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UN HÔTEL PARTICULIER PARISIEN DÉCORÉ PAR FRANÇOIS-JOSEPH GRAF
LUSTRE JAPONISANT D'ÉPOQUE NAPOLÉON III
ATTRIBUÉ À FERDINAND BARBEDIENNE, VERS 1870
Details
LUSTRE JAPONISANT D'ÉPOQUE NAPOLÉON III
ATTRIBUÉ À FERDINAND BARBEDIENNE, VERS 1870
En bronze ciselé, doré et émaillé, à vingt-quatre bras de lumière, sommé d'une architecture de pagode à clochettes retenant une galerie ornée de pheonix et une lanterne à pans coupés à décor de fleurs de prunus sur fond émaillé bleu et de treillages ajourés, les bras de lumière retenus par des chaines agrémentées de médaillons en émaux cloisonnés et formant des branchages fleuris au naturel, ornés de médaillons assortis et pendentifs simulant de la passementerie, monté à l'électricité
H. 300 cm. (118 in.) ; D. 105 cm. (41 ¼ in.)
ATTRIBUÉ À FERDINAND BARBEDIENNE, VERS 1870
En bronze ciselé, doré et émaillé, à vingt-quatre bras de lumière, sommé d'une architecture de pagode à clochettes retenant une galerie ornée de pheonix et une lanterne à pans coupés à décor de fleurs de prunus sur fond émaillé bleu et de treillages ajourés, les bras de lumière retenus par des chaines agrémentées de médaillons en émaux cloisonnés et formant des branchages fleuris au naturel, ornés de médaillons assortis et pendentifs simulant de la passementerie, monté à l'électricité
H. 300 cm. (118 in.) ; D. 105 cm. (41 ¼ in.)
Provenance
Un hôtel particulier parisien décoré par François-Joseph Graf.
Literature
Bibliographie comparative :
V. Champier, Revue des Arts Décoratifs, Neuvième année, 1888-89, tome IX, Paris, 1889, pp. 161-176.
J. B. Waring, Masterpieces of Industrial Art & Sculpture at the International Exhibition, vol. I, 1862, pl. 139.
H. Bayou, H. & G. Béguin, Le Musée chinois et les salons de l'impératrice Eugénie, Paris, 1991.
V. Champier, Revue des Arts Décoratifs, Neuvième année, 1888-89, tome IX, Paris, 1889, pp. 161-176.
J. B. Waring, Masterpieces of Industrial Art & Sculpture at the International Exhibition, vol. I, 1862, pl. 139.
H. Bayou, H. & G. Béguin, Le Musée chinois et les salons de l'impératrice Eugénie, Paris, 1991.
Further Details
A 'JAPONISME' ORMOLU AND ENAMEL CHANDELIER, ATTRIBUTED TO FERDINAND BARBEDIENNE, CIRCA 1870
The Second Empire in France saw a great resurgence of interest in China and specifically cloisonné enamel works, fuelled in large part by Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie. Following the 1860 French imperial campagne de Chine, immense caches of enamels were placed on public display at the Tuileries alongside Chinese porcelain, cloisonné enamel, jade, parade arms and armour and temple garnitures, all of which had been plundered from the Summer Palace (Yuanming Yuan), Beijing.
In appreciate of Eugénie’s support of the French forces, a share of the collection had always been intended as a gift to the Empress and following the public exhibition works personally selected by Eugenie were subsequently housed in what would become the Museé Chinois at Fontainebleau. Shortly thereafter the Emperor and Empress remodelled Fontainebleau with furnishings by celebrated French artisans and bronziers in the Chinese taste supplied by French makers in order for the rooms to complement the exhibits.
Continuing in the tradition of the marchands merciers of the 18th century, these French makers not only created works in the Chinese manner but also repurposed Chinese objects further adorning with bronze mounts of their own creation. In doing so these designers created a constructed view of the East, an amalgamation of Eastern and Western influences, which anticipated the organic forms of Art Nouveau and Aestheticism.
ATTRIBUTION TO FERDINAND BARBEDIENNE
The chief among these artisans was Ferdinand Barbedienne, who notably adapted the cover of a Qianlong incense burner and an Kangxi vase (both spoils from the Summer Palace) in order to create a three-metre high chandelier of lantern-form with swirling ormolu candle arms (Fontainebleau inv. F. 1324 C).
