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拍品专文
These remarkable tripod torchères, clearly based upon Roman forms and ornament, reflect the Neoclassical style first popularized in the 1750's by the architect James 'Athenian' Stuart (1713-1788) and continued with much greater acclaim by his rival, the Scottish architect-designer, Robert Adam (d.1792). His surviving designs include several for torchères, one of which almost certainly inspired the present pair. Interestingly, this design is clearly indebted to a French contemporary, P. Filipart, whose design La Vertueuse Athnienne published in 1765, also features bacchic masks and a coiled snake.
Adam collaborated with the pre-eminent cabinet-makers of his era, most notably Thomas Chippendale, who supplied the interior furnishings for many of Adam's most celebrated commissions. Related torchère stands executed by Chippendale for Adam interiors include those supplied for the drawing room at Osterley Park. Adam also worked less frequently with the Golden Square cabinet-makers John Mayhew (d. 1811) and William Ince (d.1804). Their documented work provides the strongest link to this pair of torchères and includes a related padouk tripod stand for the Earl of Coventry's London home, Coventry House or his principal seat, Croome Court, in Worcestershire (A. Coleridge, 'English furniture supplied for Croome Court: Robert Adam and the 6th Earl of Coventry', Apollo, February 2000, p. 10, fig. 3). However, a set of four torchères supplied by Mayhew and Ince in 1772 to the 3rd Earl of Kerry for Portman Square, are the closest version; two from this set were sold from the property of the Isobel Goldsmith-Patino Family, Christie's, London, 7 June 2007, lot 30. Interestingly, this set of torchères was supplied independently of Adam which suggests that Mayhew and Ince were using Adam's designs as a template for their own work; it is certainly possible that the present pair of torchères were a pared down version of this commission for an as yet unknown patron.
ERIC MOLLER
The celebrated collection of English furniture formed by Eric Moller (d.1988) was one of several formed in the 1940's and 1950's under the expert, almost mythical, guidance of the furniture historian R. W. Symonds. Moller's collection formed the basis of Symonds' 1955 book Furniture Making in 17th and 18th Century England which became a benchmark reference for English furniture scholars. A large proportion of Moller's collection at Thorncombe Park in Surrey, the historic home he purchased in 1943 which prompted his start as a collector, was sold at Sotheby's London, 18 November 1993.
Adam collaborated with the pre-eminent cabinet-makers of his era, most notably Thomas Chippendale, who supplied the interior furnishings for many of Adam's most celebrated commissions. Related torchère stands executed by Chippendale for Adam interiors include those supplied for the drawing room at Osterley Park. Adam also worked less frequently with the Golden Square cabinet-makers John Mayhew (d. 1811) and William Ince (d.1804). Their documented work provides the strongest link to this pair of torchères and includes a related padouk tripod stand for the Earl of Coventry's London home, Coventry House or his principal seat, Croome Court, in Worcestershire (A. Coleridge, 'English furniture supplied for Croome Court: Robert Adam and the 6th Earl of Coventry', Apollo, February 2000, p. 10, fig. 3). However, a set of four torchères supplied by Mayhew and Ince in 1772 to the 3rd Earl of Kerry for Portman Square, are the closest version; two from this set were sold from the property of the Isobel Goldsmith-Patino Family, Christie's, London, 7 June 2007, lot 30. Interestingly, this set of torchères was supplied independently of Adam which suggests that Mayhew and Ince were using Adam's designs as a template for their own work; it is certainly possible that the present pair of torchères were a pared down version of this commission for an as yet unknown patron.
ERIC MOLLER
The celebrated collection of English furniture formed by Eric Moller (d.1988) was one of several formed in the 1940's and 1950's under the expert, almost mythical, guidance of the furniture historian R. W. Symonds. Moller's collection formed the basis of Symonds' 1955 book Furniture Making in 17th and 18th Century England which became a benchmark reference for English furniture scholars. A large proportion of Moller's collection at Thorncombe Park in Surrey, the historic home he purchased in 1943 which prompted his start as a collector, was sold at Sotheby's London, 18 November 1993.