Johann Melchior Dinglinger

Johann Melchior Dinglinger (26 December 1664, Biberach an der Riß–6 March 1731, Dresden) was one of Europe's greatest goldsmiths, whose major works for the elector of Saxony, Augustus the Strong, survived in the Grünes Gewölbe (the "Green Vaults"), Dresden [Reopened in September 2004 in the Dresden "Residenz", as the "Neues Grünes Gewölbe.] . Dinglinger was the last goldsmith to work on the grand scale of Benvenuto Cellini and Wenzel Jamnitzer, fewer of whose large-scale works in precious materials have survived, however. [Later masters, like Carl Fabergé, were essentially miniaturists.] . His work carries on in a Mannerist tradition into the "Age of Rococo".

Biography

Dinglinger was born in Biberach today in Baden-Württemberg. He served his apprenticeship in Ulm, after which he refined his techniques working as a journeyman in Augsburg, Nuremberg and Vienna, three traditional centers of luxury arts. He went to Dresden in 1692, where he spent the rest of his career in the service of Augustus, by whom he was appointed court jeweller in 1698. In the workshop he established, he was assisted by his younger brothers, the enameller Georg Friedrich Dinglinger (1666–1720) and Georg Christoph Dinglinger (1668–1728), who specialized in cutting and setting jewels. The sculptor Balthasar Permoser collaborated as a modeller in Dinglinger's workshops.

Dinglinger married five times [Antoine Pesne's portrait of his fourth wife, Susanna Guterman (1698-1726), the pendant to the portrait illustrating this article, both painted to commemorate their marriage in 1721, is also at the Hermitage Museum.] and had twenty-three children, of whom eleven survived to maturity. The famous house he erected in Dresden was burned in the Seven Years' War

Works

Dinglinger's major commissions, all for Augustus:

*1697–1701 The "Golden Coffee Service" [It will be recalled that Augustus was also the patron and main impetus behind the luxury production of the first European true porcelain, at Meissen. The solid gold of the "Goldene Kaffeezeug" cups would have efficiently transmitted the heat of coffee to scald a potential drinker's fingers.] , which presents the cups and saucers and sugar bowls on an elaborate pyramidal etagère surmounted by the coffeepot, all in enamelled gold, a "kabinettstuck" unique in Europe. Augustus took the recently-completed ensemble with him to Warsaw at Christmas 1701, to dazzle the nobles of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth of which he was the nominal ruler.
*"The Birthday of the Grand Mogul Aurangzeb", with 137 modelled enamelled and jewel-encrusted [There are 5223 diamonds, 189 rubies, 175 emeralds, 1 sapphire, 53 baroque pearls.] figures of men and animals, which Dinglinger commenced without a specific commission, and sold to the delighted Elector for a spectacular 55,485 thaler [The project exemplifies the essential role played by longterm credit within the luxury trades of Early Modern Europe.] . The invasion of Saxony by Charles XII of Sweden made payments difficult and the greater part of the vast sum was owing until 1713.
*1704 "Dianabad" (The "Bath of Diana"), in which a chalcedony bowl in a filigree is supported between the horns of a stag's head.
*1722 "Obeliscus Augustalis"
*"Altar of Apis", an unusual example, for its generation, of Egyptianizing taste
*before 1722 "Pair of agate standing cups" celebrating the election of Augustus as King of Poland, mounted in gold, enamel, parcel gilt silver, and semi-precious stones [One is now in the Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore (see ref. Walters) These cups were exhibited when the Grünes Gewölbe were opened to public viewing in 1722.]

References

*E. von Watzdorf, 1962. "Johann Melchior Dinglinger" (Berlin)
* [http://www.artcyclopedia.com/artists/dinglinger_johann_melchior.html Johann Melchior Dinglinger on-line]
* [http://www.thewalters.org/html/collec_object_detail.asp?ID=39&object_ID=57.1994 Walters Art Gallery: a cup by Dinglinger]
*de icon [http://www.mdr.de/mdr-figaro/journal/1569744.html "Hofjuwelier Dinglinger"]

Notes