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Lot Essay
The present exceptional and large centrepiece has a basket on top intended for an arrangement of flowers. The dancing bacchante have a soft matt gilding known as dorure au mat. The matt-gilt ornaments are set against backgrounds which are deeply gilt and brilliantly burnished. This quality of gilding and the use of strong contrast in the finish, exemplified in Thomire’s carefully executed pieces, is typical of the Empire period.
Thomire was the most important Parisian manufacturer of gilt bronzes in the early 19th century. He trained as a sculptor under Houdon and was apprenticed to the ciseleur Pierre Gouthière. In 1776, he set up business and from 1783 worked at the Sèvres porcelain factory to provide ormolu mounts. He established a new bronze business under the name Thomire, Duterme et Cie in 1804, was entitled ciseleur de l’Empereur in 1809 and retired in 1823.
A slightly smaller centrepiece, lacking the removable candelabrum, is in the V & A Museum, London (M. 135-1929) and illustrated in H. Ottomeyer & P. Pröschel, Vergoldete Bronzen, Münich, 1989, II, p. 387, fig. 5.16.12. Compare also a candelabrum modelled with three dancing bacchantes, of the same size, which sold The Property of a Distinguished European Collection; Christie’s, London, 16 April 2014, lot 82 (£104,500)
Thomire was the most important Parisian manufacturer of gilt bronzes in the early 19th century. He trained as a sculptor under Houdon and was apprenticed to the ciseleur Pierre Gouthière. In 1776, he set up business and from 1783 worked at the Sèvres porcelain factory to provide ormolu mounts. He established a new bronze business under the name Thomire, Duterme et Cie in 1804, was entitled ciseleur de l’Empereur in 1809 and retired in 1823.
A slightly smaller centrepiece, lacking the removable candelabrum, is in the V & A Museum, London (M. 135-1929) and illustrated in H. Ottomeyer & P. Pröschel, Vergoldete Bronzen, Münich, 1989, II, p. 387, fig. 5.16.12. Compare also a candelabrum modelled with three dancing bacchantes, of the same size, which sold The Property of a Distinguished European Collection; Christie’s, London, 16 April 2014, lot 82 (£104,500)