Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Royal Grand Palace, Bangkok

This part of the Wat Phra Kaew - or Emerald Buddha complex - once served as the former residence of the King of Siam and once consisted of 11 buildings; however, today only three of the original ones remain. The central building, or Chakri Maha Prasat, was built by then King of Siam, Rama V between 1876 to 1882 using British architects John Clunich and Henry C. Rose. The style of the building is a fusion of Italian Renaissance and traditional Thai architecture.



Salviati decorated the arched ceilings - originally planned as domes, but later substituted by Thai spires - of the central throne hall with 17,000 square feet of golden mosaics with depictions including various Siamese orders.


Throne Hall

Various sources also attribute mosaic work both on the outside of the spires, as well as on the building's gables to Salviati.


Sources:
Barr, Sheldon. Venetian Glass Mosaics: 1860-1916.  London: Antique Collectors' Club, 2008. 139.
Bangkok Magazine
Ehlers, Otto E. On Horseback through Indochina: Vietnam, Singapore, and Central Thailand. Thailand: White Lotus Press, 2002. 155.
Wikipedia
Bangkok Magazine
tjetjep rustandi's flickr Photostream
Colin Utz Photography

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Parish Church of St. Saviour and St. Peter, Eastbourne

This church was designed by G.E. Street and built 1865-68.


Antique print from 1867 from the Illustrated London News

Salviati made the chancel mosaics. The six arcades behind the carved reredos depict the twelve Apostles.


Sources:
Sussex Parish Churches
The Voice of Hassocks on Wikimedia Commons
Wikipedia
St. Saviour Eastbourne
Ebay

Monday, November 4, 2013

Not Salviati: Folkestone Parish Church

Occasionally, I come across information about a mosaic linked to Salviati that turns out to be incorrect. This chancel mosaic happens to be such a misattribution.

Also known as the Church of St. Mary and St. Eanswythe, much of the 13th century building was rebuilt in the 19th century. R.C. Hussey rebuilt the nave and north aisle 1856-59, the south chancel aisle and transept were rebuilt in 1869, while Stallwood added the west window and porch in 1872.



The chancel is lined with twelve trefoil topped mosaic panels depicting the Apostles, while a central panel shows five angels with an inscription on the base made in loving memory of Frederick Augustus Howe Fitz Gerald. Some sources have erroneously credited Carpenter with the mosaic work, while others have directly attributed it to Salviati. However, they were made by A. Cappello, an Italian mosaicist who at one point worked with the Salviati firm and used Salviati's techniques, but who ran his own workshop in London at the time he made these mosaics.


Sources:
"The Ancient Church of Folkestone, and Its Founders." The Churchman. November 20, 1897. 667.
"Mosaic Pictures for the Oratory, Brompton." The Building News and Engineering Journal. Vol. 45. 586. October 12,1883.
Bob Speel's website
British Listed Buildings
Kent Churches
TripAdvisor

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Buxton Memorial Fountain

S.S. Teulon designed this monument that was erected in 1865 to the memory of Thomas Buxton and others who were involved in the 1834 abolition of slavery in the British Empire. It was originally located in Westminster's Parliament Square, however, it was later moved to its current location in nearby Victoria Gardens.


Salviati decorated the fountain with mosaics, seen mostly around and within the gothic arches and trefoils midway up the structure.


 

Sources:
Salviati, Antonio. On Mosaics (generally). 1865. 50.
Wikipedia
Patche99z on Wikimedia Commons
Mira66's flickr Photostream
Bob Speel's Website

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

All Saints' Church, Windsor

A.W. Blomfield designed this church and it was built 1863-64. The daughter of Queen Victoria, H.R.H. the Crown Princess of Prussia laid the first stone.


Salviati made the large, floriated mosaic cross above the chancel arch after designs by Blomfield.


Sources:
Salviati, Antonio. On Mosaics (generally). Leeds, 1865. 45.
The Royal Windsor Forum. June 3, 2011
"All Saints' Church, Windsor." The Civil Engineer and Architect's Journal. vol. 27. Dec. 1, 1864. 364.
Basher Eyre on Geograph

Monday, October 28, 2013

Tyndale Monument

This 111 foot (34 m) tall tower was built in 1866 by architect S.S. Teulon in honor of William Tyndale, translator of the New Testament.


Salviati decorated the cross on top of the monument with gold enamel Venetian mosaics.


Sources:
Salviati, Antonio. On Mosaics (generally). 1865. 50.
Wikipedia
Illustrated London News. November 17, 1866.
W. Lloyd MacKenzie, via Flickr @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/saffron_blaze/

Friday, October 25, 2013

Church of Christ's Resurrection, Foros

Built in 1892, this "church on the rock" was designed by architect Nikolai Mikhailovich (N.M.) Chagin.


Salviati manufactured the mosaic decorations that decorate the exterior niches.




Sources:
Yacht Club
Virtual Crimea
Discover UA
Vyacheslav Argenberg's flickr Photostream
Wikipedia
ikronvvg on Wikimapia
Tripadvisor
Torange