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Lot Essay
Philippe Caffiri, matre-sculpteur in 1754
This important pair of got grec wall-lights is identical to a number of pairs executed as part of a large commission by the sculpteur et ciseleur ordinaire du Roy Philippe Caffiri (1714-1774) for Stanislas-August Poniatowski, King of Poland. They are also identical to a set of six wall-lights, one with a drip-pan signed by Caffiri, in the J. Paul Getty Museum, Malibu, which according to G. Wilson and A. Sassoon was probably en suite with the Alexander pair at one time (ibid, p. 104, no. 170).
CAFFIERI AND THE POLISH ROYAL COMMISSION
Upon his election to the Polish throne in 1764, Stanislas-August initiated an extensive program of renovation and modernization at the Royal palace in Warsaw. With the help of the French architect Victor Louis and the influential amateur Madame Geoffrin, he proceeded to furnish the palace in the latest got grec style. Acquisitions were made in Paris in 1764 by the King's agent Casimir Czempinski. Entrusted with a mission to purchase only the most fashionable items, Czempinski conscientiously reported to the King that dans tous les achats que je fais, je donne la prfrence au bel antique, au Grec dcid' (S. Lorentz, 'Victor Louis et Varsovie, Revue Historique de Bordeaux et du dpartement de la Gironde, January-March 1958, p. 9). Among the celebrated artisans contracted for the scheme were the goldsmith Franois-Thomas Germain, the painter Jean Pillement, the matre-sculpteur Louis Prieur and Philippe Caffiri. Prieur and Caffiri seem to have received the largest share of the commission for ornamental bronzes such as clocks, fire-dogs, barometers, and wall-lights delivered between 1766 and the early 1770s.
Victor Louis was not only responsible for the architectural aspect of the project, but also acted as the main liaison with the Parisian suppliers of decorative objects, fine textiles and furnishings for the palace, sending their designs to Warsaw at the King's request. In a letter adressed to his friend Mme Geoffrin on February 3, 1766, the King clearly specified that 'j'ai xig que Louis ne fasse rien excuter sans m'avoir pralablement envoy des dessins.' (Lorentz, op. cit., p. 16). A drawing signed by Caffiri for this model in the University Library, Warsaw, was amongst the presentation drawings sent to Warsaw for approval. It is inscribed Invent Et execut par P. Caffieri Sculpteur Et Ziseleur Du Roy A paris 1768 and qui doit etre plac Ulyazdw dans la and Bras pour la Salle d'Ulyaz dw, indicating that each commissioned piece had a very specific destination, and that Caffiri is undoubtedly the author as well as the executor of this distinctive model.
According to the correspondence exchanged between Caffiri and Stanislas-August Poniatowski on March 19, 1768, nineteen pairs of wall-lights, presumably all of this model but in various sizes, were supplied to the Polish Royal household. Only nine of these wall-lights still survive at Lazienski Palace. They were described as:- 'Douze paires de bras trois branches trs orns de Guirlandes et de Lauriers montant ensemble douze mille Livres. 12 000' and 'Plus sept autres paires de bras, moins grands, aussi branches pour appareiller ceux que vous m'avez ordonn, prix convenu 830 livres la paire montant ensemble 5 910.'
Based on an inventory of the Royal palace drawn up in 1770, it appears that the first group of twelve had patinated bronze elements, comprising both the urn and ribbons. They were listed as follows:-
'Douze autres paires de Bras trois branches d'un trs beau modle sur lequel il y a des Vases couleur de bronze brune avec une draperie de la mme couleur la verte et trs bien cisel et dor d'or moulu,' of which 'cinq paires de ces bras son (sic) dans la chambre d'audience quatre paires dans la chambre coucher de Sa Majest et trois dans la Garderobe.'
It is noteworthy that this inventory also lists a group of twelve smaller wall-lights in the same vein but with no reference to patinated bronze elements, which points to the conclusion that seven more were probaly delivered on top of the five originally mentioned in Caffiri's 1768 letter. They were recorded as:-
'Douze autres paires des Bras moins grands trois branches avec des vases dors, ils sont trs bien cisel et dor d'or moulu. Six paires de ces bras sont dans la Chambre de Marbre, quatre dans la Chambre de Seigneurs prs de la Chapelle et deux chez M. J. Mniszek' (Quoted in M. W. Przewozna, "Bronzearbeiten ' la Grecque'-die Bestellungen des Warschauer Hofes in den Jahren 1766-1788," H. Ottomeyer/P. Prschel et al., Vergoldete Bronzen, Munich, 1986, vol. II, p. 560).
