ­u ntil 2013 As already stated, the porcelains in the two Chinese Cabinets represent a heterogeneous collection which fluctuated from the time of their installation and decoration in 1760 until the middle of the 20th century. Archival documents record severe changes in the presentation scheme and display as well as in the composition of the collection. The total number of objects varied at times, with vessels and figurines being added and others being lost. Objects did not only change their position in the room, they also switched cabinets – both having an effect on the overall appearance of the cabinets. Over time, different mounting methods also left severe traces on 80% of the porcelains and caused major damage.3 Prominent features here are the holes in the bottoms of

1 2 3

Müllauer 2015. Müllauer et al. 2015. Müllauer et al. 2015; Müllauer and Krist 2015.

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the porcelains, drilled in order to attach them to the consoles with screws4, also the remnants of various mounting mediums, which was not only detrimental to the appearance, but also caused damage to the original surfaces.5 The mounting of the porcelains also presented a risk for some objects, since they were placed on consoles unsuitable for their size and weight. Some were placed on the consoles with too little distance to the walls.

The New Mounting Strategy for the Porcelains With the aim of the future long-term preservation of the porcelains, their mounting had to be adapted and improved as regards the choice of materials and techniques to be used. The mounting media from past interventions were revealed to be harmful. They were highly degraded, which resulted not only in a detrimental aesthetic appearance, but also in reduced adhesion and the formation of harmful degradation products affecting the original surface. Subsequently it was decided to remove them to avoid further loss or damage of original surfaces. The new mounting has to provide secure as well as reversible attachment of the objects on the consoles. It has to be adaptable to the requirements and conditions of individual objects and aesthetically unobtrusive. The system should be sustainable; it should allow secure repair or replacement measures. Investigations of the consoles6 revealed that after their conservation they are able to bear the whole weight of the porcelains, which is why an additional fixation on the wall panelling could be considered superfluous.7 Therefore further efforts concentrated on investigations of appropriate mounting materials, which could be applied on the surface of the consoles. In a first series of tests neutral elastic polymers on a basis of silicone and acrylic as well as waxes were considered.8 The waxes convinced in these first tests as they show good properties regarding handling and dimensional stability and remain flexible after aging.

4 5 6 7

8

Krebs 2014; Preßlinger 2014. Müllauer 2013; Kleinschmidt 2014; Bézard 2014; Müllauer et al. 2015. Kainz 2014. Prior to the investigation of the consoles the mounting concept included constructions with acrylic glass and metal to relieve the weight of the consoles. This concept was presented at the kick-off conference in 2013. (Müllauer et al. 2015: 107). Müllauer et al. 2015: 107.

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Testing Waxes for Mounting For the further test series seven waxes used in conservation and/or dental practice9 were chosen: TeCero 30201 (Deffner und Johann), TeCe-Ozokerit Z130 (Deffner und Johann), bleached bees wax (Deffner und Johann), Knetwachs (Kremer), Klebewachs (Kremer), Utility Wax (Henry Schein) and Museum Wax (Crystalline Clear). All of them are ductile, they have similar melting range and all of them, except the bleached wax, are microcrystalline waxes.10 Besides form stability (in the relevant climate and in respect to the weight of the objects), tests were done on workability, aging behaviour and adhesion properties, hardness, thermal expansion and compressive resistance of the selected waxes.11 Empirical tests with dummies were carried out in the Oval Cabinet.

Handling and Workability Properties First the handling properties were tested, whereby the results were evaluated empirically (tab.1). The waxes’ behaviour during moulding and shaping at room temperature, their average shrinkage after casting and their adhesion to the casting form (metal or polystyrene) were investigated. Furthermore their adhesion to the porcelain surface after being kneaded into form was characterized. Table 1: Handling and workability properties. Type of wax TeCero 30201

Moulding at room Shrinking when cast Adhesion to the cast temperature form Hard, hardly kneada- Even surface, consist- No adhesion to ble, slightly sticky ent; high shrinking metal; low adhesion to polystyrene TeCeHard, hardly medium Even surface, consist- No adhesion to Ozo­kerit kneadable, slightly ent; low shrinking metal; no adhesion to Z130 sticky polystyrene Beeswax Medium hard, knead- Even surface; meLow adhesion to bleached able, slightly sticky dium shrinking metal; low adhesion to polystyrene Knetwachs Medium hard, knead- Even surface, consist- No adhesion to able, slightly sticky ent; high shrinking metal; high adhesion to polystyrene

Adhesion to porcelain/wood surface Low/ very low

Low/ low

Medium/ low

Medium/ medium

9 Buys and Oakley 1993; Lee and Thickett 196; Oakley and Jain 2002; Shashoua 1990. 10 Generally, very little technical details are provided by the manufacturers. 11 All technical tests were supervised by Walter Strasser / Technische Prüf- Anstalt / STRABAG.

