Hello everybody !
I cordially thank you for your comments!!! To answer one of your questions, the engraving of this small shotgun started in November 2009 and finishes currently quietly… I would not be you to say the number of hours necessary to the realization of such a work, elsewhere I am certain that the engraver himself would not answer you exactly… An engraving of this artistic level corresponds to a work of very long breath where very often, especially in my case where the engraver could fully express himself and leave free course to his imagination, passion l' carry on the reason… I can simply say you that this splendid project occupied well Mr Geoffroy GOURNET of November 2009 until now… An engraver cannot carry out an engraving like that in only one draft while saying itself in three months it’s finished and by working 12 hours per day… well it’s too tiring… The concentration must be maximum at every moment and the error being crippling…. it should never occur…!!! Now, I will speak to you about the symbolic system of this engraving… The choice of the topic and the composition of this engraving is the result of an exchange between Mr Gournet and me, an exchange which lasts since August 2006. The idea to make carry out an engraving " a little exceptionnelle" on my small 410 came gradually, but that did not impose; itself when I placed order of this small rifle to Mr Bruchet in 2007. I wanted a Small Darne model V into 410, a shotgun which I wished finest possible, with pretty wood… It was already a beautiful project, no model V (Large Key) gauges .410 Magnum had ever been produced by the firm of Saint-Etienne since its creation in 1881… And then, with the wire of the discussions with Mr Gournet and in m' interesting more and more in its trade and Engraving on weapons, with the wire of the months which passed, the idea is imposed… Why not carry out on this small shotgun itself exceptional an original engraving and out-of-common!!! Arrived at this level and this exceptional quality of realization, it is necessary to regard Engraving on weapons as a work d' art with whole share… This artistic realization makes it possible to detach hunting weapon of its purely functional vocation in apprehending under an angle very other, that a splendid support for artistic expression… I will say that this engraving altogether not very banal!!!! is really the fruit of a meeting, one amitiée… of the wish of Mr Gournet to carry out " ANOTHER THING" … Since a few years, certain Italian engravers (in particular those of Creative Art:
www.creativeart.it) knew to give a new breath to engraving on hunting weapons by reinventing its topics… Thus, of engravings " Fantaisy" appeared to not less change a little very beautiful English engravings… it’s a little this new style which was retained for the engraving from this small 410… The topic of this engraving is l' Art nouveau, artistic movement of the end of XIXième and the beginning XXème in Europe. This artistic movement is characterized by its whiplashes, by its vegetable and animal representations very stylized (much of curves, never arises, much of pleasure…). In France, one can quote: Guimard and Majorelle, the Daum brothers… All access, there are all these small flowers in " tapisserie" , often encrusted with however (yellow, red, green or white), very representative with their forms simple and stylized Art nouveau. Many whiplashes are represented on together of surface available, they are them also often encrusted with however and belong to the visual signature of this engraving, of the elements that easily is noticed; only one Blow eye… They take part in identity of this engraving and are really symbolic systems of Art nouveau… They are prolonged even with the thunders of the guns (incrustations however levelled). These whiplashes gives spirit, create an impression of movement, bring a dynamics to this engraving. In the center of the cylinder head, a deadened woman represented after a work of the great painter of time Alfons Mucha. This young woman is represented with the spectacular technique of the bulino (engraving carried out point by point with a binocular magnifying glass). There too, we find the expensive curves with Art nouveau through its hair, of draped its dress, incrustation gold around it which delimits its alcove… All was thought and reflected in this engraving… All is symbolic system… On the level of the key opening, a héron holding a dragonfly on the left and a thrush with its bunch of grapes on the right… Small animals there too well in their style and their time. Of course, sheets of chestnut tree in hollow bottom, they-also stylized and representative of this artistic period… Small the alcoves where pretty woodcocks in their natural environment are represented, there too thanks to the technique of the bulino… Admire the smoothness of the details while keeping with spirit; actually the very whole cylinder head is really tiny… and that the photographs show zones very very increased… Many snakes also on this engraving (cylinder head, tail of trigger guard, guns…), a caduceus between the shells, they are small covering joints d' eye with my future occupation of Pharmacist but also of the animals completely in connection with Art nouveau… I wanted much; incrustations Gold (of all the colors) to bring life to this engraving, it to make, etincelante alive….!!!!!!!!!! The round shapes of the cylinder head they-also in the mould of register; Art nouveau… This explaining that… I hope that Iwas not too long and that I did not annoy you with this a little detailed description of my engraving… Each time, for me it’s a great pleasure; in speaking!!! I wish you a good day I’m waiting your questions impatiently...
Excuse me for my bad english, it's Yahoo traduction...
Best regards,
Sebastien
