Art Deco

From 1920 to 1939, in reaction to the Art Nouveau, the Art Deco was an artistic movement, extremely influent, above all on architecture and contemporary look. The Art Deco style takes its name from the International Exhibition of the industrial and decorative modern arts, which helded in Paris in 1925. As the Art Nouveau shapes were undulating, very detailed and inspired from nature, as the Art Deco turned towards refined and essentially geometrical shapes.

Art Nouveau

Artistic movement of the end of the 19th century. Opposed to the drift of the industrialization and the consequent emptying of the creation, some artists lauded the use of natural designs. In France, Eugène Viollet-Le-Duc did not reject modern materials (like iron), but on the contrary, tried to display them, by giving them an ornamental and aesthetic function, in the style of gothic structures of the Middle Ages. Paradoxically well-known as a restorer, he will be the inspiring of many Art Nouveau architects. That explains how ancient materials like wood or stone, were married to new ones like steel or glass.

BARBEDIENNE

Famous caster, who creates religious works on request.

BIAIS

Set up in Paris, this firm is founded in 1782, with the sign of “The Blessed Virgin”. It braves the atrocious period of the “Terror”, keeping on selling liturgical ornaments. We can learn in the catalogue of 1880, that the cockades and the tricolour decorations were put in a prominent position, while the religious objects were hidden in boxes which looked like account books. Its religious art skill is so efficient that, at the evening before the Napoléon the First coronation, warned that the mitra had to be white instead of gilt, the firm manages to change everything and to deliver the order the next morning. The Biais sons will succeed and win several medals at The Industrial Arts Exhibitions. The firm will export many of its famous chasubles, made of silk, and incomparably light. It will possess a catalogue showing the entire ecclesiastical wardrobe, with Episcopal and sacerdotal vestments. At the World Fair of 1855, Biais will win the highest award ever granted to the religious vestment industry. The firm will pass on, generation after generation, and will close down about twenty years before two centuries of activity and fame.

Biscuit

Porcelain cooked in a kiln and not enamelled.

BRUNET Pierre

Bronze manufacturer set up in Paris, rue de Grenelle. His firm is founded in 1832, specialized in every kind of ornaments. Then he becomes a silversmith and hallmarks his stamp in 1871. He wins many and prestigious medals.

Cabochon

Precious or semi-precious stone, polished but not cut, with a convex shape.

Champlevé enamel

Technique consisting in boring in the metal, some cavities where the powdered enamel will be put down. After the cooking, the vitrified enamel shows solidarity with its support. The rubbing levels out the surface, then the piece can be gilt.

CHERET Maurice

1894-1966. After he was in the war, where he lost his two brothers, Maurice CHERET comes back home with a returned christian faith and takes interest in liturgical art. He acquires in 1922 the Maison Cabaret and clears all its stock. Then, to get involved in the revival of the liturgical art, he appeals to many artists like Dudeffant. He exports items in many countries, like Peru, Jerusalem, Colombia, Cameroon and Beirut. An intense activity spreads during the 30s, with prestigious pieces like the chapel of the liner France. Around 1945, Maurice CHERET is in relation with Father Couturier, and his activity is punctuated with important creations for the subterranean basilica of Lourdes, and for many big exhibitions. After his death, his son takes on the business. But cornered in bankruptcy in 1970, he is forced to sell the Cabaret building and sets up the Workshop of Metal Application, where liturgical objects still represent 20% of his activity. He will create the chalice offered by the President of the Cameroon to Pope Jean-Paul II. After his death in 1982, his wife, Claude, goes on alone and creates high quality liturgical objects.

Compartmentalized enamel

Thin metal strips are soldered together, on a sheet with turned up edges. The enamel is vitrified within the partitions.

CONVERS Louis

Sculptor born in Paris in 1860, dead in 1915 or 1919. French school, student of A. Millet, Cavelier, Barrias. Rome prize in 1888, Gold medal at the World Fair of 1900. Chevalier of The Legion of Honour.

Cross out

"To break off the master's stamps". If the silversmith stops his activity, he must put his stamp into the hands of the guarantee office, so that it can be crossed out in front of him.

Crozier

Large pastoral staff ending in a volute or crook (in French "crosseron"), often on top of a knop, carried as an insignia by a bishop (in French "crosse épiscopale"), abbot or abbess (in French "crosse abbatiale").

DEJEAN Joseph-Philippe-Adolphe

Set up in Paris, rue Notre-Dame, he will notably be the inspired author of a monstrance offered by Napoléon III in 1861. There is also a very decorated chalice showed in Lourdes.

DEMARQUET Frères

Silversmith set up in Paris, rue des Gravilliers. His stamp was hallmarked in 1868 and crossed out in 1890. He will make a great production of objects, among which were eight items now on display in Lourdes. There are also three outstanding ciboriums in the Montmartre basilica of Paris. This silversmith moreover created the cross of the Bayeux and Toulouse canons.

Estampage

Modelling of the metal, by a deformation realized with the help of a die, to give to it, shape and dimensions very close to the finished piece's ones.

