AmericanLongRifles Forums
General discussion => Antique Gun Collecting => Topic started by: Dphariss on June 21, 2011, 05:10:15 AM
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Does anyone have any idea of where the carving design on RCA 118 might have originated?
Friend phoned today and we had a discussion of this rifle.
I had not really looked at it but it does have some unique carving
Dan
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That's a well worn rifle for sure. Like G Shumway states the carving is very Baroque in design which would indicate the design itself is European in nature. As to the country of Baroque's origin, I'll leave that to the experts.
Personnally I like these remnant Baroque designs, most likely made by a formally trained gunsmith.
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Baroque is an exaggerated form of art, over embellished. The true definition was of Portuguese origin which described deformed pearls. Some think that it took on a new meaning in the Renaissance, but not till the 17-1800's did it take on the definition of what we have com to know in regards to the Baroque / Rococo designs that we see in the carvings and engravings on our rifles. This form was introduced in France in the 1700's and was typical in the interior designs of houses, Cornice work, furniture, cabinetry, etc.
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Baroque is more symmetrical while Rococo is more asymmetrical, see below and the link..... maybe some chinoiserie snuck in there??? :o :o ;) ;D
"The style of Rococo emerged in 18th century in France. The word is a combination of the French rocacille referring to curved and natural forms of ornamentation similar to the shapes of rocks and shells and the Italian word barocco or Baroque style. This style came after the Baroque period during the reign of Louis XV and was at its peak in history in the 1730s. At the time it was a new style which had not been seen before and like anything new the critics of the period considered it a frivolous style of decoration.
While the classical style of ornamental followed the architectural orders, Rococo was free and without restrictions. The style was characterized by acanthus leaves, asymmetry, C and S scrolls, and naturalistic motifs all evoking an extravagant form of decoration. The style was particularly embraced by artists and craftsmen in their ornamentation of luxury goods, pottery, grand furnishings and silver."
http://cmcdesignstudio.com/blog/?tag=acanthus-leaves (http://cmcdesignstudio.com/blog/?tag=acanthus-leaves)