Conservation and Remounting of the Ceramics in the East Asian Cabinets at Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna

Type of wax Klebe­ wachs Utility Wax Museum Wax

347

Moulding at room Shrinking when cast Adhesion to the cast Adhesion to porcetemperature form lain/wood surface Soft, medium knead- Very uneven surface; High adhesion to Strong/ medium able, very sticky very high shrinking metal; very high adhesion to polystyrene Soft, kneadable, Even surface; high Medium adhesion to Medium/ medium slightly sticky shrinking metal; very high adhesion to polystyrene Very soft, hardly Even surface, consist- No adhesion to Strong/ strong kneadable, very sticky ent; high shrinking metal; low adhesion to polystyrene

In Situ Tests The performance of the waxes on site was tested in the framework of empirical tests in the Oval Cabinet. During summer 2014 (July–September) cast rings of all waxes were placed on some consoles in this cabinet, whereby the casting process allowed the production of standardized rings. Small, newly purchased porcelain vessels were mounted on top of the wax rings. The whole construction was placed on cardboard to test adhesion and to determine probable traces of i.e. paraffin oils. Furthermore additional weight was given by lead weights of 1400 g in order to imitate or slightly exceed the heaviest porcelains of the collection (fig. 1). For the subsequent evaluation, the dummies were dismantled after two and a half months of exposure. When taken off from the cardboard and the porcelain surface, the adhesion of the wax rings to both materials and their probable deformation were documented (see tab. 2).

Fig. 1: Tests in the Oval Cabinet. Mounting of porcelain vessels on cardboard (left) with additional weight (right), photo by Birgit Müllauer.

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Table 2: In situ test results.

TeCero 30201

Slight

Adhesion to porcelain surface Yes

TeCe-Ozokerit Z130 Beeswax bleached

Slight No

Yes Yes

Intact Intact

Knetwachs

Slight

Yes

Klebewachs

Strong

Yes

Utility Wax

Slight

Yes

No

Yes

Slight displacement and deformation Severe displacement and deformation Slight displacement and deformation Severe displacement and deformation

Type of wax

Museum Wax

Adhesion to cardboard

Deformation of wax ring Intact

Physical Properties Hardness Tests12 Tests with hand and needle penetrometer were conducted to define the influence of different ways of production and temperature on the hardness of the waxes (see fig. 2) and to compare the two measuring methods. For the tests each wax was pressed as well as cast into sampling tins. Then tests with hand and needle penetrometer were carried out at different, predefined temperatures (5°, 17°, 29° and 36°C).13 The applied force was selective. Both measuring methods showed similar results, depicted in table 3. The cast samples proved the most homogenous results, which is why they were used for further evaluation.

12 13

ÖNORM EN 1426. Therefore the sample blocks were adjusted to the temperature during 24 hours in a climate chamber. During the tests the temperature was measured by infrared thermometer.

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Fig. 2: Test of hardness by hand and needle penetrometer (ÖNORM EN 1426); waxes cast / pressed into the sampling tins, photo by Birgit Müllauer.

Table 3: Test of hardness by hand and needle penetrometer ÖNORM EN 1426.

Penetration at 5°C [1/10 mm]

Penetration at 17°C [1/10 mm]

Penetration at 29,3°C [1/10 mm]

Penetration at 35,9°C [1/10 mm]

Difference of penetration between highest and lowest temperature1 [1/10 mm]

TeCero 30201

8.6

12.5

36.1

49.8

41.2

TeCe-Ozokerit Z130

6.4

8.5

23.3

35.2

28.8

Beeswax bleached

6.8

9.7

24.4

29.5

22.7

Knetwachs

8.9

11.7

36.7

208.7

199.8

Klebewachs

14

24.2

76.1

275,7

261.7

Utility Wax

11.4

20.4

43.5

231,7

220.3

Museum Wax

19.9

31.7

77.5

191.3

171.4

Type of wax (cast)

1

The difference in penetration between the highest and lowest temperature is relevant for the use of the wax in the cabinets with a wide temperature range during the year.

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Thermal Expansion Tests The samples were cast in polystyrene forms (16x4x4 cm), then taken out of the forms and cooled down (fig. 3). During subsequent temperature rise the elongation was measured (see tab. 4).14

Fig. 3: Thermal expansion (ÖNORM EN 14581); samples cast in polystyrene forms (16x4x4 cm), photo by Birgit Müllauer.

Table 4: Thermal expansion (ÖNORM EN 14581). Type of wax Te Cero 30201

mm

T2 [°C]

1 / lo

26.7

0-00634075

25.7

0.0186381

0.0001182

1.18 x E-04

1

28.8

0.00627746

27.8

0.0194245 0.0001219

1.22 x E-04

155.95 0.584 5

29.2

0.00641231

24.2

0.0241322 0.0001547

1.55 x E-04

157.71 0.479 1

TeCe-Ozo­ 159.3 kerit Z130 Beeswax

Δl T1 [mm] [°C]

0.54

ΔT

Δ l / ΔT

Elongation (=1/lo x Δ l/ ΔT)

mm/ m/100°C

Knet­wachs 158.9

0.133

17

30.4

0.00629327

13.4

0.0099254 6.246E-05

0.62 x E-04

Klebe­ wachs

0.591

1

26.7

0.00626174

25.7

0.0229961 0.000144

1.44 x E-04

Utility wax 159.75 0.687 1

26.7

0.00625978

25.7

0.0267315 0.0001673

1.67 x E-04

Museum wax

26.3

0.00633914

25.3

0.0356126 0.0002258

226 x E-04

159.7

15.75

0.901 1

14 ÖNORM EN 14581.

