CIRCA 1805, THE FIGURAL BASE MOUNTS LATER

The superb quality of this majestic candelabrum, featuring a winged figure of Victory holding aloft torch-form candle-holders, points to the work of an accomplished bronzier. It derives from a celebrated drawing by Charles Percier, now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (illustrated in H. Ottomeyer, P. Pröschel et al., Vergoldete Bronzen, Munich, 1986, vol. I, p. 328, fig. 5.2.1). It features a closely related winged Victory candelabrum, and bears an inscription indicating that the depicted candelabrum and other pieces on the same plate were destined for Empress Josephine's Boudoir at Saint-Cloud. J.P. Samoyault suggests that it was the celebrated fondeur-ciseleur Pierre-Philippe Thomire (1751-1843) who was commissioned by the firm of the marchand-mercier Martin-Eloi Lignereux to execute the latter pair.