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Madeleine Castaing and the Influence of Le Style Anglais 1750-1850

Madeleine Castaing and the Influence of Le Style Anglais 1750-1850

Synthesis of English Style as conceived in France: this living room, open on all sides to the forest, seems to bathe in light. Inspired by the trade cottons of the early 19th century, a multicolored percale, used abundantly, imparts a sense of cheerfulness to the rather severe-looking varnished mahogany furniture, making the room both comfortable and irresistible. Located in the heart of Île-de-France, this room’s charm lies less in the luxury of its details than in their subtle juxtaposition.

SYNTHESE DU STYLE ANGLAIS tel qu’on le conçoit en France, ce living-room, ouvert de toutes parts sur la forêt, semble baigner dans la lumière. Inspirée des indiennes de traite du début du xIxe siècle, une percale multicolore, employée avec prodigalité, communique aux meubles d’acajou verni, d’aspect plutôt sévère, son entrain le confort des ilei os un de le de rance, la etat, points irrésistible. En plein cœur de l’Ile-de-France, la — moins par le luxe des détails que par leur subtile juxtaposition.

Thanks to the craze for English Regeney furnishings that broke out not only in France but all over the world, for several years we have seen the birth and growth of a new and legitimate curiosity for all artwork that came from England.”

Le Style Anglais 1750-1850 ©1959

“In 1959 English design was deemed of significant enough interest to result in the production of Le Style anglais: 1750-1850, the last in a series on French design history published by Connaissance des arts. The editors noted, “Thanks to the craze for English Regeney furnishings that broke out not only in France but all over the world, for several years we have seen the birth and growth of a new and legitimate curiosity for all artwork that came from England.” Three reasons are enumerated by the editors as to why the French became so enchanted: first, the Regency’s simplicity, delicacy, and petite proportions were easy to place in small apartments; it mixed just as easily with modern as it did with antique furniture; and finally, “l’argument decisive,” no matter how superb the quality, the prices were well below those for French eighteenth-century furniture. Appropriately, Madeleine had several rooms featured in the book. “Romantic, fanciful, picturesque, a bit theatrical” is the description of English style, but it could equally be applied to le style Castaing.”

–The world of Madeleine Castaing by Emily Eerdmans, ©2010 p 160

Madeleine Castaing, a prominent French decorator, is known for her unique approach to interior design, which integrates English influences with French sensibilities. This room exemplifies her ability to combine the austerity of English furniture with softer, more inviting textiles, resulting in a space that reflects her distinctive style.

Le Style Anglais 1750-1850, published in 1959, is a critical resource in the study of English interior design, particularly as interpreted by French designers. The book remains significant for its exploration of the aesthetic dialogue between England and France during this period and its influence on mid-20th century design. ^jh


Emily Evans Eerdmans (2010). The World of Madeleine Castaing. Rizzoli.

Le Style Anglais 1750-1850

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Retro Sunday: A Look Back at One of America’s Most Beautiful Rooms from 1958.

1958 : House on Long Island Locust Valley, New York Home of Mr. And Mrs. Renzo Olivieri The Living Room

House on Long Island Locust Valley, New York Home of Mr. And Mrs. Renzo Olivieri
The Living Room

Excerpted from “100 Most Beautiful Rooms in America” (1958 and 1965) By Helen Comstock p. 208
Photographs: Wendy Hilty

Thoroughly modern in feeling is the manner in which a large scale eighteenthcentury Bolognese painting of classic architecture is used as a wall decoration in this living room. The arts of eighteenth-century Italy predominate here, but French and modern pieces are used also. The manner of arrangement only seems casual; actually the relationship of each piece to the rest has been carefully considered so that from every angle the room shows good design. The Italian eighteenth-century sofa and armchairs, painted blue and gold, are upholstered in white linen, while the cushions on the sofa are covered in Florentine silk with a floral pattern after Botticelli. On either side are Neapolitan eighteenth-century console tables in silver, gray, and white. The old gilt tôle sconces above them are designed as tall urns of flowers and have candle arms in foral form. The walls of the room are pearl gray, and a gray Fortuny fabric covers the Louis XV chair which is drawn up at a low circular marble-topped table, as seen in the view on the opposite page. The large sofa, which stands in front of a handsome pair of torchères in the form of blackamoors, is covered in green damask. An Aubusson carpet has a pastel blue and rose flower design on a pale gold ground.

