LARGE PAIR OF NEO-GREC STYLE BRONZE CANDELIERS, 19th century

A pair of ormolu and patinated bronze candelabra with a rich décor of busts and mythical creatures drawn from the medieval bestiary in a neo-Greek taste. The base of each candelabra is adorned with chimeras and openwork foliage in gilded bronze, above three claw feet. It is surmounted by a bust of a woman wearing an antique hairstyle and crowned with acorns. The fluted shaft supports 5 finely chased oval candleholders, topped by a heron. The decoration on these antique candlesticks is typical of the neo-Greek taste that spread throughout France in the mid-19th century.

Neo-Greek style in the 19th century

In the decorative arts of the mid-19th century, the Neo-Greek style was based on the repertoire of Greco-Roman ornamentation, combining motifs drawn from Greek vase painting and repetitive architectural motifs such as hymns, palmettes and Greek keys with elements of Louis XVI style. The Greek Revival style can be identified by the frequent use of isolated motifs of classical heads and figures, masks, winged griffins, sea serpents, urns... This eclectic style is abstract, polychrome and sometimes strange. The color harmonies typical of "Neo-Greek" were rich and harsh: black patterns and contours against Pompeian red, gold combined with a black patina, as in this pair of candlesticks we're offering. Our pair of candlesticks can be compared with the work of George Emile Servant (1828-1890), who specialized in Neo-Greek bronzes and clocks at the same time.

Circa: 1850

Dim: W:26cm, D:26cm, H:80cm

 

Condition report: in very good condition, with micro-scratches on the bronze.