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Test of Adhesion on Wood Shearing tests were conducted to examine the adhesion of the waxes on wood. Therefore 3-layered samples were manufactured consisting of 13 cm wood, 1 cm wax and 2 cm wood. These were placed into the instrument and the force was increased very slowly (see tab. 5). The results can only be seen as reference, as for each type of wax only one sample was manufactured. To achieve more meaningful results at least 10 samples per wax are required. Table 5: Adhesion on wood by shearing-off tests. Type of wax

Ultimate load [kN]

N/mm2=µPa

TeCero 30201

0.024

0.015

TeCe-Ozokerit Z130

0.129

0.081

Beeswax

0.102

0.064

Knetwachs

0.074

0.046

Klebewachs

0.041

0.026

Utility Wax

0.046

0.029

Museum Wax

0.009

0.006

Compressive Resistance Tests Samples of wax on wood (2 cm wood and 1.3 cm wax) were prepared and then compressed with continuously intensified force (from 0.01 kN/s up to 2 kN/s). Finally the difference in thickness of the wax was measured. Similar to the shearing tests, the gained results are not statistically founded as the number of samples was too small.

Artificial Aging Tests Prepared wax samples were weighed and then artificially aged using the “Thin Film Oven Test”, which is carried out at a temperature of 90°C.15 Thereby the melted wax is exposed to hot air in very thin layers. In this way the surface is maximized and a long aging period can be stimulated in a short time as the aging of waxes always starts at the surface (see tab. 6). After the artificial aging process the probable weight loss of the waxes was determined and hardness tests with needle penetrometer were performed at a temperature of

15

ÖNORM EN 12607 part 2.

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Gabriela Krist, Martina Haselberger, Birgit Müllauer

17 °C. Comparison with results gained before artificial aging allowed to define the influence of aging on the waxes’ physical properties. Table 6: The thin film oven test at 90°C (ÖNORM EN 12607, part 2). Type of wax (cast)

Mass loss

Needle penetration after artificial aging [1/10 mm]

Penetration at 17°C (before artificial aging, compare table 3) [1/10 mm]

TeCero 30201

0.0 %

17

12.5

TeCe-Ozokerit Z130

0.0 %

10

8.5

+0.06 %

9

9.7

Beeswax Knetwachs

0.0 %

15

11.7

Klebewachs

0.03 %

26

24.2

Utility Wax

0.4 %

17

20.4

Museum Wax

0.7 %

36

31.7

Tests of Dust Adhesion For this test series two samples of each wax were cast onto microscope slides (fig. 4). One sample per wax was exposed in the Oval Cabinet and one sample was treated in the climate chamber – relative humidity and temperature changing according to the highest and lowest measures values in the cabinets16. In addition the samples in the climate chamber were sprinkled with dust for measurements of adhesion and depth of penetration three times. Subsequently cleaning tests were done with brushes. Examination of the samples under the light microscope and comparison of the wetting angle of a water drop before and after the artificial aging should reveal adhesion and depth of dust penetration.

Test Results Aim of the test series was to identify one or more waxes with properties suitable for the new mounting system. Besides good handling properties, form stability, low penetration at high temperature, little thermal expansion and little change of volume were favoured. The chosen waxes should be sustainable and durable without changing their physical properties after aging. Dust adhesion should be low to prevent rapid soiling. At the same time the wax should allow dry cleaning. 16 Temperature between 5° and 37°C, relative humidity between 25% and 70%.

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Fig. 4: Adhesion of dust; samples cast (a), after exposure in the cabinet (b), sprinkled with dust 3 times (c, d), cleaned (e), photos by Birgit Müllauer.

Based on the test series the waxes could be first divided into two groups: the harder waxes (group A) – TeCero 30201, TeCe-Ozokerit Z130 and bees wax – and the softer ones (group B) – Knetwachs, Klebewachs, Utility Wax and Museum Wax. This classification is primarily based on the results of the hardness tests and the deformation of the waxes during the in situ tests. The hard and soft waxes show striking divergent results of needle penetration depth at high temperatures with differences of at least 14 mm. Furthermore the hard waxes of group A showed no deformation after the in situ tests. Most suitable handling properties were achieved with the TeCe-Ozokerit Z130 and bees wax from group A and Knetwachs and Utility Wax from Group B. TeCero 30201 was too hard and Klebewachs as well as Museum Wax were too soft and showed the highest shrinkage after casting. Evaluation of the in situ tests revealed that waxes from group A can be recommended for the mounting of heavy vessels (more than 500 g). The dummies made of them stood the weight over the whole period of exposure without showing any deformation. Dummies made of waxes from group 2 were not form stable enough and therefore can be only used for lighter objects (less than 500g). The in situ tests also proved an adhesion of TeCero 30201, TeCe-Ozokerit Z130, Knetwachs and Utility Wax to the porcelain surface, which is desired to some degree. The hardness tests verified the preliminary classification into hard and soft waxes. The harder waxes showed comparable lower penetration at high temperatures and little difference in penetration between 5° and 35.9°C. The softer waxes –Klebewachs, Utility Wax and Museum Wax – showed high penetration especially at 35.9°C resembling minor