Helen Comstock (1893-1970), author and expert on Early American furniture, authored numerous articles on antiques, prints, and paintings. She served as a contributing editor to Antiques Magazine and was the American editor of Connoisseur magazine for 30 years, starting in 1931.

Oscar Wendellin Hilty (1913-1978), photographer, was born in Liechtenstein and trained as an architect in Zurich. He worked as an instructor at the Engelberg Ski School in Switzerland. In the 1950s, his photography was featured on numerous record albums for the RCA Living Stereo series and in advertisements and magazine covers, primarily based in Manhattan. In 1958, Hilty moved to St. Croix in the Virgin Islands, where he became a successful real estate developer.
^jh

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New Arrivals: A Closer Look with Jim Gallagher

Jim Gallagher, Garden Court Antiques

We sat down with Jim Gallagher, owner of Garden Court Antiques in San Francisco, for an overview of the new shipment, which just landed and is now in the gallery. Jim notes a shift in preference from larger, oversized items to smaller, distinctive pieces that blend into and enhance contemporary living spaces.


Interviewer: Jim, could you share some highlights from your recent shipment?

Jim Gallagher: Overall, I adopted a different approach this time. Generally, we aim to source pieces that are immediately striking and evoke a moment of awe. However, based on last year’s sales, I noticed a shift in how people use antiques. Larger items have become more challenging to sell, while there’s a growing preference for smaller pieces that add depth and ‘soul’ to a room. These work well with contemporary designs and light, airy spaces, which contrast the often darker Victorian interiors.

People seem to appreciate having unique pieces that enhance the character of their spaces—pieces that can’t be found just anywhere. It’s about the uniqueness and personal connection to the item. So, this time, I focused on acquiring smaller, versatile items like side tables from various periods and regions—Anglo-Indian, French, and Italian, spanning the 17th to 19th centuries. Their color, style, and exceptional construction are not just beautiful but captivating, offering that moment of awe. We still have larger pieces like farm tables, but these smaller items seem to really stand out.


Interviewer: Are there some specific pieces that caught your eye?

Jim Gallagher: Yes. Among the standout items is a late 19th-century English fireplace shield made of copper and steel. It was designed to sit in front of a small fireplace when not in use, so you’re not looking into an unsightly, empty hearth. But beyond its practical use, it’s a stunning art piece. The copper features a peacock design, making it a remarkable example of late 19th-century English folk art. It’s quite manageable in size, perfect for a tabletop display.

Interviewer: That’s great. What’s next?

Jim Gallagher: This is another unique piece. It’s an Edwardian stool, not particularly old or historically significant, but striking nonetheless. It features gorgeous aged green leather with brass nailhead trim and a touch of mahogany at the base— just a fun, wonderful piece you won’t find in anybody’s house. You can’t get leather to do that today. It takes 100 years.


Interviewer: What about the larger pieces in this collection?

Jim Gallagher: One of the magical aspects of sourcing antiques is the connections you make with people in Europe. A good friend, Peter Collingridge, who has a shop in Stow-on-the-Wold, called me about six months ago. He had a piece that wasn’t right for him, but he thought it might suit me. It turned out to be this spectacular Spanish trestle table, nearly 400 years old, previously in a private collection in England for the last 50 years. Its top is made from a single plank of walnut, about 7 feet long and 3 feet wide. It’s a rare find, especially in such original condition. This is certainly a more impressive piece and was a moment of awe.

Additionally, we have a pair of Italian walnut demilune tables that are as functional as they are beautiful. Originating most likely from a monastery, these tables can be used together as a center table or separately as console tables, adorned with baroque elements and harp-shaped bases.


