CIRCA 1870

細節

A monumental Napoleon III ormolu, giltwood and breche marble chimney-piece
Circa 1870
The breakfront cornice centred by a ribbon-garlanded oval bas-relief depicting Diana and her greyhound, flanked by a pair of seated cherubs and with fluting and acanthus to each side, above a guilloche and rosette frieze, the fire surround with ribbon-tied laurel outer frieze, concave-sided fluted inner frieze and panelled back, flanked on each side by a laurel-festooned panelled and fluted pedestal surmounted by a life-size partially-nude maiden supporting a seven-branch acanthus candelabrum, with rectangular hearth surround, together with a foliate-pierced fire-basket and a pair of chenets, each modelled as a satyr and bacchante supporting a fruit-laden tazza, on scrolled base and toupie feet
117in. (297cm.) high; 104½in. (265cm.) wide; 22½in. (57cm.) deep; The figures: 81in. (205.7cm.) high

來源

Bequeathed to the Museo de Arte de Lima in 1960, a gift from Sra. Alicia Lastres de la Torre.

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END OF SALE

拍品專文

Until the introduction of electricity during the last quarter of the nineteenth century, the single source of heat in the salons of Europe's palaces would have come from a real fire or stove. It is to be expected then that the chimney-piece often became the focal part of a large room. Whilst no light can be shed on the Lastres de la Torre family, who bequeathed this chimney-piece to the Museo de Arte de Lima, its shear proportions and highly decorative nature, can only mean that it was once installed in a room of considerable size and grandeur.

A far less ornate chimney-piece, with half-length candelabra-bearing gilt-bronze figures, rather than full-length life-size figures as here, was sold Sotheby's New York, 10 May 2000, lot 217.