Blending tortoiseshell, mother-of-pearl and gold, piqué is an infinitely precious technique, brought to its apogee by Neapolitan craftsmen in the 18th century. Among the exceptional pieces in piqué known today is an inkstand attributed to Nicola de Turris, to be discovered at TEFAF Maastricht on our stand 144.
Piqué refers to objects made from a core of tortoiseshell, skillfully adorned with elements of mother-of-pearl, gold and sometimes silver elements. Various processes were used: clouté – tiny holes drilled into the tortoiseshell and filled with gold thread; coulé – fine grooves cut into the tortoiseshell and filled with gold thread laid horizontally; incrusté – mother-of-pearl or gold elements laid on the softened tortoiseshell. Brodé combines the first three techniques and is used by the most talented craftsmen to create remarkable pieces. In the 18th century, piqué was practiced throughout Europe, and was used to decorate snuffboxes and other small precious objects. Neapolitan craftsmen, known as tartarugari , created the most remarkable pieces. From 1720 to 1760, they produced pieces of extreme luxury, stimulated by the refinement of the brilliant court of King Charles de Bourbon. These precious objects were highly prized gifts, spreading Neapolitan know-how around the world: Sultan Mahmud I received piqué objects during his visit to Naples in 1740.
The names of several Neapolitan workshops and tartarugari are still known today. Some of them signed their creations, and some rare pieces were even dated. The most famous workshop is that of Giuseppe Sarao and his son Gennaro. Between 1720 and 1750, they produced some of the masterpieces of the art of piqué . Other workshops were particularly renowned, notably that of Nicola de Turris, to whom our insktand is attributed. In 1735, in Giuseppe Senator’s Description of the festivities celebrated in Naples for the return of Charles de Bourbon, de Turris is mentioned as one of the “main teachers working with tortoiseshell and mother-of-pearl”, alongside Giuseppe Sarao. An inkstand preserved at Waddesdon Manor is signed in his hand: “ Turris F. Neap ”. Tartarugari produced various pieces in their workshops, including small toiletries, tableware and inkstands. Some very rare pieces of furniture are known to exist, such as a table in the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, and a miniature cabinet in the collections of the Musée du Louvre.
The most sophisticated decorations from Neapolitan workshops combine arabesque motifs with complex historiated scenes. French ornamentalist Jean Bérain (1640-1711) was one of the main sources of inspiration for tartarugari . Others, such as the German Paul Decker, also supplied ornamental works that were often repeated. Tartarugari craftsmen followed Parisian tastes, from Louis XIV to Régence in the early 18th century, then Rocaille. Neoclassical taste came to the fore in production around 1760, with motifs borrowed from the textile world and the gradual disappearance of mother-of-pearl, while the art of piqué generally declined. During the first half of the century, chinoiserie was an important source of inspiration. The color of tortoiseshell, the brilliance and preciousness of the materials were reminiscent of Asian lacquerware and lent themselves particularly well to chinoiserie. This casket from our collections, attributed to Gennaro Sarao, features Chinese pagodas, characteristic of this taste.
Extremely precious and refined, piqué objects are coveted by discerning collectors. One of the greatest connoisseurs was the English aristocrat Sir Julian Goldsmid (1838-1896), whose 1896 sale brought together nearly 80 lots of piqué tortoiseshell of exceptional quality. The Rothschilds were also actively seeking out piqué pieces across Europe. In the 20th century, Queen Mary of England also developed a passion for these objects and assembled an important collection, still preserved today in the English royal Collections.
Discover or rediscover the art of piqué at TEFAF Maastricht, on our stand 144, from March 15 to 20!
