UDSKRIFT 🔗
1
00:00:00,830 --> 00:00:02,210
Announcer: This is
a Getty podcast.
2
00:00:02,810 --> 00:00:04,850
[Theme music begins]
3
00:00:04,850 --> 00:00:08,080
Host: Do you know someone who
lights up every room they’re in?
4
00:00:08,520 --> 00:00:10,100
What about some-thing?
5
00:00:12,740 --> 00:00:16,969
Welcome to If Objects Could
Talk, the podcast where art
6
00:00:17,039 --> 00:00:22,100
and artifacts come alive to
tell their side of the story.
7
00:00:22,969 --> 00:00:26,799
Today, we hear from something
that knows a thing or two about
8
00:00:26,799 --> 00:00:30,419
lighting up the room, because
they live on a chandelier.
9
00:00:30,419 --> 00:00:31,629
[chimes ring]
10
00:00:31,629 --> 00:00:31,834
[Classical music begins]
11
00:00:31,834 --> 00:00:35,840
Made in France around 1819,
this chandelier looks like
12
00:00:35,869 --> 00:00:40,140
an elaborate hot air balloon,
which was actually a new
13
00:00:40,140 --> 00:00:41,769
technology at this time.
14
00:00:42,189 --> 00:00:46,279
A big blue orb, slightly
larger than a beach ball and
15
00:00:46,329 --> 00:00:50,120
painted with stars, sits at
the center of the chandelier.
16
00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:54,620
Below that is a glass bowl,
which looks sort of like the
17
00:00:54,620 --> 00:00:56,189
basket of a hot air balloon.
18
00:00:56,820 --> 00:01:00,099
But instead of holding
passengers, it was designed
19
00:01:00,169 --> 00:01:03,849
to hold real, live goldfish.
20
00:01:04,789 --> 00:01:06,709
[water splashes] Imagine
how it would feel to be a
21
00:01:06,709 --> 00:01:12,353
fish swimming in the sky.
[water dripping]
22
00:01:12,354 --> 00:01:12,354
23
00:01:12,354 --> 00:01:13,440
But our guest
today isn’t a fish.
24
00:01:13,650 --> 00:01:16,550
She’s one of six griffins
that sit around the
25
00:01:16,550 --> 00:01:18,219
center of the blue sphere.
26
00:01:18,549 --> 00:01:21,490
A griffin is a mythical
creature with the body,
27
00:01:21,559 --> 00:01:25,119
tail, and hind legs of a
lion, combined with the head,
28
00:01:25,139 --> 00:01:27,520
wings, and talons of an eagle.
29
00:01:28,809 --> 00:01:31,349
[wings fly] Talk about
containing multitudes.
30
00:01:31,349 --> 00:01:34,619
[child says “Wow!”] Griffins
symbolize strength and
31
00:01:34,619 --> 00:01:38,549
guardianship, and they are often
depicted protecting treasures.
32
00:01:38,820 --> 00:01:42,729
So it makes sense that our
griffin guards a spectacular
33
00:01:42,739 --> 00:01:47,709
gold-covered chandelier, and
she has a lot to say about all
34
00:01:47,709 --> 00:01:52,309
she’s seen on the job and all
she’s helped others to see.
35
00:01:54,519 --> 00:01:54,809
Griffin: [feminine voice
with French accent speaks]
36
00:01:54,809 --> 00:01:57,629
Ah, and then there she was,
a little girl hiding in the
37
00:01:57,629 --> 00:01:59,599
shadows of a grand party.
38
00:02:00,669 --> 00:02:02,759
Oh, now we are recording?
39
00:02:03,589 --> 00:02:05,610
Huh, it’s okay you
didn’t get that.
40
00:02:06,070 --> 00:02:09,669
We’ll revisit it later.
[laughs]
41
00:02:09,669 --> 00:02:09,669
42
00:02:09,669 --> 00:02:14,240
Oh, in fact, I have enough
exciting memories I can share
43
00:02:14,479 --> 00:02:19,049
to keep everyone more than
entertained long into the night.
44
00:02:20,639 --> 00:02:20,709
[bell chimes]
45
00:02:20,709 --> 00:02:24,059
Now, you might think a griffin
perched on a chandelier
46
00:02:24,479 --> 00:02:27,019
in the middle of a room
would be used to being
47
00:02:27,029 --> 00:02:30,779
the center of attention,
but I’m more accustomed to
48
00:02:30,789 --> 00:02:32,529
watching than being watched.
49
00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:36,069
Perhaps it is because my
entire chandelier is so
50
00:02:36,069 --> 00:02:38,799
striking, I barely stand out.
