.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
PIERRE PHILIPPE THOMIRE, CISELEUR DE L'EMPEREUR
This pair of campana urns is typical of the oeuvre of the greatest Empire bronzier-ciseleur, Pierre-Philippe Thomire (d. 1843). Thomire was born into a family of ciseleurs and initially worked for the renowned bronziers Pierre Gouthière (d. 1813) and Jean-Louis Prieur (d. c. 1790), ciseleur-doreur du roi, and quickly established a reputation for producing superbly chased ormolu, becoming maître fondeur-ciseleur in 1772. In 1776 he established his own atelier and as the strength of his reputation grew, it brought much valuable work (and capital), which in 1804 enabled him to purchase the business of Martin-Eloi Lignereux, marchand de dorure et meubles, at 41, rue Taitbout, and expand his atelier dramatically, employing as many as 800 workers. He was quick to adapt to the new severely classical design vocabulary of the Empire, and was undoubtedly influenced by the work of the acclaimed court architect-designers Charles Percier and Pierre Fontaine, who published a collection of their designs, Recueil de Décorations Intérieurs, in 1812. Thomire would have worked alongside them at court and is known to have produced work designed by the famous pairing, amongst whose many notable imperial commissions lies the design for the fauteuil du Trône, for the Salle du Trône at the Château de Saint-Cloud in 1804. In 1806 Thomire became the first bronzier to be allowed to exhibit at the Exposition Publique des Produits de l'Industrie, where he was awarded a gold medal. In recognition of his work at court Napoleon bestowed the title of Ciseleur de l'Empereur on Thomire in 1809. One of the most important objects Thomire supplied to Napoleon was the Vase du Marriage de l'Empereur, which was commissioned by Brongniart to commemorate Napoleon's second marriage, to Marie-Louise of Austria (d. 1847) in 1810. The campana form vase was mounted with a frieze designed by Henri-Victor Roguier (d. 1841) depicting the wedding party (J. Niclausse, Thomire, Paris, 1947, pl. 20).
THE DECORATION
This mode of antique decoration was favoured by Napoleon and his court as a means of displaying his power and majesty through symbolism and allegory, as well as of legitimising the new regime by comparison with the mighty Roman and Greek empires of the ancient world. The perfect neoclassical design of these vases is derived from antique prototypes, such as the monumental marble 1st Century AD Medici Vase in the collection of the Uffizi, Florence, and the 1st Century BC Borghese Vase in the collection of the Louvre, Paris; the latter having been purchased by Napoleon in 1808. Whilst the fashion for neoclassicism had flourished since the reign of Louis XVI, the new neoclassicism promoted by Napoleon was spare and much more archaeological in approach, implying a sense of permanence. The decorative repertoire and shape of the vases are largely inspired by the metal drinking vessels used at banquets from the fourth century BC onward. The theme of celebration is furthered by the Bacchic procession in relief, where maenads dance gaily to the sound of pipe music being played by the flanking youths sitting upon ram's masks. The ram symbolises Mars, the Roman god of war and the most prominent God in the religion of the Roman army. Father to the Roman people, Mars represented military war as a means of securing peace. The combination of the decorative repertoire, shape and symbols all allude to the celebration of revolution and a new era of bountiful freedom and peace in store for the supporters.
This pair of campana urns is typical of the oeuvre of the greatest Empire bronzier-ciseleur, Pierre-Philippe Thomire (d. 1843). Thomire was born into a family of ciseleurs and initially worked for the renowned bronziers Pierre Gouthière (d. 1813) and Jean-Louis Prieur (d. c. 1790), ciseleur-doreur du roi, and quickly established a reputation for producing superbly chased ormolu, becoming maître fondeur-ciseleur in 1772. In 1776 he established his own atelier and as the strength of his reputation grew, it brought much valuable work (and capital), which in 1804 enabled him to purchase the business of Martin-Eloi Lignereux, marchand de dorure et meubles, at 41, rue Taitbout, and expand his atelier dramatically, employing as many as 800 workers. He was quick to adapt to the new severely classical design vocabulary of the Empire, and was undoubtedly influenced by the work of the acclaimed court architect-designers Charles Percier and Pierre Fontaine, who published a collection of their designs, Recueil de Décorations Intérieurs, in 1812. Thomire would have worked alongside them at court and is known to have produced work designed by the famous pairing, amongst whose many notable imperial commissions lies the design for the fauteuil du Trône, for the Salle du Trône at the Château de Saint-Cloud in 1804. In 1806 Thomire became the first bronzier to be allowed to exhibit at the Exposition Publique des Produits de l'Industrie, where he was awarded a gold medal. In recognition of his work at court Napoleon bestowed the title of Ciseleur de l'Empereur on Thomire in 1809. One of the most important objects Thomire supplied to Napoleon was the Vase du Marriage de l'Empereur, which was commissioned by Brongniart to commemorate Napoleon's second marriage, to Marie-Louise of Austria (d. 1847) in 1810. The campana form vase was mounted with a frieze designed by Henri-Victor Roguier (d. 1841) depicting the wedding party (J. Niclausse, Thomire, Paris, 1947, pl. 20).
THE DECORATION
This mode of antique decoration was favoured by Napoleon and his court as a means of displaying his power and majesty through symbolism and allegory, as well as of legitimising the new regime by comparison with the mighty Roman and Greek empires of the ancient world. The perfect neoclassical design of these vases is derived from antique prototypes, such as the monumental marble 1st Century AD Medici Vase in the collection of the Uffizi, Florence, and the 1st Century BC Borghese Vase in the collection of the Louvre, Paris; the latter having been purchased by Napoleon in 1808. Whilst the fashion for neoclassicism had flourished since the reign of Louis XVI, the new neoclassicism promoted by Napoleon was spare and much more archaeological in approach, implying a sense of permanence. The decorative repertoire and shape of the vases are largely inspired by the metal drinking vessels used at banquets from the fourth century BC onward. The theme of celebration is furthered by the Bacchic procession in relief, where maenads dance gaily to the sound of pipe music being played by the flanking youths sitting upon ram's masks. The ram symbolises Mars, the Roman god of war and the most prominent God in the religion of the Roman army. Father to the Roman people, Mars represented military war as a means of securing peace. The combination of the decorative repertoire, shape and symbols all allude to the celebration of revolution and a new era of bountiful freedom and peace in store for the supporters.