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Spanish Damascene Metalwork (1850 – 1900)

The preservation of damascening in Spain was almost entirely due to the genius of a single family, the Zuloagas. The Khalili Collection of Spanish damascene metalwork contains some the most important pieces commissioned by the great 19th-century English collector Alfred Morrison from Plãcido Zuloaga (1834–1910), the supreme damascener of that family . The Morrison pieces, such as the magnificent casket and pair of alhambra-shaped vases from Fonthill House, establish a benchmark by which we may evaluate all that follows. With over 100 pieces, 22 of which are signed by Plácido Zuloaga himself, the collection provides an excellent perspective on the art and industry of Spanish damascening during the latter half of the 19th century.

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Spanish Damascene Metalwork (1850 – 1900)

It was inevitable that the generation of great patrons should come to an end, and in order to ensure the continued survival of the art itself, its practitioners were obliged to seek a different outlet, a new type of consumer. While the quality did not diminish, the objects themselves were transformed by circumstances. Gone for ever were the single monumental projects requiring a team of artisans of various specialities and several years to complete. Smaller pieces directed towards a broader clientele became the goal of this small but exclusive industry, though never to the detriment of quality. The Khalili Collection is rich in these objets d’art , jewellery, and elegant everyday items that illustrate the manner in which the damascener’s art became accessible to a different public, and thereby acquired renown worldwide. Unfortunately, today the Fabergés, Falizes, and Zuloagas are gone, together with the awe and appreciation of past generations for manual artistry coupled with genius. Not only is this Collection unique in the number of Spanish damascened objects that it contains, but it provides an excellent perspective of Spanish damascening in the art and industry so evident in the pieces.

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Iron Cassone

Spain, Eibar, 121 x 201 x 86 cm
forged iron and chiseled and engraved iron repoussé, silver with niello, gold and silver damascening

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Iron Table Clock

Spain, Eibar, circa 1880, 55.7 x 58 (base) x 22.7 (clock) cm
forged iron, gold and silver
damascene

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Spanish Damascene Metalwork Publications available from www.khalilicollections.org

The renowned works of the Zuloagas are well-recorded in the Basque region, and to a lesser degree in the rest of Spain. In 1925 Ignacio, the son of the great Plãcido Zuloaga, opened the family museum in Zumaia to the public, where today one can view the paintings, sculptures, damascene metal and ceramics made by members of this most creative of dynasties. To date, however, little has been written about Spanish damascene outside the country of its origin and the subject is relatively unknown in the rest of the world. After extensive research, the Khalili Collection has been published in a high-quality all-colour volume in both English and Spanish. It contains an original history of Spanish damascening to 1840, a comprehensive essay on the Zuloagas of Eibar and a complete catalogue by James D. Lavin; an in-depth essay on the techniques of damascening written by a local Basque historian and one-time artisan; and an introduction by the great granddaughter of Plácido.

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