Manufacture de la Granja Magnificent crystal chandelier...

Manufacture de la Granja Magnificent crystal chandelier attributed to the Manufacture de Cristal de La Granja, Spain, 1880 Height 120 cm; Diam. 125 cm Magnificent cut-crystal chandelier with three tiers highlighted by crowns decorated with prisms, pearls and mirza. The lower level features ten arms of light ending in green-tinted crystal saucers with gilded plant decoration. It is supported at its center by a cut-crystal baluster shaft adorned with green-tinted crystal bowls, lit by interior lights. A chandelier of this model is preserved in the Palacio de Liria in Madrid, the residence of the Dukes of Alba. Commentary: The Real Fábrica de Cristales de La Granja was established in San Ildefonso in 1727 by order of the Bourbon King Philip V of Spain, in particular to supply mirrors and mirrors for the royal palace of La Granja. The royal factory welcomed master glassmakers from France (1746), Germany and Bohemia (1750), the most highly qualified in Europe in the 18th century. Like the Buen Retiro porcelain factory and the Santa Barbara tapestry factory, the La Granja crystal factory contributed to the development of Spanish decorative arts. Following the Spanish War of Independence, the factory was closed in 1808, before being rehabilitated in 1815 under the reign of Fernando VII. Production continued throughout the 19th century, managed by private entrepreneurs and exported to Europe and across the Atlantic. To pay tribute to this expertise, a foundation and museum were created in 1982.