Louis Gerverot
Encyclopedia
Louis Victor Gerverot was a French porcelain painter and businessman.
. His father was a "musicus" (singer) at the court of Stanisław Leszczyński, former king of Poland, who became in 1737 the duke of Lotharingen. His mother, Barbe Oubert, sent him to the porcelain factory in Sèvres in 1764, to learn his trade. Possibly he had himself already asked to specialize in the painting of porcelain with flowers and (fantastical) birds. Gerverot became extremely able in the preparation of colour, clay mixtures, and (since his stay in Niderviller
) in other trade secrets. His urge to travel and to turn his knowledge into money (or his inability to stay in any one place for long) resulted in his short periods in various porcelain factories. In succession, he was active in Ludwigsburg
, Ansbach
, Höchst, Fürstenberg
and Frankenthal
.
. In 1769, he came to Weesp
, and worked in the porcelain factory of Bertrand Philip, count of Gronsveld
, former envoy in Berlin, and now drost
of Muiden
and president of the Admiralty of Amsterdam
. Production and activity did not take off and thus this enterprise, Holland's first porcelain factory, closed in 1771. Gerverot left for the faience
- or porcelain factory of Offenbach am Main, Höchst and Ellwangen
. In nearby Schrezheim, Gerverot worked at his own expense.
Minister Joannes de Mol
sent Gerverot a portrait of a minister-colleague in 1774 from which he made a bust, and in return de Mol brought Gerverot up to Oud-Loosdrecht as a manager, painter and pigment-maker. The designing of new models was not his strongest suit, but nevertheless Gerverot deserved his new salary, of 150 guilder per month.
Gerverot in 1777 married Modesta Johanna Salomons, from Hamburg. In Amsterdam, they had three children: Louis Victor (born 1778), Johannes Victor (born 1780) and Georg Samuel (born in 1783, but buried in Amsterdam in 1784). L.V. Gerverot lived in the Plantage (plantation
), then a large park with inns, speelhuizen (playhouses, where billiards was played) and brothels, now Artis
and its surroundings. All his children were baptized at home, since he did not belong to a particular church.
On 1 March 1779, Gerverot was dismissed in Loosdrecht
, having lent De Mol 28,000 guilder. Cooperation seemed to be impossible. Gerverot opened a porcelain store in Amsterdam, but early in 1788 had to declare bankruptcy. (This period in the life of Gerverot is unclear. It may be that he also worked in Cologne
, Münster
and Hanover
).
Gerverot traveled to England and got a job with John Turner
, Wedgwood
's most important competitor. In 1795, his purse again empty, he arrived in Braunschweig
and was taken on once more at the Fürstenberg factory. Two years later he was its manager. Under his leadership the factory became commercially successful for the first time in its existence. In 1814, Gerverot was dismissed for collaboration with the French. He died at Bevern
.
Early life
Gerverot was born in LunévilleLunéville
Lunéville is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in France.It is a sub-prefecture of the department and lies on the Meurthe River.-History:...
. His father was a "musicus" (singer) at the court of Stanisław Leszczyński, former king of Poland, who became in 1737 the duke of Lotharingen. His mother, Barbe Oubert, sent him to the porcelain factory in Sèvres in 1764, to learn his trade. Possibly he had himself already asked to specialize in the painting of porcelain with flowers and (fantastical) birds. Gerverot became extremely able in the preparation of colour, clay mixtures, and (since his stay in Niderviller
Niderviller
Niderviller is a commune in the Moselle department in Lorraine in north-eastern France....
) in other trade secrets. His urge to travel and to turn his knowledge into money (or his inability to stay in any one place for long) resulted in his short periods in various porcelain factories. In succession, he was active in Ludwigsburg
Ludwigsburg
Ludwigsburg is a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, about north of Stuttgart city centre, near the river Neckar. It is the largest and primary city of the Ludwigsburg urban district with about 87,000 inhabitants...
, Ansbach
Ansbach
Ansbach, originally Onolzbach, is a town in Bavaria, Germany. It is the capital of the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Ansbach is situated southwest of Nuremberg and north of Munich, on the Fränkische Rezat, a tributary of the Main river. As of 2004, its population was 40,723.Ansbach...
, Höchst, Fürstenberg
Fürstenberg
Fürstenberg and can refer to the following.- Historical states :* Fürstenberg , county * Fürstenberg-Baar, county * Fürstenberg-Blumberg, county...
and Frankenthal
Frankenthal
Frankenthal is a town in southwestern Germany, in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate.- History :Frankenthal was first mentioned in 772. In 1119 an Augustinian monastery was built here, the ruins of which — known, after the founder, as the Erkenbertruine — still stand today in the town...
.
Weesp and Loosdrecht
In 1767, Gerverot won a large sum in the city lottery of MainzMainz
Mainz under the Holy Roman Empire, and previously was a Roman fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine and formed part of the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire...
. In 1769, he came to Weesp
Weesp
Weesp is a town and a municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It has a population of 17,533 .Weesp lies next to the rivers de Vecht and Smal Weesp and also next to the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal. It is in an area called the "Vechtstreek"...
