CIRCA 1745, IN THE MANNER OF JUSTE-AURLE MEISSONIER

These candelabra epitomize the organic exuberence of the Rococo taste championed by Juste-Aurle Meissonnier (c. 1693-1750). The boldly sculptural movement of his style is finely echoed in the viscuous, flower-dappled curves and scrolls of the Alexander candelabra, which are in turn based on one of Meissonnier's engraved designs, first published circa 1750 in Paris (D. Nyberg, Meissonnier: An Eighteenth-Century Maverick, New York, 1969, fol. 32, no. M/74). Meissonnier succeeded Brain in 1725 as architecte-dessinateur de la Chambre et du Cabinet du Roi, working as a silversmith, architect and designer. A related pair of candelabra was sold anonymously at Sotheby's London, 8 July 1983, lot 32.