FRANCESC VIDAL JEVELLÍ (Barcelona, 1848 - 1914).Dish in cloisonné enamel bronze and Tiffany glass

FRANCESC VIDAL JEVELLÍ (Barcelona, 1848 - 1914).
Dish in cloisonné enamel bronze and Tiffany glass beads, 1885-1890.
With factory mark.
Measurements: 7,5 x 71 cm.
Spectacular circular plate made in bronze and decorated with cloisonné enamel and thousands of Tiffany glass beads. The pieces of Tiffany glass were glued one by one to make the drawing, in this case butterflies and geometric ornaments. This piece was made in the Vidal and Jevelli workshops between 1885-1890, at the end of the Alfonsine period and the beginning of Spanish Modernism. These pieces are unique due to the great complexity of their execution. In European Art Nouveau only Morris in the United Kingdom made some furniture using this technique.
It is an ornamental plate, entirely decorated with glossy enamels, with inclusions of other materials that enhance the jewel-like appearance of the piece. The decoration is radial and organised in two spaces, following the traditional structure of the ceramic dish. Thus, we see a circular tondo occupying what would be the seat of the dish, and around it a wide band that would determine the eaves. In the centre is a star of medieval inspiration, with arms in the shape of a fleur-de-lis, from which a radial decoration of palmettes and scrolls, pointed arches of Gothic heritage and beautiful butterflies with their wings spread out, typically modernist, radially depart. This decoration stands out against an orange background, enclosed by a narrow line of decoration in two shades of yellow. Outside, the complex border of the eaves is developed, combining fleur-de-lis with light-coloured details and large fleurons whose synthesised style recalls the influence of geometric Art Nouveau. The pointed arches in the background and the orange-toned base are repeated once again.
Francesc Vidal was one of the most prominent decorative artists in the city of Barcelona in the late 19th century, as he was one of the first professionals to promote craftsmanship within the nascent Catalan aestheticism and modernism. One of the key events in understanding his personality and his innovative character was his stay at the Universal Exhibition in Paris in 1867, where he travelled to direct the exhibition of his father's bookbinding samples. In addition to witnessing the birth of Japonisme in the French capital, Vidal made contact with other young artists and stayed in the city to study at the Ecole des Arts Décoratifs, where his teacher was Louvrier de Lajolais. From Paris he also made a series of trips around Europe that enabled him to become acquainted with the artistic practices that were being promoted in the great capitals of the continent. He finally returned to Barcelona with the desire to modernise and Europeanise a city that was still too tied to tradition, introducing novelties such as the Japanese influence in interior decoration and the decorative arts. In 1878 he established himself as an art dealer, and in 1883 he inaugurated a building designed by Vilaseca, an unusual polytechnic complex, where he would work intensively from then on in the production of quality furniture, as well as glassware, metalwork and foundry complements. Rigalt and Masriera collaborated in his studio in the foundry, and Joan González, Gaspar Homar and Santiago Marco worked as designers. Vidal's clientele included the gentry and official corporations, and he made the furniture designed by Gaudí for the Güell Palace. He was also in charge of other important projects such as the decoration of Mayor Rius i Taulet, several rooms of the Círculo del Liceo and also royal commissions such as the bedrooms of the Royal Palace in Madrid and the cradle for the future Alfonso XIII. In fact, his works were in demand not only in the Peninsula, but also in America, which led Vidal to expand his business by forming a partnership with Frederic Masriera Manovens, and later to open shops in Madrid and Paris. Actua