Interviewer: Excellent, let’s continue.

Jim Gallagher: This piece here is a lovely small French occasional table made of beautiful fruitwood. It’s wonderfully shaped with a quirky shelf, and the drawer passes through to both sides—ideal for discreet transactions. It’s not something you’ll find at mainstream stores; it’s truly unique. And for a touch of whimsy, we have an Omersa leather bulldog footstool from the mid-20th century. This fun piece is a conversation starter and showcases bespoke British design.

Interviewer: That’s wonderful.

Jim Gallagher: And who does chic better than the French? We have French cocktail tables from the 1930s and 1940s, fabulous with brass and antique mirror shelves. They are truly one-of-a-kind, adding a touch of something elegant and old to your house.

Interviewer: That’s perfect, thank you.


We hope this collection is a source of inspiration for designers and collectors; each piece has a story to tell.

Visit us at Garden Court Antiques, 1700 16th Street, in the SOMA design neighborhood. We would love to show you around. ^jh

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Happy Easter!

Vintage Easter Card. unknown (unknown cultural designation). A Joyful Easter. 1910.

The Victorians loved corresponding by mail and the advent of the uniform one penny postage rate in January 1840 made it a very economical way of staying in touch with loved ones, no matter where they lived in the country. During the latter half of the 19th century, publishers began designing writing stationery with festive images and Easter greetings. Before long, it was the fashion to exchange brightly coloured Easter cards. These could be bought quite cheaply but many preferred to make their own Victorian Easter cards with spiritual images such as lambs and crosses or bunnies and eggs on brightly colored paper all to emphasise the happy and lively nature of spring. 1

Today, Easter is the fourth most popular greeting card holiday, behind Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and Mothers’ Day.
^jh

Further readings and sources:

  1. Excerpted from “Victorian History: 10 Victorian Easter traditions you should try”, Victorian Homes, https://www.adrianflux.co.uk/victorian-homes/victorian-easter-celebrations/
    Easter Card images: Rhode Island School of Design.
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Campaign Furniture Comes Home From the Wars

Handsome Mahogany Campaign Chest On Chest, Circa 1850.

by Lisa Hammel, The New York Times, November 5, 1966

Nineteenth-century campaign furniture, is as square-shouldered and bristling with brass as a four-star general.

Campaign furniture refers to those normally austere pieces used by army officers in the field or naval officers at sea. The explanation for its popularity may lie in an offhand remark made by a furniture buyer, who recently referred to the style as “basically boxes.” Basically boxes is right, yet it is probably the simple rectangular lines of the pieces that make them work well in modern rooms, in many period settings or in a mixed decor. The austerity of shape is offset, however, by the warm gleam of brass hardware. Traditionally on these pieces, drawer pulls are recessed rectangles; corners are capped with metal, and sometimes a strip of metal edges the top of the chest or desk.

Although the idea of field furniture is as old as war, the pieces seen today date mainly from the Napoleonic era in style. Some authorities believe the chests were based on the much older portable oriental chests, the boxy frames of which were decorated with a similar metal trim. The military and naval chests of Napoleon’s day were made so they could be stacked, and many of today’s still can be. Handles on the sides facilitated carrying.

Almost all the old pieces are mahogany. Contemporary versions might be anything from rosewood to brightly colored lacquer.

While the pleces may no longer be used under the narrow panoplied tent, or inside the captain’s snug cabin, observers of today’s decorating scene point out that the add-and-subtract, semi-portable pieces have a peculiar usefulness for today’s space-cramped, on-the-move population.

Campaign Furniture Comes Home From the Wars, by Lisa Hammel, The New York Times, November 5, 1966, Section R, Page 36 – New York Times Archive.

Lisa Hammel (1928-2019) was a staff reporter with the New York Times covering women’s news and education. She later wrote about crafts, artists and exhibitions and interviewed figures such as Edward Albee in their homes. She won a major journalism award in 1969 for an interview with Dr. Spock. In 1978, she became founding editor of Antiques World magazine.