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form stability. From the group of softer waxes only Knetwachs showed quite low penetration until 29.3°C. In general the depth of penetration was lower in the case of the cast samples than the pressed ones. Best results in the thermal expansion tests were generated with Knetwachs, followed by TeCero 30201 and TeCe-Ozokerit Z130. All showed little expansion and little change of volume which promised high form stability. The results of the tests on adhesion on wood and compressive strength can only be seen as reference as more samples would be required to gain statistically valuable knowledge. Nonetheless TeCe-Ozokerit Z130 and beeswax followed by Knetwachs showed the best adhesion to wooden surface. Highest compressive strength was achieved by TeCe-Ozokerit Z130. Results of the artificial aging tests generally showed a high stability of all waxes. TeCero 30201, TeCe-Ozokerit Z130 and Knetwachs didn’t show a loss of weight at all and therefore are the winners. Beeswax gained weight – probably caused by oxidation processes. Furthermore results of needle penetration after aging showed that 5 out of 7 waxes grew harder after artificial aging, which correlated with intensified form stability. Only beeswax and Utility Wax were softer after the ageing. The adhesion of dust on the harder waxes was neglectable insignificant – there would be no problem of cleaning with a brush. The majority of the softer waxes showed higher adhesion – only Knetwachs less. The dust particles obviously did not penetrate into the wax samples. Referring to the test results Knetwachs and TeCeOzokerit showed the most adequate properties and are therefore recommended for the new mounting. Knetwachs is recommanded for the mounting of the lighter objects (up to 500 g), TeCe-Ozokerit Z130 for heavier ones. Furthermore it is recommended to cast the wax rings for the future mounting and eventually remodel them by hand later to adjust the objects on their consoles. The tests revealed that more homogenous properties and an increased hardness could be gained by casting.

The New Presentation Concept for the Porcelains For the reconstruction of the original presentation scheme following sources were considered: written and pictorial sources as well as the historic inscriptions, which could be found on the majority of the objects. 17 17 Art historians from the Austrian Academy of Sciences and the Schloss Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsges.m.b.H. overtook major parts of this task and examined sources and documents in the most

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It was already presumed that their arrangement was not incidental but in line with an overall, carefully considered interior decorative concept probably drafted by Maria Theresa herself.18 Colour, shape, size, pairing and symmetrical arrangement of the porcelains might have played an important role. One theory is that “pairs of Asiatic porcelain were facing pairs of European porcelain” as stated by Ebert.19 This could not be confirmed in the framework of this research. At any rate, the reconstruction of the historic arrangement has to be in accordance to the other interior decoration elements of these room ensembles such as the lacquer panels, the wooden panelling and the wall surfaces.

Evaluation of Historic Sources Despite extensive archival research the yield was small, especially regarding source material from the 18th and 19th centuries.20 The oldest written source mentioning the two cabinets dates back to spring 1760. Therein a cabinetmaker is engaged to maintain two “oval Cabineter” (oval cabinets) whereby it contains no indications about their decoration or furnishings. Two inventories from the 19th century remain the only written sources which give an idea about the total number of porcelains exhibited in the rooms. A first inventory of 1803 mentions 128 porcelain figures and vessels (“128 Stück Porcellain Figuren und Wasen”) in the Oval Cabinet and 165 figures and vessels (“165 d. Figuren und Wasen”) in its counterpart, the Round Cabinet. This reveals that not only all 303 consoles in the cabinets were occupied but also that figures and vessels where already presented together.21 Compared to this first document, the inventory of 1812 only counts 110 porcelains and 12 lacquer vessels in the Oval Cabinet and 164 porcelains in the Round Cabinet. Although none of the inventories gives us an idea about type, colour or position of the single objects, they reveal a great loss of objects in the period between 1803 and 1812. In the Oval Cabinet 28 objects (based on the assumption that the lacquer vessels had not

relevant Austrian archives including those of the Bundesmobilienverwaltung, the Bundesdenkmalamt, Schönbrunn Palace and the Austrian National Library. For detailed information refer to Haselberger 2016 and to the contributions by Mader-Kratky and Iby in this publication. 18 Compare unpublished application for funding of the project „Asian Interior Decoration in Schönbrunn Palace“, submitted by G. Krist to the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) in 2012. 19 Ebert 2009: 25. 20 Archival research was done by Mag. Mader-Kratky. See also Mader-Kratky 2016. 21 See also Müllauer 2015.

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been in the cabinet in 1803 but were integrated later) and in the Round Cabinet one object were lost. This can be probably attributed to an early restoration around 1808, when the Court Furnishing Inspector Vincent Caballini proposed renovation work in the two cabinets which included the re-mounting of the porcelains. The glue, which fixed them on the consoles, was dried up and degraded – the porcelains were in danger of falling down (“[…] das Pikwachs oder die Masse mit der Selbe angepikt sind ausgetrocknet und die Figuren los geworden […]” – the glue or substance used for fixing them was dried and the figures were loose)22. Subsequently the Viennese Porcelain Manufacture and a locksmith were hired to re-fasten the porcelains by adding screws. This information underlines that the drilling of the bottoms of the porcelains was certainly not part of the original mounting strategy but of this later intervention from the beginning of the 19th century. This dating also corresponds with the dating of the screws based on technological investigations.23 Furthermore it can be assumed that this intervention of drilling caused the breakage and loss of several porcelains which were only partly replaced after this event.24 In 1872/73 another written quotation mentions again several broken and copied Japanese vessels (probably Chinoiserie) in the cabinets (“[..] Ergänzung der gebrochenen und nachgemachten japanesischen Schalen und Vasen durch echte [..]” – supplement of broken or replicated Japanese vessels by genuine ones).25 Until 1944 the number of porcelain was again decimated26 whereby also 3 cases of theft are documented.27 Several historic photographs and pictures could be gathered especially from the archive of the Austrian National Library. Regrettably they mainly date to the 20th century and could not be used for the reconstruction trial of the original presentation scheme. The lithograph by Franz Heinrich from 1855–60 showing the Round Cabinet and photos of the Oval Cabinet from 1900 are the earliest pictorial representations (figs.5 and 6). The photos from 194428 provide the earliest complete 360 degree view of both rooms. In contrast, photographs from the end of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century only document single axis or partial views of the two cabinets at different

22 Mader-Kratky 2016. 23 The majority of the existing historic screws which were made by an early turning machine can be dated between 1800 and 1830. See Krebs 2014 and Preßlinger 2014. 24 Probably the lacquer vessels, which were first mentioned in the inventory of 1812, were integrated in the collection after this intervention. 25 Mader-Kratky 2016. 26 In the Oval Cabinet 11 objects got lost, in the Round Cabinet 6. 27 Mader-Kratky 2016. 28 Archive of the Bundesdenkmalamt, Vienna.