, and worked in the porcelain factory of Bertrand Philip, count of Gronsveld
Bertrand Philip, Count of Gronsveld
Bertrand Philip Sigismund Albrecht, Count of Gronsveld-van Diepenbroick-Impel was a former Dutch envoy in Berlin to Frederick the Great....
, former envoy in Berlin, and now drost
Landdrost
Landdrost was the title of various officials with local jurisdiction. It is of Dutch origin, with land- corresponding to the English meaning of an area, suggesting a somewhat larger jurisdiction than just a village or estate; and drost being a short form of Drossaard, one of many similar titles in...
of Muiden
Muiden
Muiden is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It lies at the mouth of the Vecht and is in an area called the Vechtstreek.-Population centres :...
and president of the Admiralty of Amsterdam
Admiralty of Amsterdam
The Admiralty of Amsterdam was the largest of the five Dutch admiralties at the time of the Dutch Republic. The administration of the various Admiralties was strongly influenced by provincial interests...
. Production and activity did not take off and thus this enterprise, Holland's first porcelain factory, closed in 1771. Gerverot left for the faience
Faience
Faience or faïence is the conventional name in English for fine tin-glazed pottery on a delicate pale buff earthenware body, originally associated with Faenza in northern Italy. The invention of a white pottery glaze suitable for painted decoration, by the addition of an oxide of tin to the slip...
- or porcelain factory of Offenbach am Main, Höchst and Ellwangen
Ellwangen
Ellwangen an der Jagst, officially Ellwangen , in common use simply Ellwangen is a town in the district of Ostalbkreis in the east of Baden-Württemberg in Germany...
. In nearby Schrezheim, Gerverot worked at his own expense.
Minister Joannes de Mol
Joannes de Mol
Joannes de Mol was a Dutch minister, Patriot and porcelain manufacturer in the second half of the 18th century. De Mol - like many of his contemporaries - had a great interest in poetry and scientific experiments....
sent Gerverot a portrait of a minister-colleague in 1774 from which he made a bust, and in return de Mol brought Gerverot up to Oud-Loosdrecht as a manager, painter and pigment-maker. The designing of new models was not his strongest suit, but nevertheless Gerverot deserved his new salary, of 150 guilder per month.
Amsterdam
Gerverot possibly lived an unconventional life, as may be seen from the fact that in 1776 he witnessed the christening of a child in the French Roman Catholic chapel. The child was named Louis Victor George d' Onis, with his father noted as George Alexander d' Onis and his mother a black woman, named Coba. The legality of their marriage was called into doubt by the authorities.Gerverot in 1777 married Modesta Johanna Salomons, from Hamburg. In Amsterdam, they had three children: Louis Victor (born 1778), Johannes Victor (born 1780) and Georg Samuel (born in 1783, but buried in Amsterdam in 1784). L.V. Gerverot lived in the Plantage (plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
), then a large park with inns, speelhuizen (playhouses, where billiards was played) and brothels, now Artis
Artis
Artis, short for Natura Artis Magistra , is a zoo in the centre of Amsterdam. It is the oldest zoo in the Netherlands...
and its surroundings. All his children were baptized at home, since he did not belong to a particular church.
On 1 March 1779, Gerverot was dismissed in Loosdrecht
Loosdrecht
Loosdrecht is a village in the municipality of Wijdemeren, North Holland, Netherlands.Loosdrecht consists of two small villages, Nieuw- and Oud- Loosdrecht...
, having lent De Mol 28,000 guilder. Cooperation seemed to be impossible. Gerverot opened a porcelain store in Amsterdam, but early in 1788 had to declare bankruptcy. (This period in the life of Gerverot is unclear. It may be that he also worked in Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
, Münster
Münster
Münster is an independent city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also capital of the local government region Münsterland...
and Hanover
Hanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
).
Gerverot traveled to England and got a job with John Turner
John Turner (disambiguation)
John Turner is a British-born former prime minister of Canada.John Turner may also refer to:*John Turner , former Australian politician*John Turner , English architect...
, Wedgwood
Wedgwood
Wedgwood, strictly speaking Josiah Wedgwood and Sons, is a pottery firm owned by KPS Capital Partners, a private equity company based in New York City, USA. Wedgwood was founded on May 1, 1759 by Josiah Wedgwood and in 1987 merged with Waterford Crystal to create Waterford Wedgwood, an...
's most important competitor. In 1795, his purse again empty, he arrived in Braunschweig
Braunschweig
Braunschweig , is a city of 247,400 people, located in the federal-state of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located north of the Harz mountains at the farthest navigable point of the Oker river, which connects to the North Sea via the rivers Aller and Weser....
and was taken on once more at the Fürstenberg factory. Two years later he was its manager. Under his leadership the factory became commercially successful for the first time in its existence. In 1814, Gerverot was dismissed for collaboration with the French. He died at Bevern
Bevern
Bevern is the name of the following places in Germany:* Bevern, Schleswig-Holstein, a municipality in the district of Pinneberg, Schleswig-Holstein* Bevern, Lower Saxony, a municipality in the district of Holzminden, Lower Saxony...
.
External links
- Image of a tureen from Weesp, with birds painted in typical Gerverot style
- His children's christening documents in the Stadsarchief Amsterdam
- http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-111928131.html