SECOND HALF 19TH CENTURY, POSSIBLY BY ALFRED BEURDELEY

These wall lights are based on a model made by Pierre Gouthière after wax models by François-Joseph Bélanger for the duchesse de Mazarin in 1781. The sale of her collection on 10-15 December 1781 included one such pair described as being 'par Goutthier'. A wall-light of this model but lacking the ribbon-tied upper section, which is in the J. Paul Getty Museum, Malibu, is illustrated in H. Ottmeyer, P. Pröschel et al., Vergoldete Bronzen, Munich, 1986, vol. I, p.243, fig. 4.5.12. A pair of Louis XVI wall-lights of the same design were sold anonymously, Christie's London; 12 April 1984, lot 83. Copies of this design were made by both Beurdeley and Dasson in the 19th century and the quality of the present example would suggest that they are very possibly by one of them. A pair executed by Henry Dasson is illustrated Ottomeyer, Pröschel, op. cit., p. 425, fig.6.3.13. This model was previously sold anonymously, Christie's, London, 1 May 1984, lot 202.

Alfred Beurdeley (d. 1919) specialised in producing the most luxurious articles of the highest quality and was pre-eminent among the Parisian bronziers, especially for the refinement of his ormolu, which was considered the best in Paris. He used only the most magnificent models, taking as his reference articles from the Garde-Meuble National, which incorporated the remaining collections from the former Royal Palaces. Beurdeley exhibited at the major International Exhibitions, such as Paris in 1878 and Amsterdam in 1883, and was awarded the médaille d'or at the Paris Exposition Universelle of 1889.