Conservation and Remounting of the Ceramics in the East Asian Cabinets at Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna

Fig. 5: View into the Round Cabinet, lithograph after aquarelle from Franz Heinrich, 1862, © Schloß Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsges.m.b.H., digitalised by Farbpraxis.

357

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Gabriela Krist, Martina Haselberger, Birgit Müllauer

Fig. 6: View into the Oval Cabinet, 1900, © ÖNB, inventory no. WH 2.341-E.

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times.29 These gaps in the pictorial documentation exclude the possibility to verifiably reconstruct the arrangement of the porcelains on all axes. Furthermore several alterations in the arrangement and display of the porcelains are obvious when comparing the photographs of different times. Therefore they cannot be combined to obtain a complete view. The historic inscriptions and inventory numbers found on the porcelains, consoles and the panelling had already been investigated during the condition assessment of the objects at the beginning of the research project. The most frequent type of inscription – brown number-letter-combinations – found on 86% of the objects and on some consoles – was applied between 1937 and 1944. The setting of the objects according to these brown inscriptions corresponds to the arrangement on the photos of 1944.30

Results of the Evaluation of Historic Sources The lack of information from 1760 until the beginning of the 19th century excludes the possibility of reconstructing the original setting of the Chinese Cabinets under Empress Maria Theresa. The presentation scheme around 1944 is the earliest arrangement fully documented, which is both, verifiable and feasible, on the basis of the available written and pictorial sources as well as historic inscriptions. The arrangement is done according to the 360 degree views of the two cabinets and the brown historic inscriptions and is subject to the following principles: – In the Round Cabinet blue-and-white coloured vessels of varying forms are combined with sitting and standing male figures. – In the Oval Cabinet vessels in the typical Kakiemon or Imari colour scheme of blue, red and gold, famille verte and famille rose vessels are combined with lacquer vessels, kneeling male figures, standing female figures and pairs of figures. – In both cabinets the objects, which are situated on the same height on one axis, are arranged in pairs. – If one compares the arrangement on several axes with each other, the type of vessel differs on the same height and there is no relation between mounting height and size of the object. 29 Photographs from 1180/90, 1937, 1955, 1960, 1967, 1969, 1970. 30 The setting of the porcelains coordinated by these brown numbers had been reconstructed virtually by Birgit Müllauer and afterwards the results had been compared with historic photographs. Refer to Müllauer 2013 as well as Müllauer and Krist 2015.

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To what extent do these principles of arrangement differ from the presentation scheme of the porcelains in the 19th century? To answer this question the main characteristics of the overarching concept for their arrangement at the end of the 19th century were defined. Based on the earliest available sources, the lithograph from 1860 (Round Cabinet) and photos from 1900 (Oval Cabinet), the most striking features are summarized as follows: – In the Round Cabinet different porcelain vessels are combined with standing male figures, the colour scheme is blue and white. – In the Oval Cabinet multi-coloured vessels are combined with sitting and standing figures, pairs of figures and lacquer vessels, partially blue-and-white porcelains are included. – In the Round Cabinet the objects, which are situated on the same height on one axis, are arranged in pairs – this also applies to the Oval Cabinet with minor exceptions. – In the Oval Cabinet similar objects are situated on the same height on multiple axis (i.e. lacquer vessels and figures) – this doesn’t apply to the Round Cabinet. – In both cabinets no relation between mounting height and size can be determined. The features of the arrangement at the end of the 19th century and in 1944 agree on many points. The most striking resemblance is that the porcelains are assigned to the cabinets according to their colour: uniformly blue and white porcelain in the Round Cabinet, multi-coloured porcelain in the Oval Cabinet. This is not the case in 1900 when blue-and-white porcelains were combined with multi-coloured objects in both cabinets. In 2013 porcelains of all colours were again mixed in both rooms, which can be largely attributed to a verifiable translocation of 15 objects from the Round to the Oval Cabinet between 1949 and 1987. In summary, the reconstructed arrangement of the porcelains in 1944 better reflects the appearance of the two cabinets in the 19th century, and probably also the original setup, than the positioning in 2013. Furthermore the intensive research, the comparison of inventories and historic photos allowed the extension of the “wanted list” which was compiled at the beginning of the research project. It lists missing porcelains of the two cabinets.31 Three vases could already be detected in the “Breakfast Cabinet” in Schönbrunn Palace, two objects were added to the collection in the second half of the 20th century.32 Altogether 27 vessels and figures

31 See Müllauer 2015 and extended “wanted list” in Haselberger 2016. 32 MD040800 and MD040789 could not be detected on the photos from 1944. See Haselberger 2016.