The present chandelier is almost certainly a derivative of this original franco-chinoise creation, created at the height of the taste for exotism in the third quarter of the 19th century. Clear parallels can be seen in the multi-tier form, including the square canopy with domed corona and spiralling candle arms. Creating a chinoiserie language of his own, the present chandelier further recalls motifs found on two extant chandeliers created by Barbedienne; one sold Christie’s, London, 15 July 2020, lot 292 and a similar three-tiered example preserved in a private American collection. Both chandeliers, signed by Barbedienne, preserve his signature chinoiserie language, such as the presence of hanging shou roundels linked by stylized chains, graduated nesting bells, flower-blossom candle arms and tear-form drops.
Being the pre-eminent manufacture de bronzes d’art in Paris, Barbedienne employed the finest craftsmen and draughtsmen to produce outstanding objects, many incorporating designs drawn from the far east. Though the present chandelier's design has not been directly attributed, the fondeur's longtime collaborator, Louis-Constant Sévin, worked as chief designer for 23 years from 1855 and created the most varied and innovative objects for Barbedienne’s awe-inspiring displays at the international exhibitions. Specialising in fine enamel works, Sévin was responsible for the firm’s most prestigious commissions, including a pair of magnificent red-ground middle-eastern inspired vases (illustrated V. Champier, Revue des Arts Décoratifs, Neuvième année, 1888-89, Paris, pp.164-5) and a pair of blue-ground 'Neo-Grec' vases displayed at the 1862 London International Exhibition (illustrated in J.B. Waring, Masterpieces of industrial art & sculpture at the International exhibition, 1862, vol.1, plate 139).
The Second Empire in France saw a great resurgence of interest in China and specifically cloisonné enamel works, fuelled in large part by Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie. Following the 1860 French imperial campagne de Chine, immense caches of enamels were placed on public display at the Tuileries alongside Chinese porcelain, cloisonné enamel, jade, parade arms and armour and temple garnitures, all of which had been plundered from the Summer Palace (Yuanming Yuan), Beijing.
In appreciate of Eugénie’s support of the French forces, a share of the collection had always been intended as a gift to the Empress and following the public exhibition works personally selected by Eugenie were subsequently housed in what would become the Museé Chinois at Fontainebleau. Shortly thereafter the Emperor and Empress remodelled Fontainebleau with furnishings by celebrated French artisans and bronziers in the Chinese taste supplied by French makers in order for the rooms to complement the exhibits.
Continuing in the tradition of the marchands merciers of the 18th century, these French makers not only created works in the Chinese manner but also repurposed Chinese objects further adorning with bronze mounts of their own creation. In doing so these designers created a constructed view of the East, an amalgamation of Eastern and Western influences, which anticipated the organic forms of Art Nouveau and Aestheticism.
ATTRIBUTION TO FERDINAND BARBEDIENNE
The chief among these artisans was Ferdinand Barbedienne, who notably adapted the cover of a Qianlong incense burner and an Kangxi vase (both spoils from the Summer Palace) in order to create a three-metre high chandelier of lantern-form with swirling ormolu candle arms (Fontainebleau inv. F. 1324 C).
The present chandelier is almost certainly a derivative of this original franco-chinoise creation, created at the height of the taste for exotism in the third quarter of the 19th century. Clear parallels can be seen in the multi-tier form, including the square canopy with domed corona and spiralling candle arms. Creating a chinoiserie language of his own, the present chandelier further recalls motifs found on two extant chandeliers created by Barbedienne; one sold Christie’s, London, 15 July 2020, lot 292 and a similar three-tiered example preserved in a private American collection. Both chandeliers, signed by Barbedienne, preserve his signature chinoiserie language, such as the presence of hanging shou roundels linked by stylized chains, graduated nesting bells, flower-blossom candle arms and tear-form drops.
Being the pre-eminent manufacture de bronzes d’art in Paris, Barbedienne employed the finest craftsmen and draughtsmen to produce outstanding objects, many incorporating designs drawn from the far east. Though the present chandelier's design has not been directly attributed, the fondeur's longtime collaborator, Louis-Constant Sévin, worked as chief designer for 23 years from 1855 and created the most varied and innovative objects for Barbedienne’s awe-inspiring displays at the international exhibitions. Specialising in fine enamel works, Sévin was responsible for the firm’s most prestigious commissions, including a pair of magnificent red-ground middle-eastern inspired vases (illustrated V. Champier, Revue des Arts Décoratifs, Neuvième année, 1888-89, Paris, pp.164-5) and a pair of blue-ground 'Neo-Grec' vases displayed at the 1862 London International Exhibition (illustrated in J.B. Waring, Masterpieces of industrial art & sculpture at the International exhibition, 1862, vol.1, plate 139).
Presentado por
Hippolyte de la Féronnière
Head of European Furniture Department