I was at a meeting in a historic house in Baltimore this week and it was a place where I had worked many years ago. I knew a secret about this house, and I went looking for it… behind a door that said “under construction”.
At first, you think it’s just a sweet wallcovering, with cherubs and lots of morning glories on a trellis. But then you take a closer look.
You touch the wall and it’s cold like stone. You see the lines on the wall and notice that the covering is in panels.
You look again and marvel at the detail in the painting, for that’s what it is. A watercolour painting.
On marble. Slabs of white marble.
Someone, early in the 1900’s, painted this scene on the marble panels in the lady of the house’s bath. The paints permeated the marble and then the marble was honed.
The painting hasn’t worn off and it hasn’t faded. The lines are soft like a watercolour would naturally be. The light and shadows fall where they would in nature.
Over the years, people have tried to duplicate the technique, but it’s failed rather miserably as you can see in the left of the image. The paint’s been scratched off and the technique isn’t nearly as refined as the original.
It’s a charming little marvel of long-gone and forgotten craftsmanship.
And I knew the secret.
Wonderful! Was this a technique particular to this artist, do you think? Or to other Baltimore craftsmen in the 19th century?
ReplyDeleteI don't know. I've never seen anything like this before, and I never knew the back story of the painting.
DeleteNever heard of this before! I knew marble stains but this is gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteWhat amazes me is the control of the medium. Too watery and it would spread, too dry and it wouldn't get the depth necessary.
DeleteWould not the local newspaper or Artist Guild have a record of this ? I have artifacts from a family friend who was involved in the arts in the early 1900s/. This woman painted on silk, decorated porcelain, beaded hand bags painted in both oil and watercolors she was prolific. I suppose the artist responsible for this exquisite decoration was as multi- talented. Honestly, the mystery could be solved. Thanks for sharing , the cat is out of the bag LOL
ReplyDeleteIt's in an addition to the house that was designed by Stanford White. So there's lots of information about the one side of the house, but not much about the other.
Deletewhat a beautiful surprise + glad you showed it to us. xxpeggybraswelldesign.com
ReplyDeleteI love being a spy for you all!
Deleteoh how cool -i've never seen anything like this!
ReplyDeleteThe original part of the house is by Stanford White and this part is by John Russell Pope, but no other information on the room.
DeleteHoly with a capital c Cow! Watercolor on marble. It's a treasure. That brass mirror is something else. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI've never seen this technique before or since. No room for any mistakes!
DeleteWhat an extraordinary treasure!!! Hope that someone can come up with information on the artist and that technique!
ReplyDeleteAnd frankly -- I hope that some smart design whiz out there duplicates that mirror (and its wonderful patina!)
Cheers! Jan at Rosemary Cottage
I should show the mirror to my friend, David. He could whip that up in an instant.. or two.
DeleteI see a whole new feature with you and Connor being design sleuths. If he rocked the LV coat, I'm sure he'd look quite dapper in a Sherlock coat and hat.
ReplyDeleteThere used to be a blog called Design Spy out of Ireland.
Deletethat is gorgeous! at first i thought it was where you used to work at the old orphanage building - but i guess not because it wasn't a S. White house. It's so soft - loved this story!!!!!!!!!! thanks for sharing it!!!
ReplyDeleteTres coolio!
ReplyDelete