Oscar Gladenbeck (1850-1921)
Gladenbeck Hermann (1827-1918) was a bronze founder from Berlin, of international reputation in the 1850s. He led his company in 1880 with his four sons, Oscar (1850-1921), Alfred (1858-1912), Walter (1866-1945) and Paul (1869-1947) as the Gladenbeck & Son. Their bronze foundry produced many large pieces ordered by the State, as the monument to the memory of Emmanuel Kant and the Victory of the Victory Column in Berlin, modeled by Friedrich Drake. Gladenbeck is considered as the most important German foundry that produced monumental sculptures as well as small bronze pieces. The company ceased to be led by the family Gladenbeck in 1892, then ceased activity in 1911 following a bankruptcy.
Pierre Philippe Gouthière (1732-1813)
Pierre Philippe Gouthière is one of the masters of bronze crafting under the reign of Louis XVI. He was the master of Pierre Philippe Thomire.
Michele Grandville (1758-1836)
Few crafts have experienced the span of one century - the 19th - the splendor, recognition, and international diffusion that Tarsia Sorentia (Sorrento Inlay) enjoyed. The beginning of this enchanting art can be dated to the 1827 with the work of the Sorrentine Antonio Damora, who was summoned by Francis I of Bourbon to restore and furnish Naples Palazzo Reale (The Royal Court at Naples). Returning to Sorrento, Damora learned the wood inlaying techniques along with other artists, such as Michele Grandville, Luigi Gargiulo (1806-1883) and Guiseppe Maggiolini (1738-1814). They led the way for the production of inlay objects that won awards and medals, and reached half the world’s market in the mid-19th century. Important patrons of the arts such as Ferdinand of Bourbon and Pope Pius IX contributed to the growth of the Sorrentine inlay industry. The main subject of decoration used in Michele Grandville’s production, is the Neapolitan customs represented during the various scenes of everyday life, drawn from the prints by Gaetano Dura (1805-1878), as well as genre scenes inspired by antique Pompeian paintings. Unlike other inlay works in its use of different colored woods, Sorrentine inlay based its chromatic effects on the play of the tonal contrasts of two local woods: walnut and orange at first, and then olive and some other imported woods. But the reason for the high artistic value of Sorrentine inlay is its absolute independence from contemporary forms of inlay work. The initial technique of mosaic-like inlay evolved into painting with watercolors on the wood design, known as "enamel on wood", although the inlay work was still performed with gouges and saws.
Jean-Louis Grégoire (1840-1890)
Jean-Louis Grégoire studied sculpture with Jean-Jules Salmson (1823-1902). Since 1867, he exhibited portraits of contemporaries as well as mythological works at the Salon of Paris, where he won a honorable mention, and later at the Salon of the French Artists. After the 1870 war, Grégoire was several times commissioned for patriotic subjects, such L'Alsace (1874), La Lorraine or La Défense du drapeau (1888).
Guillaume Grohé (1808-1885)
Guillaume Grohé settled down as a cabinet-maker in Paris in 1827 with his brother Jean-Michel and started a company making and selling furniture and art objects, which became famous very quickly. They took part in the 1834 "Exposition des Produits de l’Industrie Française". In 1849 he was awarded the "Légion d’honneur" and later officer. His reputation is mainly based on a style furniture specialisation. He was one of the most well-known cabinet-makers at his time, providing King Louis-Philippe, Emperor Napoleon the IIIrd and Empress Eugénie, princes and princesses, even Queen Victoria in Great-Britain after 1862. He naturally participated in many different exhibitions and was jury member in Universal Exhibitions.
Emile Guillemin (1841-1907)
A leading Parisian sculptor of the period, Emile Guillemin began his career at the 1870 Salon of French Artists. He participated in various Exhibitions where he was awarded honors and medals. The quality of his chasing was highly acclaimed because of its realistic effects: accurate costuming, minute detailing and expressive faces. Most of his works, made in bronze and cast in different sizes were inspired by exotic subjects, such as biblical heroes, conquistadors and above all life-like Oriental figures.
Eugène Hazart (19th century)
Eugène Hazart entered the "Réunion des Fabricants de Bronze" in 1839. Well-known since 1843 in the making of ancient style reproductions, not only with his Gothic and Renaissance style bronzes but also very at ease in the 18th century style. He was definitely well apreciated because his presence in 1884 in the Pannier brothers’s bronze-casters booklet. The Pannier brothers managed beautifully the so-famous house "A l’Escalier de Cristal", which took place at the Palais-Royal in Paris and was selling porcelain and cristal objects as well as furniture. This company drew attention to his work during its participations in the 19th century "Expositions des Produits de l’Industrie".
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