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Fig. 7: Visualized concept for the future arrangement of the porcelains in the Oval Cabinet, missing objects are presented in black-and-white or with a grey background, © Schloß Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsges.m.b.H. / Digitalisation by Linsinger ZT GmbH.; edited version by Martina Haselberger.

missing today were identified, 23 are still unknown.33 Intensified screening of collections and depots referring to the “wanted list” will, it is hoped, bring missing pieces back to light and back to Schönbrunn.

Concept for the New Mounting and Future Presentation of the Porcelains The elaborated concept for the new display of the porcelains in the Chinese Cabinets after their conservation envisages the reconstruction of the arrangement of 1944 (fig. 7). This historical setting largely corresponds with the arrangement of the porcelains at the end of the 19th century. By comparison of the general characteristics of the presentation scheme at both times a consensus exists in large areas. Although the exact positioning of objects is not fully proven, the general impression is more or less the same. The concept for the future arrangement of the porcelains thereby also corresponds to the overall intention of all stakeholders to reconstruct the ensemble settings and impressions of the 19th century.34 Referring to the drafted “wanted list”, search for missing objects will be continued in other collections and on the market. 33

In 2013, 51 objects were missing – 2 objects were added after 1944 and 3 vases which were on display in the cabinets in 1944 could be detected in the “Breakfast Room”. To summarize, 50 objects were missing in the cabinets in 1944. 34 Regarding the wooden panelling and the lacquer panels a reconstruction of the state before 1900 is also foreseen. See also the contribution of Miklin-Kniefacz et al. in this publication.

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Fig. 8: Realization of the new mounting concept, graph by Birgit Müllauer.

The new mounting rings exactly fitting to the bottoms of the porcelains are cast out of wax and placed between object and wooden console. The wax not only fixes the object but closes the gap partly deriving from the slope of the consoles. Thereby accumulation of dust underneath the vessels and figurines is prevented. The historic screws are conserved and re-used for additional strengthening.35 To prevent damage to the porcelains, the edges of the holes in their base are secured and contact zones between porcelain and screw are isolated with wax. Where no historic screws are in place, acrylic glass bolts will be used. If necessary, additional stabilizing disks of acrylic glass will be made and adjusted to the bottoms of non-perforated vessels (fig. 8).36 The porcelains are finally positioned with a slight distance to the wall, so that no tension is generated. The unoccupied consoles where objects are missing can be equipped with uniform neutral copies of an existing type of vessel in order to create a complete appearance for visitors. Another possibility is the purchase of new objects with similar properties regarding shape, size, colour, age and provenance to fill the gaps. The most favourite option for all stakeholders would be of course the recovery and re-mounting of the missing objects on the base of the elaborated “wanted list”.

35 Krebs 2014; Preßlinger 2014. 36 Müllauer 2015.

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Conclusion The intensive research on the interior decoration of the two Chinese Cabinets in Schönbrunn in the framework of the FWF–funded project verified the assumption that their presentation scheme and thus their overall impression changed from the time of their installation in 1780 until the second half of the 20th century. Objects including the porcelains and the lacquer works, were re-arranged, re-placed and added over the centuries. Especially the appearance of the cabinets’ interiors found at the beginning of the research project in 2013 proved to be strikingly divergent from the one at the end of the 19th century. Simultaneously, the research provided new opportunities for their planned conservation and restoration. It enabled a reconstruction of the condition of the cabinets prior to 1900 and thereby probably restored their original appearance to a large extent – a step wished by all stakeholders. Among other features, the lacquer panels that originally decorated the Chinese Cabinets until the end of the 19th century could be re-discovered and their possible future re-installation could be confirmed after closer examination.37 With respect to the porcelains, intensive archival research and the gathering and screening of available historic written and pictorial sources combined with the results of optical investigations by conservators enabled the reconstruction of the historic presentation scheme of the porcelains from the end of the 19th century. Furthermore, lost objects could be identified and summarised in a list, which will help to keep track and watch out for lost pieces in relevant collections in the future in order to reintegrate them into the Schönbrunn collection. Besides the reconstruction of the historic presentation scheme, the newly developed mounting system of the porcelains is fundamental for their long term preservation. The former mounting system used until 2013 with various adhesives posed high risk to the objects. In contrast, the newly designed mounting system on the basis of waxes doesn’t adversely affect or harm the unique porcelain vessels. The selected waxes underwent extensive test series and are explicitly compatible with the situation given in the East Asian Cabinets. The new mounting system allows not only an adequate and safe presentation of the porcelain objects but also meets the essential necessity of being reversible in the future.

