A PAIR OF LOUIS XVI ORMOLU THREE-BRANCH WALL-LIGHTS
A PAIR OF LOUIS XVI ORMOLU THREE-BRANCH WALL-LIGHTS

CIRCA 1775

Details
A PAIR OF LOUIS XVI ORMOLU THREE-BRANCH WALL-LIGHTS
Circa 1775
Each with fluted, tapering backplate in the form of Cupid's quiver with ring-handles and a quiverful of arrows, the florally-swagged waist above a berried acanthus and laurel boss, the scrolled acanthus capital issuing three reeded S-scroll branches with central stiff-leaf collar and chandelles, terminating in spirally-fluted drip-pans with cabochon and acanthus moulded collar and surmounted by a fluted urn-shaped nozzle, each inscribed in blue chalk 588A
22in. (57cm.) high; 14in (36.5cm.) wide (2)

Lot Essay

The design of these wall-lights is stylistically related to a drawing for a two-branch wall-light attributed to Richard de Lalonde, circa 1775, now in the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, (C. Bremer David, Decorative Arts, An Illustrated Summary Catalogue of the Collections of the J. Paul Getty Museum, Malibu, 1993, p. 180, fig. 304).

A set of six wall-lights very closely related to this drawing are also in the J. Paul Getty Museum (op. cit., p. 105, fig. 172). Another pair, even closer in design, at the chteau de Fontainebleau is illustrated J.P. Samoyault, Pendules et bronzes d'ameublement entrs sous le Premier Empire, Paris, 1989, p. 128, fig. 93.

Finally, a further related pair, also at Fontainebleau, share many of the overall characteristics of design with the present wall-lights, including the quiver of arrows (J.P. Samoyault, op. cit., p. 129, fig. 95). Dated circa 1785, these latter wall-lights were delivered by the bronzier Ravrio in 1805 for the dining-room at the Petit Trianon, the quiver of arrows presumably being considered appropriate decoration. They were moved in the same year to the Empress' dining room at Fontainebleau.

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