THE RANDON DE BOISSET AND DUC D'AUMONT SALES
The presence of a set of four wall-lights of this model with patinated bronze elements and attributed to Caffri in the famous Randon de Boisset collection and the fact that this model was also listed in Caffiri's stock inventory taken in 1770 (une paire de grands bras trois branches en couleur avec des grandes Guirlandes de laurier agraphes dans les rouleaux des branches et noues d'une draperie en noir de fume avec un Vase dont le corps est aussi en noir de fume, (S. Eriksen, Early Neo-Classicism in France, London, 1974, p. 281, no. 94) suggest that this model was either not exclusively produced for the Royal Polish household, or that not all of the commissioned pieces were in fact delivered to Warsaw.
The wall-lights were described in the 1777 Randon de Boisset auction catalogue under lots 848 and 849 as:-
Bras de bronze dor.
848 Une forte paire de bras trois branches ornes de sept festons de guirlandes feuilles de laurier, le corps de chaque bras est en forme de pilastre avec une spce de cornet d'abondance soutenant le chapiteau sur lequel est un vase couleur de bronze avec ornements dors, sur le pilastre sont trois plates-bandes montantes entrelacs oves se terminant en rouleau rinceau d'ornement d'o sort chaque bobche; ces plate-bandes sont lies par des rubans couleur de bronze qui s'levant parderrire prsentent un noeud qui parot soutenir le bras.
Cette paire de bras & celle suivante sont riches & d'un bon genre; on les prsume de Caffieri.
849 Une paire de bras trois branches de mme force & du mme modle que la prcdente.
This description conforms almost identically to the set at Lazienski Palace, save for a minor discrepancy in the number of laurel swags as there appears to be only five on the Polish (and Alexander) sets. This could, however, be a cataloguing error.
Both lots were purchased by the duc d'Aumont for 1,300 livres 19 sols and 1,302 livres 19 sols respectively. They were later resold with the rest of his collection in 1782, catalogued as lots 357 and 358, reusing the same description but specifying that 'ils ont t faits par M. Caffiri; ils viennent de M. de Boisset.' Each pair was acquired for 1,000 livres, the first one by the Marquis de Colanges and the other by one Colin.
While the Alexander and Getty sets so nearly match the Randon de Boisset/Aumont descriptions - albeit with no patinated bronze elements and apart from the question over the number of laural swags - it has not been possible to determine the subsequent provenance of either pair conclusively.
A set of four smaller wall-lights, closely related to the Alexander model, almost certainly part of the Royal Polish Commission and recorded in the 1770 inventory, was sold from the collection of Henry Francis Du Pont in these Rooms, 14 October, 1994, lot 224.
This important pair of got grec wall-lights is identical to a number of pairs executed as part of a large commission by the sculpteur et ciseleur ordinaire du Roy Philippe Caffiri (1714-1774) for Stanislas-August Poniatowski, King of Poland. They are also identical to a set of six wall-lights, one with a drip-pan signed by Caffiri, in the J. Paul Getty Museum, Malibu, which according to G. Wilson and A. Sassoon was probably en suite with the Alexander pair at one time (ibid, p. 104, no. 170).
CAFFIERI AND THE POLISH ROYAL COMMISSION
Upon his election to the Polish throne in 1764, Stanislas-August initiated an extensive program of renovation and modernization at the Royal palace in Warsaw. With the help of the French architect Victor Louis and the influential amateur Madame Geoffrin, he proceeded to furnish the palace in the latest got grec style. Acquisitions were made in Paris in 1764 by the King's agent Casimir Czempinski. Entrusted with a mission to purchase only the most fashionable items, Czempinski conscientiously reported to the King that dans tous les achats que je fais, je donne la prfrence au bel antique, au Grec dcid' (S. Lorentz, 'Victor Louis et Varsovie, Revue Historique de Bordeaux et du dpartement de la Gironde, January-March 1958, p. 9). Among the celebrated artisans contracted for the scheme were the goldsmith Franois-Thomas Germain, the painter Jean Pillement, the matre-sculpteur Louis Prieur and Philippe Caffiri. Prieur and Caffiri seem to have received the largest share of the commission for ornamental bronzes such as clocks, fire-dogs, barometers, and wall-lights delivered between 1766 and the early 1770s.
Victor Louis was not only responsible for the architectural aspect of the project, but also acted as the main liaison with the Parisian suppliers of decorative objects, fine textiles and furnishings for the palace, sending their designs to Warsaw at the King's request. In a letter adressed to his friend Mme Geoffrin on February 3, 1766, the King clearly specified that 'j'ai xig que Louis ne fasse rien excuter sans m'avoir pralablement envoy des dessins.' (Lorentz, op. cit., p. 16). A drawing signed by Caffiri for this model in the University Library, Warsaw, was amongst the presentation drawings sent to Warsaw for approval. It is inscribed Invent Et execut par P. Caffieri Sculpteur Et Ziseleur Du Roy A paris 1768 and qui doit etre plac Ulyazdw dans la and Bras pour la Salle d'Ulyaz dw, indicating that each commissioned piece had a very specific destination, and that Caffiri is undoubtedly the author as well as the executor of this distinctive model.