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A Classic Upholstered English Wing Chair: Grounded In Comfort, Solidity And Surety Of Outline.

“The English wing chair, in which we sit protected and alone and enclosed, facing the warmth of the fire, embraced by wings as if those of a soft sheltering angel. The wing chair’s heaviness and solidity stipulate a different form of life, one of security, of solidity, of immobility, of peace. The wing chair goes with the bourgeois interior, the hearth, with an Englishman’s home being his castle. One is padded, buffered, cosseted, soothed. One’s chair is one’s signature.” 1

The wing chair is a high backed, upholstered easy chair with side wings, or ear pieces, on either side of the chair back. It was originally a mid 17th century design. Sometimes referred to as a library chair, grandfather chair, forty-winks chair, or saddle-back chair— the wing chair would often be situated alongside or in front of the hearth. The “wings” would shield it’s occupant from drafts, muffle unnecessary sounds and distractions, and perhaps best of all, trap the warmth from a fireplace into the area where you’d be sitting. 2

Here: A handsome mahogany frame upholstered wing chair with rams head carved legs, English, circa 1880. on Queen Anne legs and pad feet, a distinctive split double-scroll ram’s head motif on the two front legs.
height: 43 in. 109 cm., width: 34 in. 86 cm., depth: 32 in. 81 cm.
seat height: 18 in. 46 cm., arm height: 26 in. 66 cm.

Further readings and sources:

  1. Danto, Arthur C. “The Seat of the Soul: Three Chairs.” Grand Street 6, no. 4 (1987): 162–63. https://doi.org/10.2307/25007019.
  2. see The Fairchild Books Dictionary Of Interior Design, 4th Edition by Mark Hinchman https://www.fairchildbooks.com/shop/the-fairchild-books-dictionary-of-interior-design-1
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Giving Holiday Gifts To Friends Is Often Like ‘Bringing Owls to Athens’.

Often, buying holiday gifts for well-to-friends is like ‘bringing owls to Athens‘. We suggest a unique bronze owl inkwell from the late nineteenth century now mounted as a table – desk lamp with a painted metal shade .

The idiom, “to bring owls to Athens”, is an ancient Greek proverb ascribed to Plato by Diogenes Laërtius (d. 180 – d.240) biographer to the Greek philosophers. 1

It is said that an abundance of owls famously roosted in the rafters of the original Parthenon (before it was burnt down). The owls became a symbol of the city over the years and were sacred to Athena the goddess.

The silver coins of local Athenian currency featured an owl. The Athenians mined their own silver and from this they minted their own coins, so they had need of nothing more. The proverb is stating that to bring owls (either the birds or coins) to Athens would be a pointless exercise, because they have plenty of their own, anymore would be superfluous. 2

The owl symbolizes wisdom, intelligence, protection, and vigilance. During the Victorian period of the 19th century, owls found their way into nursery rhymes. Lamps and andirons were decorated with owls; the birds came to be associated with libraries and learning. The depiction of owls was just as prevalent during the Arts & Crafts movement.

Further readings and sources:

  1. Diogenes Laërtius, Lives of the Eminent Philosophers https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Diogenes_Laertius/Lives_of_the_Eminent_Philosophers/3/Plato*.html
  2. The Idioms https://www.theidioms.com/bring-owls-to-athens/
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Straw Work

(excerpted from Antique boxes, tea caddies, & society 1700-1880 Antiqone Clarke & Joseph O’Kelly, copyright © 2003)
Straw marquetry is usually referred to as Napoleonic prisoner of war work. The reason for this is that most pieces available today were made in England in prisoner of war camps and prison ships between 1793 and 1815. Dartmoor and Norman Cross were two of the chief centers, but such prisons were scattered throughout England with some the work dating back to 1756.

Napoleonic Period Prisoner of War Straw Work Box, Straw Marquetry Work, English Circa 1780.