37 More information on this topic can be found in the contribution of Miklin-Kniefacz et al. in this publication.

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References Bézard 2014: Bézard, A. 2014. Kaltbemalung auf Porzellan. Untersuchung und Erhaltung. Pre-Diploma Thesis, University of Applied Arts Vienna. Buys and Oakley 1993: Buys, S. and Oakley, V. 1993. Conservation of ceramics. London: Butterworth-Heinemann. Ebert 2009: Ebert, J., 2009. Die Asienkabinette in Schloß Schönbrunn – Trinksitten für Heißgetränke am Hofe Maria Theresias, unpublished manuscript, Vienna. Haselberger 2016: Haselberger, M. 2016. Aufstellungs- und Präsentationskonzept für die Porzellane in den beiden „Chinesischen“ Kabinetten in Schloss Schönbrunn, unpublished report, University of Applied Arts Vienna. Kainz 2014: Kainz, S. 2014. Befundung der Konsolen, unpublished survey for the SKB, Vienna. Kleinschmidt 2014: Kleinschmidt, F. 2014. Die Porzellane aus den „Chinesischen“ Kabinetten in Schloß Schönbrunn. Zum Umgang mit der Restauriergeschichte übermalter Porzellane. Diploma Thesis, University of Applied Arts Vienna. Krebs 2014: Krebs, E. 2014. Kurzbericht zur Demontage und Untersuchung. Holzschraubstifte in den Porzellanen der Asiatischen Kabinette Schloss Schönbrunn, unpublished report, Vienna. Lee and Thickett 1996: Lee, L.R. and Thickett, D. 1996. Selection of Materials for the Storage or Display of Museum Objects, Occasional Paper 111. London: British Museum Press. Mader-Kratky 2016: Mader-Kratky, A. 2016. Historische Quellen zu den Ostasiatischen Kabinetten in Schloss Schönbrunn, unpublished report, Vienna. Müllauer 2013: Müllauer, B. 2013. Technical and condition survey, unpublished report, University of Applied Arts Vienna. Müllauer 2015: Müllauer, B. 2015. Zustandserfassung und vorläufiger Maßnahmenkatalog der wandverbundenen Keramiken/ Porzellane von Oval- und Rundkabinett Schloß Schönbrunn 2012. Ergänzte Version 2015, unpublished report, University of Applied Arts Vienna. Müllauer and Krist 2015: Müllauer, B. and Krist, G. 2015. Mit Porzellan verziert – die „Chinesischen Kabinette“ in Schloß Schönbrunn. Ein neues Montagesystem für die langfristige Erhaltung. In: Collection Care, ed. G. Krist, Konservierungswissenschaften.Restaurierung.Technologie, Bd. 11, 423–434. Vienna-Cologne-Weimar: Böhlau. Müllauer et al. 2015: Müllauer, B., Krist, G., Trummer, M., and Bayerova, T. 2015. Mounted Porcelain in the „Chinese Cabinets“ at Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna. In: Investigation and Conservation of East Asian Cabinets in Imperial Residences (1700–1900). Laquerware and Porcelain. Conference 2013 Postprints, eds. G. Krist and E. Iby, Konservierungswissenschaft.Restaurierung. Technologie, Bd. 11, 89–110. Vienna-Cologne-Weimar: Böhlau. Oakley and Jain 2002: Oakley, V. and Jain, K. 2002. Essentials in the Care and Conservation of Historical Ceramic Objects. London: Archetype Books. Preßlinger 2014: Preßlinger, H. 2014. Metallographischer und mikroanalytischer Untersuchungsbericht von zwei Schraubenproben aus den Chinesischen Kabinetten im Schloß Schönbrunn, unpublished report, Trieben.

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Shashoua 1990: Shashoua, Y. 1990. Evaluation of Tackywax as a Display Aid for Glass and Porcelain Objects, British Museum Conservation Research Report No. 37, London.

List of Authors

Irmela Breidenstein; Restaurierungsatelier, Erich-Weinert-Str. 17, 10439 Berlin, Germany. [email protected] Emile de Bruijn; National Trust, Heelis, Kemble Drive, Swindon SN2 2NA, UK. [email protected] Paola Buscaglia; Centro Conservazione e Restauro „La Venaria Reale“, Via XX Settembre 18, 10078 Venaria Reale, Torino, Italy. [email protected] Michela Cardinali; Centro Conservazione e Restauro La Venaria Reale, V. XX Settembre 18, 10078 Venaria Reale, Torino, Italy. [email protected] Marzenna Ciechańska; Academy of Fine Arts Warsaw, Faculty of Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art, Department of Book and Paper Conservation, Krakowskie Przedmieście 5, 00-068 Warszawa, Poland. [email protected] Jan Dorscheid; Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, Junior Conservator of Furniture Museumstraat 1, Postbus 74888, 1070 DN Amsterdam, The Netherlands. [email protected] Paul van Duin; Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, Head of Furniture Conservation Museumstraat 1, Postbus 74888, 1070 DN Amsterdam, The Netherlands. [email protected] Dorota Dzik-Kruszelnicka; Academy of Fine Arts Warsaw, Faculty of Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art, Department of Book and Paper Conservation, Krakowskie Przedmieście 5, 00-068 Warszawa, Poland. [email protected]

368

List of Authors

Györgyi Fajcsák; Ferenc Hopp Museum of Asiatic Arts, Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest, Andrássy út 103, 1062 Hungary. [email protected] Rainald Franz; MAK – Austrian Museum of Applied Art/Contemporary Art, Glass and Ceramics Collection, Stubenring 5, 1010 Vienna, Austria. [email protected] Yoko Futagami; National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo, Cultural Properties Information Section, Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems, 13-43, Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo, 110-8713 Japan. [email protected] Angelika Futschek; Esterházy Privatstiftung, Esterhazyplatz 5, 7000 Eisenstadt, Austria. [email protected] Christina Hagelskamp; The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Assistant Conservator, 1000 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10028, USA. [email protected] Martina Haselberger; University of Applied Arts Vienna, Institute of Conservation, Salzgries 14, 1010 Vienna, Austria. [email protected] Yasuhiro Hayakawa; National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo, Center for Conservation Science, 13-43, Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo, 110-8713 Japan. [email protected] Ute Henniges; BOKU University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Konrad Lorenz Straße 24, 3430 Tulln, Austria. Magdalena Herman; University of Warsaw, Institute of Art History (Faculty of History), Krakowskie Przedmieście 26/28, 00-927 Warszawa, Poland. [email protected] Takayuki Honda; Meiji University, School of Science and Technology, 1-1-1 Higashi-Mita, Tama-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa, 214-8571 Japan. [email protected]

