woodworking and carving, his wife made on her own the inlay work after her husband’s compositions. The finely executed subjects took their source in the Sorèze landscape. Marked by the Great War (1914-18), Auguste Metgé withdrew gradually, responding to very few commands. His work include the bas-reliefs of the Memorials in Sorèze and Durfort, and a Christ for the Benedictine Abbey in En Calcat. Metgé was a member of the jury for the "Greatest France Craftsman", and was awarded the "Ordre National de la Légion d’Honneur", France’s hightest official mark of recognition.
Maison Millet (active from 1853 until 1818)
The firm of Millet T. was founded in Paris in 1853. A very talented specialist in 18th century reproductions, Millet produced furniture and artistic bronzes of the highest quality. He was one of the few cabinet-makers to obtain authorisation from the Château de Versailles to make a replica of Queen Marie-Antoinette’s great jewel cabinet. As an artist of great merit he obtained the highest rewards such as the Gold medal at the Paris Universal Exhibition in 1889 and the Grand Prize at the Universal Exhibition of 1900. The photographic archives show, among some views taken in the Millet’s workshop and his parisian shop, the stand held by him during the Saint-Louis Universal Exhibition of 1904. Among Millet’s masterpieces then exposed, this chimney decoration is to be seen. The firm lasted until 1918.
Martha Darlay Mutrie (1824-1886) and Annie Ferray Mutrie (1826-1893)
Martha Darlay Mutrie and Annie Ferray Mutrie were born in Manchester in 1824 and 1826. Both were pupils of Georges Wallis at the Royal Academy of Manchester. They specialized in still life paintings of flowers and fruits. Between 1851 and 1882, they showed their work at the Royal Academy of Manchester and Royal Academy of London exhibitions. They were greatly appreciated by British high society ladies. They also participated in numerous Universal Exhibitions, held such in Paris in 1867. Martha Darlay Mutrie was rewarded at the exhibitions of 1855 in Paris, 1876 in Philadelphia, 1879 in Sydney and 1880 in Melbourne.
Leopold Oudry (active since 1854)
Leopold Oudry in 1854 founded his electrochemical company in the village of Auteuil (annexed to Paris in 1860) at n.10 rue Cuissard. In 1855, Oudry is known for his cast vases and statuettes coated with pure copper deposited by electroplating, a process whose Parisian silversmith Charles Christofle had bought the patents in 1839. Jean-Charles Alphand, director of public roads and walks in Paris under Napoleon III, understood the advantage of this system for the beautification and conservation of monumental fountains and public candelabra. Oudry was then commissioned for galvanic plating all cast objects and monuments of the City of Paris. The factory located in Auteuil becoming unsuitable, Oudry created thus a larger one at n.10 bis route de Versailles, welcoming an average of 150 workers. Participating in the famous Universal Exhibitions, Leopold Oudry won a 2nd class medal at the 1855 Paris World Fair. In 1861, he performed a real tour de force: the copper plating of the two monumental fountains on the Concorde square, built by Hittorff in 1838 and that had to be repainted every years. At the 1862 London Universal Exhibition, Oudry exposed decorative items, such as vases, candelabras and statues made in bronze or iron, copper- or bronze-coated using the same technique. In the 1880s, the Oudry company will be purchased by Antoine Durenne, the iron-casts specialist in Sommevoire.
Victor Paillard (1805-1886)
Victor Paillard was one of the most distinguished bronze-casters in Paris during the second half of the 19th century. He was taught chasing by Guillaume Denière (1815-1903), then opened in the 1830’s his own workshop making "Art bronzes and Furnishing bronzes", settled n°105 boulevard Beaumarchais in Paris. He executed first small objects, then cast statuettes, candelabra, clocks as well as impressive sized torcheres. He appeared to the public for the first time at the Industrial Products Exhibition of 1839 and worked for the greatest French sculptors, such as Pradier, Barye and Carrier-Belleuse. He exhibited extensively with great success being mentioned for the quality of his work at the famous 1851 and 1862 London Universal Exhibitions, and the 1855, 1867 and 1878 Universal Exhibitions then held in Paris. Paillard was there celebrated by everyone for the exceptional quality of his work. Appointed a Chevalier of the "Légion d’honneur" by the French Government, Paillard employed since the 1850’s a hundred workers and proposed to his wealthy clients about four hundreds models, cast in bronze not only after famous sculptors’ works, but also after his own creations. It is especially interesting that his "Cherub" figures, such as those ones presented here were particularly singled out for their charm and popularity by commentators at both the 1862 and 1867 Universal Exhibitions. Burney Waring noted that they portrayed the "happy and innocent moods of childhood".
Paris Porcelain (18th - 19th century)
Since the discovery of kaolin, needed material for the making of porcelain, porcelain factories also called porcelain manufactures are on the increase in all France and naturally in Paris. Most of those manufactures worked in the 18th century under the protection of a member of the Royal family, such the comte de Provence, future Louis XVIII, who protected the Clignancourt manufacture. But during and the 19th century, numerous pieces did bear no making mark. It was then almost imposssible to attribute them to any particular Parisian factory, hence the expression "Paris porcelain" or "Vieux Paris" including all those various productions.
Henri Pernot (1859-1937)
Henri Pernot born in Gent (Belgium) in 1859, was naturalized French. He studied sculpture at the Fine Arts School in Brussels. He was a renowned sculptor, well reguarded during his lifetime. He set up his workshop 380