HUGIJENOT ARTISTS DESIGNERS AND CRAYPSNEN IN GREAT ...

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this country with the publication of 'A Book of Severall Ornaments'
in 1682, which was reissued in 1700 with the extended title 'A Book
of ornaments useful to all Artists' and again in 170k when it was
incorporated into 'A New book of Cyphers, with the coronets of
England by Allowance of the Earl Marshall', by Colonel Parsons, the
translator of Felibien.' a Tent of Darius, for which Gribelin had provided
an engraving. In 1697, Simon Gribelin issued another pattern book aimed
U L particularly at lewellers and watchmakers, entitled, 'A Book of ornaments
useful to Jewellers, Watchmakers and all other artists'. In this context,
it is significant that Gribelin came from a family of watchmakers est-
ablished in Blois; his grandfather, Abraham Gribelin, was 'Horloger
du Poi' to Louis XIII, and a fine example of his work, a shell shaped
watch is in the Horological Students Room at the British Museum. The
same collection has an example of the work of Gribelin's uncle Nicholas
who was established as a maker in Paris by 1683.(Plate 26) It is not
surprising that despite his activity as an engraver Gribelin became
free of the Clockmakers' Company in 1686.
Compared to the work of his Parisian contemporaries Jean Berain
and Charles Le Brun, Gribelin's pattern books are surprisingly
outdated in style, although this does not detract from the amazing
finesse and delicacy of their execution. The 1682 'Book of Several
Ornaments' shows the influence of Jean Le Pautre's designs with its
bold acanthus scroll workt'late 27). The incorporation of small
miniature tablets representing paintings is a feature to be found
in the designs of Paul Androuet Ducerceau, another near contemporary
of Gribelin's in Paris, but may a o be traced back to the engravings
of decorative schemes by the paint r Simon Vouet, particularly the
Cabinet des Bains d'Anne d'Autriche in the Palais Royal, which was engraved
by Michel Dorigny in 16k?.
Gribelin's 1697 pattern book1atea 28 and 29) :contains designs
on a minute scale, which do not, perhaps, allow much scope for
originality. Dolphins and rayed heads formed part of the accepted
ornamental vocabulary of the French Court, but the animal and flower
forms which act as symetrical points of interest encased in elaborate
scroll work are strongly reminiscent of the designs of the Blois-
based Vauquier family. A Jacques or Jean Vauquier of the third
generation produced des Fleurs propres pour orfevres et
graveurs' which was published in Blois and Paris c.1680±-'lates 10 aid