Ref: 3141
George III Cassolette
Matthew Boulton
Ref: 3141
George III Cassolette
Matthew Boulton
1770 - 1780
Provenance: Private collection, Rhineland
Literature: Goodison, Nicholas: Matthew Boulton - Ormolu, London 2002. Compare similar designs, figs. 248, 249
Description:
Technique: Gilt bronze, copper, fluorite, so-called Blue John, Derbyshire.
Description: Vase-shaped body on a square base with floral festoons.
Drapery of cloth along the shoulder. So-called candle vase and the lidded finial with candle holder on the opposite side.
Matthew Boulton (d. 1809) is considered the most important manufacturer of luxury goods in 18th-century England. Together with his business partner John Fothergill, he founded the Soho Manufactory in Birmingham in 1762. At a time when most companies consisted of small workshops operating within complex subcontracting structures, Boulton and Fothergill fundamentally modernized production processes. In 1765, Boulton visited Paris, where he closely studied the work of the leading Parisian bronze artists. Deeply impressed, he resolved to challenge their dominance in the market for gilded bronzes.
Technique: Gilt bronze, copper, fluorite, so-called Blue John, Derbyshire.
Description: Vase-shaped body on a square base with floral festoons.
Drapery of cloth along the shoulder. So-called candle vase and the lidded finial with candle holder on the opposite side.
Matthew Boulton (d. 1809) is considered the most important manufacturer of luxury goods in 18th-century England. Together with his business partner John Fothergill, he founded the Soho Manufactory in Birmingham in 1762. At a time when most companies consisted of small workshops operating within complex subcontracting structures, Boulton and Fothergill fundamentally modernized production processes. In 1765, Boulton visited Paris, where he closely studied the work of the leading Parisian bronze artists. Deeply impressed, he resolved to challenge their dominance in the market for gilded bronzes.
Matthew Boulton
Matthew Boulton (1728–1809) was a key figure of the Industrial Revolution in Britain, best known for his work in metal manufacturing and engineering. He founded the Soho Manufactory in Birmingham, where he produced high-quality metal goods, including buttons, buckles, silverware, and decorative objects using advanced industrial techniques for the time.
Boulton is also closely associated with steam engine development through his partnership with James Watt, helping to commercialize and improve steam engine technology, which became essential for industrial production. His Soho Mint introduced innovative methods for coin production, improving both efficiency and security against counterfeiting.
While not an artist in the traditional sense, Boulton’s output in metalwork and design had a strong aesthetic dimension, combining industrial precision with neoclassical style. His contributions significantly influenced manufacturing, engineering, and design standards in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
Boulton is also closely associated with steam engine development through his partnership with James Watt, helping to commercialize and improve steam engine technology, which became essential for industrial production. His Soho Mint introduced innovative methods for coin production, improving both efficiency and security against counterfeiting.
While not an artist in the traditional sense, Boulton’s output in metalwork and design had a strong aesthetic dimension, combining industrial precision with neoclassical style. His contributions significantly influenced manufacturing, engineering, and design standards in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
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George III Cassolette