51
00:02:38,799 --> 00:02:39,619
[Classical music plays]
52
00:02:39,619 --> 00:02:43,429
Monsieur Galle created me
in his workshop in Paris
53
00:02:43,559 --> 00:02:45,779
around the year 1819.
54
00:02:47,099 --> 00:02:50,759
He designed this elaborate
chandelier himself, and he
55
00:02:50,849 --> 00:02:54,109
tucked me up here around
the middle, facing outward
56
00:02:54,410 --> 00:02:56,640
with my wings half spread.
57
00:02:58,220 --> 00:03:02,330
I am made of gilded bronze
[metal tap] which means bronze
58
00:03:02,460 --> 00:03:06,200
covered in gold in order to be
even more dazzling [twinkling
59
00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:11,220
sound] and, in the case of a
chandelier, in order to reflect
60
00:03:11,220 --> 00:03:12,770
and amplify the light, too.
61
00:03:13,540 --> 00:03:16,739
I am one of six griffins
that encircles the middle.
62
00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:21,039
Each of us holds a single
candle on our head.
63
00:03:22,090 --> 00:03:26,370
We are connected to a gilded
bronze ring around the center of
64
00:03:26,370 --> 00:03:29,589
a blue globe strewn with stars.
65
00:03:30,020 --> 00:03:35,509
The 12 signs of the
zodiac—Aries, Taurus, Gemini—all
66
00:03:35,509 --> 00:03:37,329
of them decorate the ring.
67
00:03:38,590 --> 00:03:42,839
Between us griffins are
arms that hold candles—12
68
00:03:42,840 --> 00:03:43,770
more candles in all.
69
00:03:44,340 --> 00:03:49,139
That brings us to, un, deux,
trois… Ah, 18 candles total.
70
00:03:50,219 --> 00:03:54,859
There are also gilded rooster
heads [rooster crows], leaf
71
00:03:54,860 --> 00:03:58,909
designs [shuffling], and
eagles [eagle cry]. Strings
72
00:03:58,909 --> 00:04:01,719
of glass crystals connect the
candle arms to each other.
73
00:04:01,719 --> 00:04:03,839
[glass chimes]
74
00:04:03,839 --> 00:04:07,410
And below all of this
sits a glass bowl, which
75
00:04:07,470 --> 00:04:10,409
during special occasions
would be filled with water
76
00:04:10,439 --> 00:04:12,069
so goldfish would swim.
[fish swims and plops]
77
00:04:12,069 --> 00:04:14,630
Yes, real fish!
78
00:04:15,129 --> 00:04:19,659
My creator, Monsieur Galle,
said their continuous
79
00:04:19,659 --> 00:04:22,750
movement will give agreeable
Load full transcript
recreation to the eye.
80
00:04:22,759 --> 00:04:24,049
[crowd cheers]
He was right.
81
00:04:24,869 --> 00:04:27,930
A great excuse to start a
conversation with anyone
82
00:04:27,930 --> 00:04:28,909
standing next to you, eh?
83
00:04:29,799 --> 00:04:32,089
“Do you see the fish swimming
in that chandelier?”
84
00:04:32,089 --> 00:04:35,279
[changes voice]
“How peculiar! How grand!”
85
00:04:35,279 --> 00:04:38,019
When lit, these candles
and glittering
86
00:04:38,019 --> 00:04:42,370
surfaces and crystals and
fish made us look like a small
87
00:04:42,409 --> 00:04:44,899
moon, or maybe a disco ball.
88
00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:48,220
But a very fancy one.
89
00:04:49,930 --> 00:04:53,469
[disco music plays] In
short, we were a lot to look
90
00:04:53,470 --> 00:04:58,019
at, which is why I myself
was able to hide in plain
91
00:04:58,019 --> 00:04:59,759
sight within my chandelier.
92
00:05:00,329 --> 00:05:02,899
Even so, I am spectacular.
93
00:05:04,790 --> 00:05:09,079
But I am also a little
dangerous, or I was.
94
00:05:09,079 --> 00:05:10,000
[scary music]
95
00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:13,949
To make gilded bronze forms
like me, craftsmen would grind
96
00:05:13,959 --> 00:05:19,159
pure gold into a fine powder
and mix it with mercury to
97
00:05:19,160 --> 00:05:22,209
form an amalgam, a paste.
98
00:05:22,699 --> 00:05:26,129
They would then carefully apply
this paste to the surface of
99
00:05:26,129 --> 00:05:31,209
the bronze, and then—here’s
the daring part—they would heat
100
00:05:31,289 --> 00:05:33,709
the whole piece over a fire.
