| |
A very fine Empire gilt bronze and cut glass twelve-light chandelier, the circular corona surmounted by palm-shaped finials suspending swagged cut-glass drops to the panelled gilt ring with palmette and rosette mounts surmounted by finials and issuing twelve fluted scroll branches with vase-shaped nozzles and circular drip-pans suspending swagged drops and pendants, above rings of graduating tiered pendants terminating a ring of pendants drops.
Paris, date circa 1815
Height 132cm
Literature: Léon Groër, “Les Arts Decoratifs de 1790 à 1850, p. 259, pl. 483,
Illustrating a very similar early nineteenth century twelve-light chandelier hanging in Hombourg Castle, Hesse; and p. 257, pl. 480, illustrating another comparable eighteen-light chandelier delivered in April 1810 by Ladouèpe de Fougerais, proprietor of Christallerie de Mont-Cenis fot the cabinet de L’Empereur, Musée du Château de Versailles, Grand Trianon.
This handsone chandelier typifies examples from the Empire period, comparing with those cited above as well as one featured in a watercolour design by Antoine-André Ravrio, 1810 (Musée des Arts Decoratifs; illustrated in Hans Ottomeyer and Peter Pröschel, “Vergoldete
Bronzen”, 1986, p. 358, pl. 5.11.2), which features the same overall design as here including the surmounting palm-shaped finials, a similar cast ring, scrolled branches and pendant drops below but with the addition of winged putti and a more ornamental interior fitting. Another
Design for a similar Ravrio chandelier, circa 1810 (illustrated in Hans Ottomeyer and Peter Pröschel, “Vergoldete Bronzen”, 1986, p. 358, pl. 5.11.3) feature the same overall style and form but with additional winged lion branches. In 1813 Jean-François Chaumont delivered a comparable thirty light chandelier to the Palais de Monte-Cavallo, which is now in the Grand Trianon, Paris.
|
|
/images/left.gif){kind=small}
