{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O55891"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O55891/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AV2734/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AV2734/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AV2734","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O55891/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O55891","accessionNumber":"2714A/1 to 4-1856","objectType":"Pilaster","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This pilaster and its pair were shown at the Paris International Exhibition in 1855. Their maker, Michel-Victor Cruchet, was a celebrated carver, who supplied many pieces of furniture to the households of both King Louis-Philippe and Emperor Napoleon III. \r\n\r\nCarving was extremely fashionable throughout Europe from about 1840 to 1870. The curators of the newly formed South Kensington Museum, which later became the V&A, bought many pieces from the various international exhibitions of the period. Their declared intention was to show these as examples of excellent craftsmanship, with the aim of improving the skills of British woodcarvers. At the time, woodcarving was practised as a craft by both men and women, though most carvers in commercial workshops were men. The painted cartouche shows a figure of Venus with cupids, illustrated on the right of the image.","physicalDescription":"Pilaster of carved limewood, in Louis XIV style, with arabesque ornament and naturalistic carving of birds, flowers and musical instruments.  The central cartouche is painted <i>en grisaille</i> with a figure of Venus and cupids.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Cruchet, Michel-Victor","id":"A15108"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"AAT251917"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"limewood","id":"AAT12461"},{"text":"paint","id":"AAT15029"},{"text":"canvas","id":"AAT14078"}],"techniques":[{"text":"carved","id":"AAT53149"},{"text":"painted","id":"x30138"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Carved limewood, with painting <i>en grisaille</i> on canvas","categories":[{"text":"Architectural fittings","id":"THES48994"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"FWK","id":"THES48597"},"images":["2006AV2734"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"B","id":"THES304700"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES344174"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES344174"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES344174"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Pilaster","id":""}],[{"text":"Pilaster base","id":""}],[{"text":"Pilaster top","id":""}],[{"text":"Fragment","id":""}],[{"text":"Pilaster (whole object)","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Paris","id":"x29068"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1855","earliest":"1850-01-01","latest":"1859-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"382.1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"66","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Dimensions taken from departmental catalogue.  Not checked on object","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Cruchet\r\nSculpteur\r\nParis","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Carved in script below the carved trophy of musical instruments"}],"objectHistory":"Shown at the 1855 Paris Exhibition and purchased directly by the Museum","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Of carved limewood, in Louis XIV style, with arabesques and a central painted cartouche showing Venus and cupids","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Venus","id":"N25"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"arabesques","id":"AAT10206"},{"text":"cupids","id":"x37689"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"TWO PILASTERS\r\n\r\nManufacturer: Michel-Victor Cruchet\r\nParis: about 1855\r\nCarved limewood with applied paintings on canvas\r\n\r\n2714&a-1856\r\n\r\n'American and European Art and Design 1800-1900' \r\n\r\nThese pilasters were purchased from the Paris 1855 Exhibition for £240 when they were described as 'in the style of Louis XIV'. In 1856 Cruchet, a famous ornamental sculptor, decorated the Emperor Napoleon III's <font -i->petit salon</font> at the Château de Saint Cloud in the Louis XVI style. One is dated and signed 'CRUEHET <font -i>Sculpteur rue Ntre. Dme. de Lorette Paris'</font>, the other signed CRUCHET <font -i>Sculpteur Paris'</font>.","date":{"text":"1987-2006","earliest":"1987-01-01","latest":"2006-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["2714A/1-1856","2714A/2-1856","2714A/3-1856","2714A/4-1856"],"accessionNumberNum":"2714","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1856,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","Pilaster","Pilaster base","Pilaster top","Fragment"],"assets":["2024NW3805"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-08-06","recordCreationDate":"2001-02-22","availableToBook":true}}