[flames roar]
101
00:05:33,709 --> 00:05:37,349
The mercury would burn
away in a
102
00:05:37,349 --> 00:05:39,419
cloud of toxic fumes.
103
00:05:40,039 --> 00:05:40,719
Terrifying.
104
00:05:41,500 --> 00:05:44,829
But what remained fused to
the surface of the bronze
105
00:05:45,199 --> 00:05:47,959
was a layer of pure gold.
106
00:05:50,309 --> 00:05:51,340
[bell chimes] The results
looked exactly like solid
107
00:05:51,340 --> 00:05:56,509
gold: warm, lustrous, catching
every flicker of candlelight.
108
00:05:57,990 --> 00:05:59,240
It did not tarnish.
109
00:05:59,470 --> 00:06:00,810
It did not dull.
110
00:06:01,730 --> 00:06:03,130
It glowed. [hums]
111
00:06:03,130 --> 00:06:08,000
Monsieur Galle’s craftsmen
were extraordinarily
112
00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:13,220
skilled at this process, and
that is why, 200 years later,
113
00:06:13,220 --> 00:06:19,709
I still look this magnificent.
[rising piano chords]
114
00:06:19,709 --> 00:06:19,709
115
00:06:19,709 --> 00:06:22,859
Now, to really understand
me, you need to know
116
00:06:22,859 --> 00:06:24,089
where I lived, too.
117
00:06:24,089 --> 00:06:25,689
[Classical music plays]
118
00:06:25,689 --> 00:06:30,139
Close your eyes and imagine
you are in a grand room
119
00:06:30,139 --> 00:06:32,099
in a Parisian mansion.
120
00:06:32,750 --> 00:06:37,019
You stand on a floor of polished
wood covered by an ornate rug.
121
00:06:37,329 -->
00:06:40,650
The walls are covered
with sculpted wood panels,
122
00:06:40,969 --> 00:06:44,759
framed paintings, and
mirrors of every size.
123
00:06:45,340 --> 00:06:49,789
And above you hangs a
chandelier unlike anything
124
00:06:49,789 --> 00:06:51,460
you have ever seen.
125
00:06:52,610 --> 00:06:56,879
Do you even notice me, the
griffin, among all this beauty?
126
00:06:58,840 --> 00:07:02,340
French homes of this period,
the ones that could afford a
127
00:07:02,510 --> 00:07:07,580
fish chandelier, were called
hôtel particulier, and generally
128
00:07:07,580 --> 00:07:08,630
laid out in a similar way.
129
00:07:09,669 --> 00:07:13,940
Part of the home had rooms
arranged in a long line, one
130
00:07:13,949 --> 00:07:17,849
opening into the next with
tall double doors, like a
131
00:07:17,889 --> 00:07:19,909
string of elegant pearls.
132
00:07:20,779 --> 00:07:24,539
You might pass through an
antechamber, then a salon,
133
00:07:24,540 --> 00:07:30,199
a music room, and then, of
course, the formal dining room.
134
00:07:30,199 --> 00:07:32,599
[Violin music plays]
135
00:07:32,599 --> 00:07:35,529
Dinners were quite the
production, and served in the
136
00:07:35,529 --> 00:07:36,319
French style, or à la française.
137
00:07:36,320 --> 00:07:36,420
138
00:07:36,420 --> 00:07:42,600
This is when all items of a
course are served on the
139
00:07:42,600 --> 00:07:43,809
table at the same time.
140
00:07:44,649 --> 00:07:48,479
Since the items were on display,
the guests could add to their
141
00:07:48,479 --> 00:07:51,349
plates whichever combination
of dishes they wished.
142
00:07:51,959 --> 00:07:55,369
It was all to the taste of
the guest, not the chef.
143
00:07:56,099 --> 00:08:00,100
In the French style, there are
no decorative centerpieces, just
144
00:08:01,200 --> 00:08:05,869
the food in the middle of the
table, serving as the sustenance
145
00:08:06,069 --> 00:08:08,160
and as the decoration.
[bells chime]
146
00:08:08,160 --> 00:08:10,459
A typical dinner party
would consist
147
00:08:10,459 --> 00:08:15,699
of three courses of six
to 25 dishes per course.
148
00:08:16,209 --> 00:08:19,180
The third course
on these occasions
149
00:08:19,459 --> 00:08:20,549
would be dessert.
150
00:08:20,550 --> 00:08:22,259
[crowd murmurs and says “Ooh!”]