According to the correspondence exchanged between Caffiri and Stanislas-August Poniatowski on March 19, 1768, nineteen pairs of wall-lights, presumably all of this model but in various sizes, were supplied to the Polish Royal household. Only nine of these wall-lights still survive at Lazienski Palace. They were described as:- 'Douze paires de bras trois branches trs orns de Guirlandes et de Lauriers montant ensemble douze mille Livres. 12 000' and 'Plus sept autres paires de bras, moins grands, aussi branches pour appareiller ceux que vous m'avez ordonn, prix convenu 830 livres la paire montant ensemble 5 910.'
Based on an inventory of the Royal palace drawn up in 1770, it appears that the first group of twelve had patinated bronze elements, comprising both the urn and ribbons. They were listed as follows:-
'Douze autres paires de Bras trois branches d'un trs beau modle sur lequel il y a des Vases couleur de bronze brune avec une draperie de la mme couleur la verte et trs bien cisel et dor d'or moulu,' of which 'cinq paires de ces bras son (sic) dans la chambre d'audience quatre paires dans la chambre coucher de Sa Majest et trois dans la Garderobe.'
It is noteworthy that this inventory also lists a group of twelve smaller wall-lights in the same vein but with no reference to patinated bronze elements, which points to the conclusion that seven more were probaly delivered on top of the five originally mentioned in Caffiri's 1768 letter. They were recorded as:-
'Douze autres paires des Bras moins grands trois branches avec des vases dors, ils sont trs bien cisel et dor d'or moulu. Six paires de ces bras sont dans la Chambre de Marbre, quatre dans la Chambre de Seigneurs prs de la Chapelle et deux chez M. J. Mniszek' (Quoted in M. W. Przewozna, "Bronzearbeiten ' la Grecque'-die Bestellungen des Warschauer Hofes in den Jahren 1766-1788," H. Ottomeyer/P. Prschel et al., Vergoldete Bronzen, Munich, 1986, vol. II, p. 560).
THE RANDON DE BOISSET AND DUC D'AUMONT SALES
The presence of a set of four wall-lights of this model with patinated bronze elements and attributed to Caffri in the famous Randon de Boisset collection and the fact that this model was also listed in Caffiri's stock inventory taken in 1770 (une paire de grands bras trois branches en couleur avec des grandes Guirlandes de laurier agraphes dans les rouleaux des branches et noues d'une draperie en noir de fume avec un Vase dont le corps est aussi en noir de fume, (S. Eriksen, Early Neo-Classicism in France, London, 1974, p. 281, no. 94) suggest that this model was either not exclusively produced for the Royal Polish household, or that not all of the commissioned pieces were in fact delivered to Warsaw.
The wall-lights were described in the 1777 Randon de Boisset auction catalogue under lots 848 and 849 as:-
Bras de bronze dor.
848 Une forte paire de bras trois branches ornes de sept festons de guirlandes feuilles de laurier, le corps de chaque bras est en forme de pilastre avec une spce de cornet d'abondance soutenant le chapiteau sur lequel est un vase couleur de bronze avec ornements dors, sur le pilastre sont trois plates-bandes montantes entrelacs oves se terminant en rouleau rinceau d'ornement d'o sort chaque bobche; ces plate-bandes sont lies par des rubans couleur de bronze qui s'levant parderrire prsentent un noeud qui parot soutenir le bras.
Cette paire de bras & celle suivante sont riches & d'un bon genre; on les prsume de Caffieri.
849 Une paire de bras trois branches de mme force & du mme modle que la prcdente.
This description conforms almost identically to the set at Lazienski Palace, save for a minor discrepancy in the number of laurel swags as there appears to be only five on the Polish (and Alexander) sets. This could, however, be a cataloguing error.
Both lots were purchased by the duc d'Aumont for 1,300 livres 19 sols and 1,302 livres 19 sols respectively. They were later resold with the rest of his collection in 1782, catalogued as lots 357 and 358, reusing the same description but specifying that 'ils ont t faits par M. Caffiri; ils viennent de M. de Boisset.' Each pair was acquired for 1,000 livres, the first one by the Marquis de Colanges and the other by one Colin.
While the Alexander and Getty sets so nearly match the Randon de Boisset/Aumont descriptions - albeit with no patinated bronze elements and apart from the question over the number of laural swags - it has not been possible to determine the subsequent provenance of either pair conclusively.
A set of four smaller wall-lights, closely related to the Alexander model, almost certainly part of the Royal Polish Commission and recorded in the 1770 inventory, was sold from the collection of Henry Francis Du Pont in these Rooms, 14 October, 1994, lot 224.