Considering the living conditions in such camps and ship hulks, this extraordinarily beautiful work is a celebration of the human spirit over adversity. The technical expertise and the design sense displayed on many pieces are remarkable. Furthermore, the sensitivity of composition, color, and use of material on the best work is breathtaking. The humble materials in the hands of people brought low by circumstances were transformed into treasures reflecting a world of imagination and culture. It is as if the prisoners’ intellects soared while their bodies were confined.

The prisoners sold their wares in the prison markets, where they had the opportunity to interact with the world outside and earn some money towards their keep. Work was sometimes directly commissioned, with the patron providing some of the more specialized materials, such as dyes. There are traditional recipes using chemicals and natural processes and materials for dying straw, as well as theories as to when the straw should be gathered and how it should be kept. However, by the end of the eighteenth century and in prison circumstances, the dying was done by more direct methods.

The prisoners, who were French or Dutch, brought the knowledge of straw work with them. Straw work had been practiced in many parts of the Far East and Europe for centuries.

Napoleonic Period Prisoner of War Straw Work Box, Straw Marquetry Work, English Circa 1780.

The technique of straw marquetry appears to be more or less universal. Basically the straw was split, flattened, sometimes bleached and dyed, and then glued onto the wood, or first on paper which was then glued onto the object. Care had to be taken in the application of appropriate pressure to insure the adhesion and flatness of the delicate material. Blotting paper was used to absorb the extra moisture from the glue. Sometimes geometric shapes such as herringbone, lines, chequered squares, and other designs were cutout of long strips of straw that were first glued on paper. For example, lines cut diagonally could give long lengths of sharply defined herringbone designs. These were inspired by traditional tapestry designs, such as the Italian bergamot pattern

The designs on the boxes follow the traditions of other arts. Early boxes on the whole represent scenes typical of period painting and tapestry, framed by designs within contemporary conventions. From the end of the eighteenth century, some boxes follow the neoclassical traditionof arrangement and ornament, although the motifs are often more realistically depicted than in similar wood marquetry. Geometric patterns are also strong within straw work tradition. Sometimes they are used as part of a complex design incorporating representational parts and sometimes as an overall cover for a complete box. Such designs make use of the particular quality of straw, which reflects light according to the way it is arranged. Subtle effects of color and sheen can be achieved by clever juxtaposition of straw following different directions.

After the first two decades of the nineteenth century, straw marquetry became less fashionable. Perhaps the departure of the prisoners meant a ready supply was no longer there. However, if the demand had remained strong, English craftsmen would have continued the work. Instead, as the nineteenth century progressed, the craft continued to decline. It is more likely that the rise of the middle classes and the demand for goods which looked more “manufactured” spelt the end of this fine craft, which allowed for more idiosyncratic and at times playful interpretations of the world.

Napoleonic Period Prisoner of War Straw Work Box, Straw Marquetry Work, English Circa 1780.

Another factor could have been the cost. A box, or a picture, decorated by prisoners was sold for 20-40 shillings, as much as any quality box was sold for at the time. Free craftsmen could not have competed in a field that needed so much personal time. In spite of presses and mechanical devices for splitting straw, the work still needed skill and hours of exacting work.

For many decades straw work has been neglected. On account of the fragility of the material and the fact that it cannot be refinished, most old pieces show signs of ageing. This has meant that it was only sought after by connoisseurs who had the confidence to display antiques as antiques and not as over restored pieces from centuries past. With the recent advent of the ever more sophisticated collector who demands genuine period pieces, straw work is showing a rapid and sharp increase in price

Exceptional prisoner of war work and early pieces, which are very rare, command considerably higher prices. With scholarship identifying artists and areas of work, these small treasures are fast disappearing into museums and important collections.

excerpted from Antique boxes, tea caddies, & society 1700-1880 (pages 119-125) by Antiqone Clarke & Joseph O’Kelly, copyright © 2003, Published by Schifffer Publishing, Ltd., Altgen, PA

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Wheel Chasers: Historical Paris Street Furniture of the 19th Century.

historical chasse-roues, cast iron ball Paris street furniture and other designs.