151
00:08:22,259 --> 00:08:25,449
Have you ever been to or
hosted a big holiday dinner?
152
00:08:26,720 --> 00:08:30,070
Maybe something for
Thanksgiving or a birthday.
153
00:08:30,649 --> 00:08:32,079
What’s your favorite part?
154
00:08:32,669 --> 00:08:37,010
Is it the decorations,
the dishes, or the
155
00:08:37,019 --> 00:08:38,220
delightful desserts?
156
00:08:38,769 --> 00:08:40,730
[child says “Yummy.”] Do you
serve everything on the table
157
00:08:40,730 --> 00:08:44,560
all at once, or one course
at a time from the kitchen?
158
00:08:45,550 --> 00:08:49,680
And does someone put all your
food on your plate, or is dining
159
00:08:49,729 --> 00:08:56,039
a choose-your-own-adventure
for you, huh?
160
00:08:56,039 --> 00:08:56,089
[adventurous music
and sword fighting]
161
00:08:56,089 --> 00:08:58,640
[laughs] Oh, I suppose it
doesn’t matter, as long as the
162
00:08:58,920 --> 00:09:00,650
food and the company are good.
163
00:09:01,270 --> 00:09:03,030
Now, where was I?
164
00:09:03,550 --> 00:09:05,189
Ah, in the dining room.
165
00:09:05,749 --> 00:09:06,320
[Violin music
plays over chatter]
166
00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:11,010
I hung at the very center of
the ceiling, the most important
167
00:09:11,469 --> 00:09:15,620
position in a very important
room, if I do say so myself.
168
00:09:16,969 --> 00:09:21,350
This also meant I witnessed
everything: every guest who
169
00:09:21,350 --> 00:09:26,019
entered, every soup slurped,
every dessert admired,
170
00:09:26,899 --> 00:09:29,419
every secret whispered
behind a painted fan.
171
00:09:29,430 --> 00:09:33,919
[whispers] I heard it
all.
172
00:09:33,919 --> 00:09:33,919
173
00:09:35,919 --> 00:09:39,709
Now, what sort of dinner party
stories should I share with you?
174
00:09:41,099 --> 00:09:41,569
Hmm.
175
00:09:42,419 --> 00:09:47,140
Once, oh, I saw a very
distinguished gentleman neglect
176
00:09:47,189 --> 00:09:51,240
to offer to plate the food for a
noble woman seated next to him.
177
00:09:51,259 --> 00:09:54,809
[group gasps] She was forced
to reach across the table
178
00:09:55,509 --> 00:09:57,879
and plate the food herself.
179
00:09:57,879 --> 00:09:59,559
[tearfully] Can you imagine?
180
00:09:59,849 --> 00:10:04,179
[crowd says “Unbelievable.”]
Well, obviously women can do
181
00:10:04,180 --> 00:10:07,839
anything, but the rudeness
at such a formal dinner
182
00:10:08,619 --> 00:10:09,829
was quite the scandal.
183
00:10:10,779 --> 00:10:15,549
But the story I want to tell
you, oh, the one I think of
184
00:10:15,559 --> 00:10:18,639
most often, is about a child.
185
00:10:18,639 --> 00:10:22,529
[children laugh] She was
eight, uh, perhaps nine.
186
00:10:23,150 --> 00:10:25,600
Is the daughter of a
cousin visiting from Leon.
187
00:10:25,879 --> 00:10:28,259
She was meant to be
asleep in the nursery
188
00:10:28,259 --> 00:10:29,469
at the top of the house.
189
00:10:30,119 --> 00:10:32,999
But how on earth could
she be asleep with such
190
00:10:33,069 --> 00:10:34,749
lively guests below her?
191
00:10:35,409 --> 00:10:37,259
The chatter coming up
through the ceiling.
192
00:10:37,729 --> 00:10:41,369
Oh, for a child lying awake
in the dark, it must have
193
00:10:41,459 --> 00:10:44,289
sounded like the whole world
was happening without her.
194
00:10:45,169 --> 00:10:49,410
She tiptoed downstairs,
and no one noticed.
195
00:10:50,199 --> 00:10:51,209
And why would they?
196
00:10:51,779 --> 00:10:55,409
20 people, each absorbed
in their own conversation,
197
00:10:55,779 --> 00:10:59,429
their own glass, their own
reflection in the mirrors.
198
00:11:00,239 --> 00:11:04,559
The little girl hid behind
a chair, close enough to
199
00:11:08,729 --> 00:11:08,919
witness everything.
