.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
Because the present two male busts face in the same direction they were almost certainly part of a larger set where the corresponding busts facing in the opposite direction have been lost. The diadem worn by each suggests that they represent Fire and Air, the former because of the salamander which was thought to be impervious to fire, and the latter because of the wings signifying flight. The other elements would have represented Earth and Water.
The facial type evident here, of round form and with large, wide-set eyes, is typical of French sculptors working for the court at Versailles. Louis XIV's reign saw a blossoming of the arts and the building programme centred around the palace of Versailles provided work for a large number of sculptors. They were employed to decorate stairwells, balustrades and stucco ceilings, as well as execute an extensive number of fountains, vases and free-standing statues for the formal gardens. The work of artists such as Benoit Massou (1633-1684), Pierre Le Gros the Elder (1629-1714) and Jean Cornu (1650-1710) all display similarities to the present busts.
The facial type evident here, of round form and with large, wide-set eyes, is typical of French sculptors working for the court at Versailles. Louis XIV's reign saw a blossoming of the arts and the building programme centred around the palace of Versailles provided work for a large number of sculptors. They were employed to decorate stairwells, balustrades and stucco ceilings, as well as execute an extensive number of fountains, vases and free-standing statues for the formal gardens. The work of artists such as Benoit Massou (1633-1684), Pierre Le Gros the Elder (1629-1714) and Jean Cornu (1650-1710) all display similarities to the present busts.