Wandering through neighborhoods in Paris, you’ll notice that doorways are often flanked by low structures made either of stone or metal. These guard stones are called chasse-roues (French lit. “wheel chaser“) or bouteroue (“to push the wheel out of the way“). These projecting metal, concrete, or stone exterior architectural elements are usually located at the corner and/or foot of gates, portes-cochères, garage entries, and walls. They function to prevent damage from vehicle tires and wheels. During the period of horse-drawn vehicles, the wheels, including the hub, would protrude beyond the vehicle’s body, and were thus prone to collide with and damage a corner of a building or gate. Chasse-roues were developed as a warning signs: ‘keep back‘, ‘keep your distance’, ‘don’t brush up against me’, and as traffic bollards––or, in the common parlance, ‘traffic cones’ ⚠️😄.  They are a historical item of street furniture and some are still in use today. 1 2 3

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photos: Sylvaine Lang, Moments Parfait blog, Chasse-roues. February 26, 2019

Stone was the favored material for chasse-roues during medieval and Renaissance times but many different cast iron designs were installed during the Haussmannian transformation of Paris. 4 Of the surviving chasse-roues in Paris, many are from that age of economical iron and steel. Cast iron was often preferred because it’s affordablity and versatility. Initially, a pattern or mould of the design––the most expensive part of the process––would be made. Then the molten cast iron would be poured or ‘cast’ into the mould and could take many decorative forms with each subsequent casting being relatively inexpensive to produce. Many ornamental cast-iron pieces from the late 19th and early 20th centuries survive today. These decorative artifacts represent a perfect union of form and function projecting a sense of strength, durabilty and good design.

When automobiles replaced fiacres 5, chasse-roues no longer served their purpose being replaced by objects meant for automobile traffic, such as curbs and guard rails. They were, in fact, undesirable but because they were unusually difficult to remove, most of them were just left in place. Those that remain stand as silent sentinals to earlier traffic on those historic roads. 6

Today these architectural artifacts are treasured for historic reasons and are often protected as part of a city’s cultural heritage.

On one of our recent excursions into Paris, we found a lovely patinaed pair of iron ball, “boule”, chasse-roues which we had electrified and museum-mounted as an impressive pair of table lamps.7 ^jh

Pair Of Iron Ball, "boule", chasse-roues mounted as table lamps, French, circa 1870.
Pair Of Iron Ball, “boule”, chasse-roues mounted as table lamps, French, circa 1870.

Further readings and sources:

  1. Moments Parfait, https://www.momentsparfaits.com/blog
  2. The Parisian Fields, Noman Ball, June 2011, https://parisianfields.com/2011/06/26/the-art-of-the-chasse-roue/
  3. Un jour de plus à Parishttps://www.unjourdeplusaparis.com/en/paris-balades/balade-belleville-menilmontant
  4. Haussmann’s renovation of Paris, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haussmann%27s_renovation_of_Paris
  5. A fiacre is a form of hackney coach, a horse-drawn four-wheeled carriage for hire. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiacre_(carriage)
  6. Revolvy : https://www.revolvy.com/page/Guard-stone
  7. Pair of cast iron ball chasse-roues mounted as table lamps, French, Circa 1870 at Garden Court Antiques, https://www.gardencourtantiques.com/shop/pair-of-iron-ball-finials-now-mounted-as-table-lamps-french-circa-1870/
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An Archeaological Mystery: Discovering The Riace Warriors August, 1972.

Diver, Stefano Mariottini with bronze Riace Warrior statue, Aug 1972, Italy

On August 16, 1972 Roman diver, Stefano Mariottini, made a “macabre” discovery. He was diving at a depth of 8 meters in the waters of Marina di Riace (Reggio Calabria), when he noticed a hand sticking out of the sandy bottom. He began digging in the murky sea floor until it revealed at first a face and then a full body. Indeed, there were two bodies; one lying on his back another lying on it’s side. These are what are now known as the Riace Bronzes. Both statues are almost two meters in height.

