A SPANISH 18TH CENTURY CHANDELIER ATTRIBUTED TO THE REAL FABRICA DE LA GRANJA
REF: FA1259
£ POA
The blown ribbed stem with central urn supporting a draped corona of rope twist canes mounted with foliate finals. The receiver bowl issuing six large canes mounted with spires and drapery, and six scroll candle arms and drip pans, the chandelier draped with ovals chains and pear shaped finials.
- Height 111.72 cm / 44 "
- Diameter 83.79 cm / 33 "
- Period 1750-1799
- Year 1780
- Country Spain
- Provenance The image showing the chandelier in-situ at Groomsbridge Place.
- Literature The Real Fábrica de la Granja was granted its first Royal licence in 1727. This was necessary as it was founded on Crown land at the royal palace of La Granja de San Ildefonso, in the region of Segovia near Madrid. In 1736 it was then put under Royal Protection due to the needs for glass in various palaces that were being constructed, but it was King Felipe IV who, inspired by the Royal Factories founded by his grandfather King Louis XIV of France, decided to increase the range and quality of the produce. He travelled to France in 1745 in search of master glass makers to bring back to Spain to launch new projects at the foundary. These artesans brought a French influence to the style of pieces being produced, which had previously been influenced almost exclusively by Venetian glass. In the last quarter of the 18th Century the emphasis shifted to a more English style. English and Irish glass makers had shown themselves to be superior and through the Príncipe de Asturias, later to be Carlos IV, and indeed the Duque de Fernán Núñez, ambassador to London, the workers at La Granja began to adopt a more English style. Joshua Ketilby, was known to have visited the factory at this time to advise on the composition of crystal glass and he stayed for four years, although the Spanish masters claimed that he taught them "nothing new". Amongst the wide and varied production at La Granja, that of chandeliers was considered amongst the most important. Examples of other types of glasswork from La Real Fábrica de la Granja can be found at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, the Royal Palace, Madrid, the Prado, Madrid, and The Hermitage, Moscow.
