Ref. 1806/0

E. Cornu                                                 

Sculptor-Ornemanist
(1827-1875)                                                   

G. Viot et Cie                                                                     

Compagnie des Marbres Onyx d’Algérie
(active from the 2^nde part of the 19^th Century)

(attributed to)

Orientalist Planter

France
Circa 1870

Enamel, Gilded bronze, Algerian Onyx

Height : 19,5 cm (7,7 in.) ; Length : 65 cm (25,6 in.) ; Depth : 25 cm (9,8 in.)

Beautiful orientalist rectangular planter in Algerian onyx and gilded and chiseled bronze.
It is adorned with an onyx cabochon surrounded by a stylized decoration in champlevé enamel of Persian inspiration composed of floral arabesques and foliage, all framed by friezes of water leaves in gilded bronze. Embellished on the sides with two finials ending in a point, framed by four foliated and beaded uprights ending in windings forming the chiseled and gilded bronze feet. Removable zinc interior

Biography

The sculptor Eugène Cornu (1827-1899), installed in Paris at N.29 rue Popincourt, after having worked as a designer and then director for the renowned company Tahan (1813-1892), worked closely from 1858 with the « Compagnie des Marbres Onyx d’Algérie », led by Gustave Viot (1828-1897) and created by Alphonse Pallu (1808-1880) on June 14th 1858. This company refers to the exploitation of onyx, known since antiquity but rediscovered in 1849 in Oran Province, Algeria, by Del Monte, a marble worker. It opened in 1863 a shop on Boulevard des Italiens N.24, in Paris. In the mid 1860’s, the name of the company changed to “G. Viot & Cie” and produced, after models created by the most well-known sculptors, such as Eugène Cornu, Albert Carrier-Belleuse (1824-1887) (Victoria & Albert Museum, Inv. 9070-1863), Charles Cordier (1827-1905) (Orsay, Inv. RF 2996) ou Louis-Ernest Barrias (1841-1905) (Orsay, Inv. RF 1409), luxurious furniture and art objects, incorporating onyx marble and bronze, with sometimes enamel, a combination then considered as a novelty and become quickly highly prized among wealthy collectors. They showed together on their booth at the 1867 Universal Exhibition held in Paris a fine pair of onyx, bronze and enamel vases and their stands with elephants figures (signed « G. Viot et Cie, Exposition de 1867, Eugène Cornu Inventeur » ; Catalogue Officiel de l’Exposition, groupe III, classe XIV, « meubles de luxe », n°65) for which they won the Gold Medal (Rapports du Jury International, Exposition Universelle de 1867 à Paris, 1868, t. III, groupe III, classe XV, chapitre II, § 2, p°45 & 46). Around 1873, Eugène Cornu became director of the Company and replaced G. Viot, which took then the name of « Société des Onyx d’Algérie E. Cornu et Cie ». Around 1878, the company was then headed to H. Journet from which it took his name. That firm remained opened until the beginning of the 20th century.