The Art of the Fold: A History of Decorative Screens in the Interior

Several months ago we looked at Chinese lacquer screens and their history.  Today we will focus on the broader history of screens and how they became a popular and fashionable item in Georgian England and Continental Europe.  The painting entitled The New Song by Jan Josef Horemans depicts an interior scene with a group of men …

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Anatomy of an Exhibition: Halfway There!

It is hard to believe we are now halfway through our exhibition, Gilded: Golden Treasures of Georgian Furniture.  For our next Anatomy of an Exhibition feature, we are focusing on the exhibition as it looks today.  The exhibition has been a great success so far, with curious and enthusiastic visitors each day, including museum curators, international …

Gilt Gesso: The Technique from A to Z

With our exhibition on gilt gesso furniture now underway, it is time to dig deeper and focus on the extraordinary and fascinating technique behind gilt gesso decoration. Gesso is a type of plaster that is prepared of finely ground chalk and a type of adhesive and water.  This material is applied onto the wooden surface …

Exhibition Spotlight: Two George I Gilt Gesso Card Tables

To celebrate the opening of our exhibition today, we are delighted to share details of two outstanding George I gilt gesso card tables.  Very few of these, possibly only four, are known to exist today. These tables all share similarities in design and form.  Their vocabulary of strap-work, scrolling foliage, and shellwork was first promoted …

Anatomy of an Art Exhibition: Starting at the Beginning

We were excited to announce our forthcoming exhibition this morning in our latest Gallery Newsletter this morning (interested in receiving a copy? Email us and we will add you to the list!).  The exhibition is entitled Gilded: Golden Treasures of Georgian Furniture, which will run at our St. James's gallery from June 22 to July …