200
00:11:08,919 --> 00:11:09,165
[crowd chatter]
201
00:11:09,165 --> 00:11:10,520
And then she saw it!
202
00:11:11,129 --> 00:11:14,489
A beautiful portion of
mille-feuille, a decadent
203
00:11:14,699 --> 00:11:18,729
confection made with three
layers of puff pastry, with
204
00:11:18,739 --> 00:11:20,359
layers of cream in between.
205
00:11:21,319 --> 00:11:24,139
It was untouched, abandoned.
206
00:11:24,750 --> 00:11:28,109
Well, someone must have had
plans to come back for it later.
207
00:11:28,869 --> 00:11:34,449
But with no hesitation, the
young girl took it, a small fee
208
00:11:34,470 --> 00:11:36,110
for the noise keeping her awake.
209
00:11:36,860 --> 00:11:40,789
While she carefully crept
back up the stairs, she
210
00:11:40,809 --> 00:11:44,710
looked up and locked eyes
with me, and took in the
211
00:11:44,710 --> 00:11:47,020
beauty of the old chandelier.
212
00:11:50,559 --> 00:11:53,659
This child with her
stolen pastry could
213
00:11:53,659 --> 00:11:55,490
just barely see them.
214
00:11:55,640 --> 00:11:55,860
[dramatic classical music]
215
00:11:58,860 --> 00:12:00,060
Yes, the fish!
216
00:12:00,570 --> 00:12:05,270
Small moving shapes of orange
and gold inside a glowing
217
00:12:05,469 --> 00:12:08,829
globe suspended in the air
above oblivious adults.
218
00:12:12,709 --> 00:12:16,053
[dramatic classical music
repeats] I never saw her
219
00:12:16,053 --> 00:12:19,399
again, but I will never
forget how she noticed me.
220
00:12:20,490 --> 00:12:25,739
Next time you are out in a new
place, maybe a museum or a very
221
00:12:25,739 --> 00:12:31,630
old house or building, take a
moment and look all around you.
222
00:12:32,610 --> 00:12:36,600
Look at what is covering
the floor or what is
223
00:12:36,600 --> 00:12:37,919
hanging from the ceiling.
224
00:12:38,889 --> 00:12:42,769
You might just see something no
one else has noticed in a long
225
00:12:42,820 --> 00:12:48,409
time and make a gilded bronze
griffin feel special and seen.
226
00:12:48,409 --> 00:12:52,139
[Theme music begins]
227
00:12:52,139 --> 00:12:54,149
Host: I hope you enjoyed
learning about gilt
228
00:12:54,149 --> 00:12:55,899
bronze and dinner parties.
229
00:12:57,279 --> 00:13:00,079
Join us next time when
a very timely dragon
230
00:13:00,189 --> 00:13:01,739
drops into the studio.
231
00:13:02,239 --> 00:13:04,690
[deep growl] To see photographs
of the Galle chandelier
232
00:13:04,769 --> 00:13:07,479
and a recreation of what it
would’ve looked like with
233
00:13:07,509 --> 00:13:11,960
fish, visit our website at
Getty dot edu slash ioct.
234
00:13:14,119 --> 00:13:16,769
We’ve also got a listening
guide with discussion questions
235
00:13:16,939 --> 00:13:18,839
and related activities there.
236
00:13:19,519 --> 00:13:22,179
This episode was written
by Tocarra Elise and
237
00:13:22,180 --> 00:13:23,800
produced by Zoe Goldman.
238
00:13:24,569 --> 00:13:26,609
Ronnie Saxon voiced the griffin.
239
00:13:27,139 --> 00:13:30,659
Theme music, mixing, and sound
design by Alexandra Kalinowski.
240
00:13:31,379 --> 00:13:33,640
Christopher Sprinkle
is executive producer.
241
00:13:34,220 --> 00:13:37,109
Special thanks to curators
Anne-Lise Desmas and
242
00:13:37,110 --> 00:13:39,579
Miriam Schefzyk, as
well as Rebekkah Hart.
243
00:13:39,949 --> 00:13:42,009
These stories are
historical fiction.
244
00:13:42,199 --> 00:13:45,049
They’re based on historical
facts and deep research,
245
00:13:45,079 --> 00:13:47,889
but we’ve filled in the
gaps to make a good story.
246
00:13:48,519 --> 00:13:51,239
If you have questions about
what you’ve heard, write to us
247
00:13:51,239 --> 00:13:54,569
at podteam at getty dot edu.
248
00:13:55,069 --> 00:13:56,139
Catch you next time.