Lot 72
European, 19th c. A gorgeous stained glass piece with 4 lithophanes - compositions that are etched or molded in an extremely thin porcelain that is translucent so that they become visible when back lit - all presented in a vertical column at the center. Each lithophane presents a charming genre scene. From top to bottom: a little girl stretching and playing with her curly locks as she awakes for the day; a boy giving flowers to a girl, both finely dressed in a quaint garden setting; a young woman conversing with the lady of the house who greets her at the door while a puppy looks on; and a woman taking a break from her chores while watching a pair of doves on the ground before her. These are surrounded by symmetrically placed panels of violet stained glass that culminate in an arched upper section which is bordered by multicolored panels. In addition, the 2 circular ruby red pieces of stained glass flanking the image of the awakening little girl are faceted and convex. Finally, the entire piece is framed with panels of marbled royal blue hues. Size: 30.875" L x 17" W (78.4 cm x 43.2 cm)
A lithophane presents an image that is 3-dimensional, and its characteristics change with the degree of natural or artificial light shining through it. The term is of Greek origin meaning "light in stone" or to "appear in stone." The Blair Museum of Lithophanes has collected the greatest number of lithophanes in the world. Their website offers the following description of the process to create a lithophane, "Popular in Europe in the mid-19th Century, lithophanes began their life as a thin sheet of beeswax. Artisans carved the pictures in the wax, a plaster-of-Paris mold was made from the wax carving and the porcelain slip was poured in this mold to dry. Removed from the mold, the porcelain was then fired. Where the picture is the lightest, the porcelain is very thin, and where it is darkest, the porcelain is very thick."
Provenance: private Lumberton, Texas, USA collection, acquired before 2010
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#169493
- Condition: Only minor age wear. Overall, intact and very nice. Imagery is incredibly vivid when lit.
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