List of Authors

369

Elfriede Iby; Schloß Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsges.m.b.H., Abteilung für Forschung und Dokumentation, Schloß Schönbrunn, 1130 Vienna, Austria. [email protected] Masahide Inuzuka; National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo, Analytical Science Section, Center for Conservation Science, 13-43, Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo, 110-8713 Japan. [email protected] Cornelia Juen; art historian, Vienna, Austria. [email protected] Susanne M. Käfer; Studio for the Conservation and Restoration of Furniture and Wooden Objects, Eyzinggasse 23, 1110 Vienna, Austria. [email protected] Carola Klinzmann; Museumslandschaft Hessen Kassel, Schloss Wilhelmshöhe, 34131 Kassel, Germany. [email protected] Monika Kopplin; Museum für Lackkunst, Windthorststraße 26, 48143 Münster, Germany. [email protected] Gabriela Krist; University of Applied Arts Vienna, Head of the Institute of Conservation, Salzgries 14, 1010 Vienna, Austria. [email protected] Katarína Lacková; The Monuments Board of the Slovak republic, Department of Art and Artistic crafts, Cesta na Červený most 6, 814 06 Bratislava, Slovakia. [email protected] Paolo Luciani; Centro Conservazione e Restauro „La Venaria Reale“, Via XX Settembre 18, 10078 Venaria Reale (TO), Italy. [email protected]

370

List of Authors

Anna Mader-Kratky; Austrian Academy of Sciences, Institute of the History of Art and Musicology, Devision of History of Art, Dr. Ignaz Seipel-Platz 2, 1010 Vienna, Austria. [email protected] Paola Manchinu; Centro Conservazione e Restauro La Venaria Reale, V. XX Settembre 18, 10078 Venaria Reale, Torino, Italy. [email protected] Richard Miklin; Studio for Conservation and Restoration, Bernardgasse 4/1, 1070 Vienna, Austria. [email protected] Silvia Miklin-Kniefacz; Studio for Conservation and Restoration, Bernardgasse 4/1, 1070 Vienna, Austria. [email protected] Birgit Müllauer; University of Applied Arts Vienna, Institute of Conservation, Salzgries 14, 1010 Vienna, Austria. [email protected] Katja Müller; Stiftung Preussische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg, Schloß Charlottenburg, Restaurierung Möbel/Fassung, Spandauer Damm 10-22, 14059 Berlin, Germany. [email protected] Doris Müller-Hess; Institut für Papierrestaurierung, Schloss Schönbrunn, Finsterer Gang 71, 1130 Vienna, Austria. [email protected] Melanie Nief; Institut für Papierrestaurierung Schloss Schönbrunn, Finsterer Gang 71, 1130 Vienna, Austria. Anna Piccirillo; Centro Conservazione e Restauro La Venaria Reale, V. XX Settembre 18, 10078 Venaria Reale, Torino, Italy. [email protected] Tommaso Poli; Department of Chemistry, Univerity of Turin, V. Giuria 7, 10125 Torino, Italy. [email protected]

List of Authors

371

Lee Prosser; Historic Buildings at Historic Royal Palaces, Hampton Court Palace, Surrey KT8 9AU, UK. [email protected] Annette Scholtka; Kulturstiftung DessauWörlitz, Head of the Department for Preservation of Historic Monuments, Schloss Großkühnau, 06846 Dessau-Roßlau, Germany. [email protected] Andreas Schulze; Dresden University of Fine Arts, Art Technology and Conservation of Polychrome Sculptures, Panel Paintings and Interior Decoration, Güntzstraße 34, 01307 Dresden, Germany. [email protected] Filip Suchomel; Academy of Performing Arts Prague, Malostranskénáměstí 12, 118 00 Praha 1, Czech Republic. [email protected] Tatiana Syasina; Peterhof State Museum-Reserve, curator of the Chinese Palace, Razvodnaya street, 2, Peterhof, 198516 St. Petersburg, Russia. [email protected] Katarína Tánczosová; The Monuments Board of the Slovak republic, Department of Art and Artistic crafts, Cesta na Červený most 6, 814 06 Bratislava, Slovakia. [email protected] Karin Troschke; Institut für Papierrestaurierung Schloss Schönbrunn, Finsterer Gang 71, 1130 Vienna, Austria. Phrakhru Udicayanusasana; Wat Rajapradit-Sathitmahasimaram, Head of Office for the renovation project of Wat Rajapradit-Sathitmahasimaram under H.M.’s patronage, 2 Saranrom Road, Phra Borommaharatchawang Sub-District, Phra Nakhon District, Bangkok, 10200 Thailand. [email protected] Heike Ulbricht; Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, Porzellansammlung, Zwinger Sophienstraße, 01067 Dresden, Germany. [email protected]

372

List of Authors

Monika Wrona; Jan Matejko Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków, Faculty of Conservation and Restoration of Workds of Art, ul. Juliusza Lea 27-29, 30-052 Kraków, Poland. [email protected] Yoshihiko Yamashita; Urushi Conservation and Restoration, 1-19-19-101, Naruse, Machida-shi, Tokyo, 194-0044 Japan. [email protected]