In the following days municipal divers tied ropes to balloons that were then filled with air lifting the bronze statues to the surface. Statue B was recovered on August 21st, while Statue A was retrieved the next day (It had previously fallen back to the bottom once before being brought safely to the beach).  1 2 3

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The Riace Warriors (also referred to as the Riace bronzes or Bronzi di Riace) are two life-size Greek bronze statues of naked, bearded warriors. The statues are currently housed in the Museo Nazionale della Magna Grecia in the Italian city of Reggio Calabria. The statues are commonly referred to as “Statue A” and “Statue B” and were originally cast using the lost-wax technique 4.

These two warriors are an example of the severe style. The Severe or Early Classical style describes the trends in Greek sculpture between c. 490 and 450 B.C.E. Artistically this stylistic phase represents a transition from the rather austere and static Archaic style of the sixth century B.C.E. to the more idealized Classical style. The Severe style is marked by an increased interest in the use of bronze as a medium as well as an increase in the characterization of the sculpture, among other features. 5

The two statues are thought to represent Tydeus (Statue A) and Amphiaraus (Statue B), two warriors from Aeschylus‘ tragic play, Seven Against Thebes  (about Polynices after the fall of his father, King Oedipus) 6 and may have been part of a monumental sculptural composition. The statues have lead dowels installed in their feet, indicating that they were originally mounted on a base and installed as part of some sculptural group. 7

Large cast bronze of head and torso, modeled after the Riace Warrior B; 20th century;
Large cast bronze of head and torso, modeled after the Riace Warrior B; 20th century;

Currently, we have an imposing and detailed cast bronze torso and head modeled after the Riace Warriors, Warrior B. on display in our gallery at 1700 16th Street in San Francisco 8 ^jh

Further readings and sources:

  1. Excerpt from Radici, Chi Sono? Da Dove Vengono? Chi Fu L’Autore E Perché Sono Finiti In Fondo Al Mare? Il Mistero Dei Bronzi Di Riace È Aperto., Jul 2016. https://www.radici-press.net/chi-sono-questi-due/ 
  2. Vanity Fair Italia Bronze Statues: who stole the third man? As promised by Vanity Fair, here are the documents and photos, discovered by Professor Giuseppe Braghò, which demonstrate the theft of the “kits” – shield, spears and helmets – of the two most famous Greek statues in the world. And also the existence of their “brother” https://www.vanityfair.it/news/italia/2012/08/16/bronzi-riace-40-anni-dopo-terzo-bronzo-rubato-furti
  3. Strettoweb, Reggio Calabria, today the 45th anniversary of the discovery of the Riace Bronzes: an exciting story, “16 agosto 1972: 45 anni fa Stefano Mariottini ritrovava i Bronzi di Riace nei fondali del reggino Reggio Calabria, oggi il 45esimo anniversario del ritrovamento dei Bronzi di Riace: una storia emozionante”, August 2017, http://www.strettoweb.com/foto/2017/08/16-agosto-1972-45-anni-fa-stefano-mariottini-ritrovava-i-bronzi-di-riace-nei-fondali-del-reggino-foto/448020/  
  4. Lost-wax casting, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost-wax_casting
  5. Riace Warriors, Catherine E. Olson, Furman University, Scholar Exchange, https://scholarexchange.furman.edu/art231/40/ 
  6. Seven Against Thebes, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Against_Thebes
  7. Excerpt from an Essay by Dr. Jeffrey A. Becker,  Khan Academy https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ancient-art-civilizations/greek-art/early-classical/a/riace-warriors
  8. Large Scale Cast Bronze Grecian Torso; modeled after the Riace Warriors (b), 20th century at Garden Court Antiques, https://www.gardencourtantiques.com/shop/large-scale-cast-bronze-grecian-torso/