FAVIER André

(1805-1854) : Silversmith set up in Lyon, where he founds his firm in 1824, but his name will know a real expansion in 1851, thanks to the association with his nephews, Jean-Baptiste and Claude. He sells in the whole France. After his death, the firm keeps on shining forth, staying the property of the family and changing the stamp with the passing generations and successions : a triangle, a sun in a square with the initials FF ; or a square stamp with two FF back to back. This dynasty from Lyon will show a great fertility and many pieces can be found in Lourdes.

GILLE Louis

Bronze manufacturer set up in Lyon between 1878 and 1936. He opened a branch in Paris to, for the exportation.

Hallmark

To present one's gold or silver objects stamp, to the administration, in order to make it registered.

HEUVELMANS Lucienne Antoinette

Sculptor born in Paris in 1885, french school. She took part in the exhibitions of French Artists where she was granted a distinction in 1907, before winning the Rome Prize in 1911.

HOGUET Marguerite

Set up in Paris, rue des des Arcis, she succeeds her husband and hallmarks her stamp in 1833. It will be crossed in 1837.

JAMAIN Jules et CHEVRON Eugène

Silversmithes, set up in Paris, rue Michel Le Comte. Their stamp is hallmarked in August 1865, and crossed out on the 23th of September 1879. All kinds of silversmith's trades, real stones and enamels, export. There are 9 objects in the Lourdes treasure, a neogothic chalice offered to Pie IX in 1875 by the "Société Romaine des Intérêts Catholiques".

JOLIVET Antoine

Silversmith in Paris, quai des Orfèvres. He hallmarks his stamp the 23th of april 1857.

LE BALLEUR Honoré

Set up in Paris, rue Rollin, he hallmarks his stamp in 1894 and is distributed by the prestigious Maison Biais.

MARTIN et DEJEAN

MARTIN Charles-Denis-Noël joins with DEJEAN Joseph-Philippe-Adolphe, parvis Notre-Dame in PARIS. Their stamp is hallmarked in 1837 and crossed out in 1846.

Mass set

An ensemble of objects used to say mass, and sometimes to administer sacraments. It usually consists of a chalice, paten, altar cruets accompanied by their altar cruets tray, altar cruets basin, or altar cruets stand, and often also includes a sacring bell, sometimes a holy water bucket and aspergillum, a host box, a chrismatory or ampullae, etc. When it belongs to a pralate with pontifical status, it also includes a ceremonial ewer, a ceremonial basin, and a bugia. The mass set may bear the coat of arms of the owner.

Minerve head

Stamp which certifies the rate of pure silver (950/1000). It was used from 1838 till today.

Niello enamel

Decorative inlays of a black enamel, on a metallic and incised bottom (generally silver). From the 12th century, Germany and Italy are the two great niello schools. One of the principal niello artist was Tomasso Fineguerra from Florence, and his creation "Pax", realized in 1452 for the church St-Jean-de-Florence (it is now the Museum of Florence). It is when he was about to finish the faces representing the "Triumph and the Coronation of the Blessed Virgin, abducted to heaven and surrounded by angels", before covering the niello strokes, that Fineguerra wanted to see what would be the effect of the engraved designs covered with the candle smoke, on a humid sheet. The paper rendering faithfully the design realized on the metal, the art of engraving on brass and of extracting from it some paper proof thanks to a color mixed with oil, was born. Like the enamel, the niello knows two techniques : one relies on a black background where the light design stands out against (this technique corresponds to the champleve enamel) ; the other, on the contrary, is simply an engraving on a brilliant background.

Premier Coq stamp

Stamp which certifies the rate of pure silver (950/1000 or 800/1000). It divides into two variants, to distinguish Paris from the rest of France. It was used between 1798 and 1809, that is how the time of creation can be define. A stamp "Deuxième Coq" was then created, and used between 1809 and 1819.

PUCHE Hippolyte

Silversmith and jeweller set up in Paris, rue Pelletier, he succeeds Alexis Renaud and hallmarks his stamp in 1847.

Taille d''épargne

Cutting of the surface of a material, realized so that the unattacked parts form a draw (for example : relief engraving).

THIERRY Marie

Silversmith of Paris (1853-1885), son of Alexandre THIERRY, who was a great silversmith set up Quai des Orfèvres. His creations were firstly baroque, then neogothic, like the ciborium of Lourdes, offered by Charles III of Monaco.

TRIOUILLER

Firm created by Charles-Eugène Triouiller, who hallmarks his stamp in 1844, crossed out in 1863. He lauds the “return to ancient traditions”, and wins medals in several exhibitions. His sons will succeed him and will win in turn many medals.

Vieillard stamp

Stamp which certifies the rate of pure silver (950/1000 or 800/1000). It was used between 1819 and 1838. That is how the time of creation can be define.

VILLARD and FABRE

Villard, caster set up in Lyon, with a great fame, was specialized in statues. He joins to Fabre in 1900, and launches into a pronounced Art Deco style, with notably about twenty monstrance, cruciform and very geometric.