Jack Shaoul's Schools

• RCA technology , Class of 1970 Bachelors in Electrical Engineering Engineering

Jack Shaoul's Publications

• Jack Shaoul on 19th-Century Bronze Casting, Jack Shaoul March, 2011 by Jack Shaoul As an artistic medium, bronze first came into use thousands of years ago, shortly after the alloy became the primary metal for creating tools, weaponry, and other objects. Found in civilizations as widespread as China, Rome, Greece, and Mesopotamia, bronze sculptures required long and complicated casting processes that were lost for centuries after the classical era. Although bronze casting reappeared briefly during the European Renaissance, flourishing in the hands of sculptors like Benavenuto Cellini, Donatello, and Lorenzo Ghiberti, the technique remained largely dormant until the 19th century. Following the Industrial Revolution, artists once again began working widely in bronze. In Europe, most workshops, which were commonly referred to as foundries, established a base in France, a nation that produced sculptors such as Antoine-Louis Barye, Francois Rude, and Auguste Rodin. Eventually, the astonishing popularity of the medium spread to the United States. Until the mid-1850s, American sculptors lacked the technology for bronze casting. Once the first foundries opened, however, bronze casting quickly became an expression of both American ambition and the country’s uniquely artistic sensibility. By the end of the century, bronze had surpassed marble as the most popular medium for sculptors in the United States. Throughout the 19th century, both European and American sculptors relied primarily on the sand-cast method of creating bronzes. Less complex and time-consuming than the lost-wax process used by ancient civilizations, this method uses firm sand molds to produce bronzes, often in large numbers. The heyday of American bronze casting saw the extensive commercial reproduction of popular bronzes and resulted in some of the most well-known sculptures in the country today, including Frederic Remington’s Bronco Buster, currently residing in the White House, and Paul Mansip’s Prometheus, on display at the Rockefeller Center in New York City. Universe Antiques has served residents in the New York metropolitan area since 1975. In addition to his extensive experience in repairing Tiffany windows and lamps, owner Jack Shaoul specializes in European and American bronzes, European art glass, and 19th-century sculptures.

• Louis Comfort Tiffany’s Glass Innovations, Jack Shaoul June, 2011 by Jack Shaoul One of the most important inventors and artists in the field of stained glass, 19th-century American artisan Louis Comfort Tiffany’s stained glass works continue to fetch a premium at auctions today. He was well known for his stained glass windows and lamps, and he also patented a number of techniques that revolutionized the art of working with colored glass. Among Tiffany’s most loved techniques is Favrile glass, which creates a shimmering, reflective surface. Tiffany patented the technique in 1880. Its effect comes when several colors mix into glass while still hot. An example of a Tiffany favrile vase is shown below: Another of Tiffany’s inventions was streamer glass. In this technique, Tiffany would lay strands of molten glass over the surface of a sheet of glass. The streamers were stretched and shaped by hand and then quickly pressed onto the glass. The resulting effect resembles strands or thin twigs on the glass surface. An example of fracture-streamer glass, a derivative technique, is shown below: Tiffany also created glass with ripples on the surface. In order to create this effect, he modified the speed of a traditional glass roller. Normally, the glass roller moves at a speed equal to the forward motion of the glass, which creates a smooth surface. By increasing the speed, Tiffany created ripples as the molten glass is stretched and pushed. An example is shown below: Tiffany came up with several other innovative glassmaking techniques, so it should come as no surprise that his work still commands the attention of collectors and stained glass enthusiasts. About Jack Shaoul: Jack Shaoul runs Universe Antiques, based in New York City. He has been in the antiques business for over 30 years.

• An Overview of Three Vital 19th Century Sculptors, by Jack Shaoul , Jack Shaoul's Blog on Bigsight October, 2011 About the Author: An antique dealer and art connoisseur, Jack Shaoul currently functions as the owner and President of Universe Antiques in New York. Mr. Shaoul possesses intimate knowledge of 19th century art, particularly Tiffany lamps and sculptures. From 1801 to 1900, sculpture underwent an evolution from neo-classical works reminiscent of Greek and Roman styles in the early part of the century to realistic pieces by artists like Edgar Degas in the latter third of the century. Auguste Rodin was also an important sculptor, and his works spanned a stylistic range from realistic early busts to the semi-Gothic figures in his piece The Gates of Hell. Paul Gauguin worked mainly as a symbolist sculptor in the latter part of the 19th century. Born in France in the year 1834, Edgar Degas began as a painter, studying at the Lycée Louis-le-Grand. He painted from an early age and eventually gained admission to the École des Beaux-Arts. Beginning in 1856, he spent three years in Italy studying the great Italian masters. Later, he was influenced by Édouard Manet, another French painter. The sculptures of Degas followed the same subject matter of many of his paintings: the dancers in the ballet. One of his most famous is Little Dancer of 14 Years, seen below: Edgar Degas: Little Dancer of 14 Years, 1881. Clark Institute, Williamstown, MA. Photo by Jeffery Howe Like Degas, Auguste Rodin was also born in France, but in the year 1840. He was considered a controversial artist during his lifetime, since most of his work dealt with allegorical or mythological themes, and the dominant culture trend at the time favored decorative and formulaic figures. He went on to achieve permanent and lasting fame, and he gained the admiration of contemporary figures like Rainer Maria Rilke, Octave Mirbeau, and Oscar Wilde. Bust of Honoré de Balzac by Auguste Rodin, bronze (1891 – 1892), in the Victoria and Albert Museum. Photo by Andrew Dunn Born in 1848, Paul Gauguin is considered a leader of the French Post-Impressionist movement. He was influenced by the painter Van Gogh and had a difficult and traumatic relationship with the artist. Perhaps Gauguin’s greatest contribution to the world of art was the profound influence he had on the next generation of artists, notably Pablo Picasso. Paul Gauguin: Tahitian Girl, carved wood and mixed media, c. 1896; Nasher Sculpture Center, Dallas, Texas (Raymond and Patsy Nasher Collection, acquired in 1987) Photo by Andreas Praefcke

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